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A Level History

Choose A Level History at St Edmund’s College to explore fascinating periods of history and gain insight into the world we live in today.

The study of the past is the exploration of controversy. It requires decisions to be made based upon the gathering of often limited and questionable information leading to the creation of sustainable conclusions.

If you are interested in the past, keen to explore different perspectives and to debate issues, enjoy reading and writing extended essays – A Level History is the course for you!

Enrichment opportunities at St Ed’s include:

Head of Department Mr C Berkley BA (Liverpool) PGCE (ARU) CETLTYL (Seoul) TESOL (Trinity College, London) CELTA (Cantab)
Syllabus OCR

 

Course structure

A Level History covers three topics over two years of study. There are four assessments taken at the end of Rhetoric II (Year 13).

Topics studied

  • British Period Study and Enquiry: Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest (1035 – 1087)
  • Non-British Period Study: Philip II (1556 – 1598)
  • Thematic Study and Historical Interpretations: Rebellion and Disorder under the Tudors (1485 – 1603)

 

Assessment

The four assessments take place at the end of Rhetoric II (Year 13) and are as follows:

  • British period study and enquiry – 25% (1.5 hour written)

The enquiry is a source-based study which immediately precedes or follows the outline period study.

  • Non-British period study – 15% (1 hour written)
  • Thematic study and historical interpretations – 40% (2.5 hours writte

Learners will develop the ability to treat the whole period thematically, and to use their detailed knowledge of the depth study topics to evaluate interpretations of the specified key events, individuals or issues.

  • Non-examined assessment (NEA) – topic based essay – 20%

Students will complete a 3000–4000-word essay on a topic of their choice, which may arise out of content studied elsewhere in the course. This is an internally assessed NEA.

Topics overview

Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest 1035–1087

Key topics Content
Anglo-Saxon England 1035–1066 England in 1035 The consequences of Cnut’s death (1035); instability resulting from the continuation of Danish influence (Harold I 1035–1040 and Harthacnut 1040–1042); Edward’s upbringing, the problems he faced and leadership qualities; Edward’s policies (taxation, law and    order, government and administration, military organisation); Edward’s Norman connections; the importance of the Godwin family (Earl Godwin, Edward’s marriage to Edith, the crisis of 1051–1052, Harold Godwinson and his brothers); the succession crisis including the claim of Harald Hardrada.
William of Normandy’s invasion and the Battle of Hastings 1066 William of Normandy’s invasion preparations; Hardrada’s invasion, Fulford Gate and the Battle of Stamford Bridge; the Norman landings in Hastings and  Harold’s response; the course and outcome of the Battle of Hastings; reasons for William’s victory (leadership skills, strategy, tactics, resources, logistics, chance); William’s march through the south; William’s coronation.
William I and the consolidation of power William’s departure in 1067; the imposition of Norman rule; the suppression of rebellions (including, Exeter 1067, Edwin and Morcar 1068 and the North 1069–1070 Hereward the Wake); the Harrying of the North; castle building (motives, techniques, effectiveness); the establishment of and challenges from a new elite; threats from Scotland, Norway.

 

Rebellion and Disorder under the Tudors 1485–1603

Key topics Content
The main causes of rebellion and disorder William’s departure in 1067; the imposition of Norman rule; the suppression of rebellions (including, Exeter 1067, Edwin and Morcar 1068 and the North 1069–1070 Hereward the Wake); the Harrying of the North; castle building (motives, techniques, effectiveness); the establishment of and challenges from a new elite; threats from Scotland, Norway.
The frequency and nature of disturbances Location and regional variations including the importance of the peripheral regions and major towns and cities; objectives including the removal of the monarch, change to policies and removal of English rule from Ireland; size, frequency and duration of the rebellions; decline in support for rebellion; the support of the nobility, gentry, yeomen, clergy, commoners and foreign support for rebellions; leadership and the abilities of leaders; organisation; strategy and tactics of the rebels; differences between rebellions in England and Ireland; reasons for limited success and/or failure of rebellion
The impact of the disturbances upon Tudor governments Their response to the threat of disorder at the time and subsequently, including initial responses, pre-emptive measures, pardons, the raising of troops, military confrontation trials and retribution (e.g. changes in government strategy, policies, legislation, propaganda); the extent to which rebellions presented a serious threat to the government; the impact of rebellion on government and society.
The maintenance of political stability The role of local and central authorities: the Crown, the Church, nobility, gentry, lieutenants, sheriffs, JPs, local officials; popular attitudes towards authority.

