United Kingdom · National Curriculum Attainment Targets
Year 13 History
Key Stage 5 A-Level History Year 13: an intensive study of Civil Rights in the USA 1865-1992, the British Empire's evolution, and independent historical enquiry, focusing on synoptic understanding and high-level historiographical debate.
Reconstruction and the Jim Crow Era 1865-1915
Analysing the post-Civil War attempts to redefine American citizenship and the subsequent institutionalisation of segregation.
Evaluating the impact of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments on the legal status of African Americans.
Examining the role of the Supreme Court in eroding civil rights through cases like Plessy v. Ferguson.
Analysing the methods used to strip African Americans of the vote, including poll taxes and literacy tests.
Comparing the accommodationist approach of Booker T. Washington with the radicalism of W.E.B. Du Bois.
Investigating the rise of extrajudicial violence and the pioneering investigative journalism of Ida B. Wells.
Exploring the push and pull factors that led millions of African Americans to leave the rural South.
The Interwar Years and the New Deal 1915-1941
Analysing the cultural flowering of the Harlem Renaissance against the backdrop of rising racial tensions and economic depression.
Assessing the significance of the cultural and intellectual explosion in 1920s Harlem.
Evaluating the impact of the UNIA and the appeal of the "Back to Africa" movement.
Analysing the 1915 rebirth of the Klan and its expansion into a national political force.
Evaluating whether FDR's policies helped or hindered Black Americans during the Great Depression.
Examining the role of A. Philip Randolph and the struggle for fair employment practices.
World War II and the Cold War Context 1941-1954
Investigating how global conflicts and the struggle against totalitarianism influenced the domestic fight for equality.
Analysing the impact of the war on Black consciousness and the demand for "Victory at Home and Victory Abroad".
Evaluating Harry Truman's civil rights record and the significance of Executive Order 9981.
Examining how the global competition with the USSR affected the US government's approach to race.
Deep study of the legal arguments and social impact of the landmark school desegregation case.
The High Tide of the Movement 1955-1965
A detailed look at the decade of mass mobilisation, non-violent direct action, and legislative breakthroughs.
Analysing the origins, leadership, and economic impact of the 381-day boycott.
Examining the 1957 crisis at Central High School and Eisenhower's reluctant response.
Evaluating the impact of student-led activism starting with the Greensboro Four.
Analysing the CORE-led effort to desegregate interstate travel and the violent response it provoked.
Assessing the pivotal events of 1963 that led to the Civil Rights Act.
Examining the 1964 campaign to register voters in Mississippi and the challenge to the Democratic Party.
Analysing the "Bloody Sunday" march and the subsequent passage of the 1965 Act.
Fragmentation and Black Power 1965-1975
Exploring the shift in focus to Northern cities, economic justice, and more militant forms of activism.
Analysing the causes of the 1965-67 urban uprisings and the findings of the Kerner Commission.
Evaluating the ideologies of Stokely Carmichael and the shift from "Freedom Now" to "Black Power".
Examining the Ten-Point Programme, community survival programmes, and the conflict with the FBI.
Analysing King's shift toward the Poor People's Campaign and his opposition to the Vietnam War.
Assessing the immediate impact of King's death on the movement and American society.
The Retreat from Reform 1975-1992
Examining the challenges of the post-civil rights era, including busing, affirmative action, and the "War on Drugs".
Analysing the attempt to desegregate schools through court-ordered busing and the fierce white resistance.
Evaluating the legal and social debates surrounding "reverse discrimination" and racial quotas.
Assessing the impact of the 1980s conservative shift on civil rights enforcement and social programmes.
Investigating the origins of the prison-industrial complex and its racial dimensions.
Evaluating the significance of Jackson's 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns.
Examining the intersection of race, gender, and judicial philosophy in the 1991 Supreme Court confirmation.
Analysing the Rodney King verdict and the explosive response in Los Angeles as a culmination of decades of tension.
The British Empire and Decolonisation 1857-1967
A thematic study of the British Empire, focusing on the transition from imperial rule to independence in India and Africa.
Examining the causes and consequences of the great revolt against East India Company rule.
Analysing British imperial expansion in Africa and the motivations behind the "New Imperialism".
Evaluating the development of the Indian National Congress and the impact of the First World War.
Analysing the factors that led to the British withdrawal from India and the tragedy of Partition.
Comparing the relatively peaceful transition in the Gold Coast with the violent Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya.
Assessing the impact of the 1956 Suez Crisis and Macmillan's 1960 speech on British imperial identity.
Historical Enquiry and Coursework Completion
The final phase of the independent investigation, focusing on advanced historiography and synthesis.
Engaging with complex schools of historical thought relevant to the student's chosen coursework topic.
Refining the structure of the independent investigation to ensure a tight, logical flow of argument.
Mastering the technical requirements of academic writing, including referencing and bibliography.
Preparing the final draft and summarising the core findings of the investigation.
Connecting the themes of power, identity, and rights across the US and British Empire units.
Mastering the skills required for the A-Level exam, focusing on essay planning and source evaluation.
Reflecting on the role of history in contemporary society and the importance of historical literacy.