History GCSE

Exam Board: (OCR History B) J411

Exam: Component 1 – The People’s Health & The Elizabethans (40%)

Component 2 – History Around Us (20%)

Component 3 – The Making of America, Living Under Nazi Rule (40%)

Content:

The thematic study provides students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in successive periods of history, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The focus of the study is The People’s Health. Students will explore government responses to a range of health challenges including the Great Plague of 1665, the Gin Craze of the 1700s and cholera epidemics in Industrial Britain.

The depth study encourages students to learn about a fascinating aspect of British history: The Elizabethans. Students will analyse a wide range of interpretations to explore the concept of a Golden Age in Elizabethan England.

The History Around Us module is an essential part of the course. Students will visit a site of interest and consider how the historic environment has changed over time.

The period study follows the unfolding narrative of the Making of America from the inauguration of the first president in 1789 to the end of the nineteenth century when the USA was set to become the world’s dominant power. Students will investigate how and why American territory expanded during these years and the relationship between this expansion and the cultures of indigenous Americans, African Americans and white settlers.

The World depth study will enable learners to understand the impact of the Nazi dictatorship on people’s lives, both within Germany and across occupied Europe.

Course Summary

OCR’s GCSE History B is an exciting new history course that will fire students’ curiosity for the study of the past. It has been constructed in partnership with the Schools’ History Project and reflects our commitment to offering worthwhile and inspiring school history. Students build a deeper understanding of the present by engaging with and questioning the past.

Possible Careers and Future Study: Apart from enjoying the course, and being much more aware of the world around you, GCSE History will provide you with a solid foundation for further study or employment. Many people working in law, media, tourism and education have studied History. This is because the subject helps you to develop reasoning skills and the ability to argue your point using evidence.