Ireland · NCCA Curriculum Specifications
1st Year The Historian's Journey: Discovering Our Past
This course introduces students to the fundamental skills of the historian while exploring the social and cultural evolution of Ireland and the wider world. Students engage with evidence from the Roman Empire to the Middle Ages to understand how societies organize and change over time.
The Nature of History
An introduction to the tools and methods used by historians to reconstruct the past through evidence and inquiry.
Exploring how historians use primary and secondary sources to build a narrative of the past.
Understanding the measurement of time and the importance of sequencing events to find patterns.
Investigating how physical remains provide a window into societies that left no written records.
The Roman World
Examining the rise of the Roman Empire and its lasting impact on European law, language, and infrastructure.
A study of daily life, social hierarchies, and urban planning in ancient Rome.
Analyzing the military tactics and organizational structures that allowed Rome to dominate the Mediterranean.
Investigating the internal and external factors that led to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.
Early Christian Ireland
Exploring the transition from paganism to Christianity and the golden age of Irish learning and art.
Studying the daily routines of monks and their role as keepers of knowledge in Europe.
Examining the craftsmanship of illuminated manuscripts, high crosses, and metalwork.
Analyzing the myths and historical facts surrounding the conversion of Ireland to Christianity.
The Viking Age
Investigating the impact of Viking raids and settlements on Irish and European society.
Evaluating the dual nature of Viking expeditions as both violent incursions and commercial ventures.
Tracing the development of Ireland's first towns, including Dublin, Waterford, and Limerick.
Deconstructing the 1014 battle and its significance in Irish historical memory.
The Medieval Castle and Manor
A study of the feudal system and the architectural evolution of the medieval fortress.
Understanding the social hierarchy of lords, vassals, and peasants in medieval Europe.
Exploring the transition from Motte and Bailey to stone castles and their defensive features.
Analyzing the causes and the massive social and economic impact of the plague in the 14th century.
The Renaissance
Examining the cultural rebirth in Europe through art, science, and the rediscovery of classical knowledge.
Exploring how a new focus on human potential and Greek and Roman texts changed European thought.
A study of key figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo and their contributions to human knowledge.
Investigating how Renaissance inquiry led to new discoveries in astronomy and physics.