 

Depth studies Content
Pilgrimage of Grace Causes; regional variations including Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumberland; objectives; support; leadership including Aske, Hussey and Darcy; organisation; reasons for its limited success and/or failure; the government response to the threat of disorder at the time and subsequently; the threat posed by the rebellion to the government; the role of central and local authorities in dealing with the unrest.
The Western Rebellion Causes; regional variations between Devon and Cornwall; objectives; size; support; leadership, organisation; reasons for its limited success and/or failure; the government response to the threat of disorder at the time and subsequently; the threat posed by the rebellion to the government; the role of central and local authorities in dealing with the unrest.
Tyrone’s Rebellion Causes; objectives; size; support; leadership; organisation; reasons for its limited success and/or failure; the government response to the threat of disorder at the time and subsequently; the threat posed by the rebellion to the government; the role of central and local authorities in dealing with the unrest.

 

Reading lists

British Period Study: Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest 1035–1087

  • Higham, The Death of Anglo-Saxon England, 2000 (New Edition Paperback), Sutton Publishing Ltd
  • Holland and Fellows, OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871-1107, 2015, Hodder Education
  • Huscroft, The Norman Conquest; A New Introduction, 2009, Routledge
  • Marc Morris, The Norman Conquest, 2013, Windmill Books

Further reading – general (available from Library)

  • Barlo, The Feudal Kingdom of England 1042-1216, (5th Edition), 1999, Routledge
  • Carpenter, The Struggle for Mastery: Britain 1066-1284, 2004, Penguin History
  • Clanchy, England and its Rulers 1066-1307, (4th Edition), 2014 , Blackwell
  • Golding, Conquest and Colonisation: The Normans in Britain, 1066-1100, (2nd Edition), 2013, Palgrave Macmillan
  • Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, (3rd Edition) 1971 re-printed 2001, Oxford Paperbacks
  • Further Reading – Biographies (Available from Library):
  • Barlow, Edward the Confessor, (‘New edition’ edition), 1997, Yale University Press
  • Bates, William the Conqueror, (3rd Edition), 2004, The History Press
  • Hollister, Henry I, 2003, Yale University Press
  • Mason, William Rufus: The Red King, 2005, NPI Media Group
  • Walker, Harold: The Last Anglo-Saxon King, (‘New Edition’ Edition), 2010, The History Press

Rebellion and Disorder under the Tudors 1485–1603

  • Anderson and Imperato, Introduction to Tudor England 1485-1603, 2001, Hodder Education
  • Dawson, The Tudor Century 1485-1603, 1993, Nelson Thornes
  • Elton, England Under the Tudors, (3rd Edition), 1991, Routledge
  • Fletcher and MacCulloch, Tudor Rebellions, (6th Edition), 2015, Routledge
  • Fletcher and Stevenson , Order and Disorder in Early Modern England, (Revised Edition), 2010, Cambridge University Press
  • Guy, Tudor England, (New Edition), 2000, Oxford University Press
  • Manning, Village Revolts: Social Protest and Popular Disturbances in England, 1509-1640, 1987, Clarendon Press
  • Mervyn, The Reign of Elizabeth: England 1558-1603, 2001, Hodder Education
  • Murphy et al, England 1485-1603, 1999, Collins Educational
  • Rogerson, Ellsmore and Hudson, The Early Tudors: England 1485-1558, 2001, Hodder Education
  • Slack, (ed.) Rebellion, Popular Protest and the Social Order in Early Modern England, 2009, Cambridge University Press
  • Stoyle, West Britons: Cornish Identities and the Early Modern State, 2002, University of Exeter Press
  • Wall, Power and Protest in England, 1525-1640, 2000, Bloomsbury Academic
  • Williams, The Tudor Regime, 1979, Oxford University Press
  • Williamson, The Tudor Age, 1979, Longman
  • Woodward and Fellows, Rebellion and Disorder under the Tudors 1485-1603, (2nd Edition), 2016, Hodder Education

 

Key skills developed
Selecting and analysing information Synthesising different perspective to make informed judgements
Understanding the cause and consequences of events Analysing documents to assess reliability and relevance
Constructing and communicating an argument
If men could learn from history, what lessons might it teach us. But passion and party blind out eyes...
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

Future pathways

History is useful in a variety of careers. Those directly related to the subject are obvious: teaching, museum work and the heritage industry.

Numerous employers base its usefulness on the fact that history is at its base level decision-making based upon limited amounts of information.

The legal profession uses many of the same skills as the historian and the decision-making skills developed are also valued by the police, the military, accountancy firms and larger businesses. Many librarians and archivists have a background in history, as do journalists.

History can be studied as a single subject and combined with many other courses at university. With many varied history courses, students can choose what kind of history and what periods they wish to study.