Modern History

This Modern History course enables learners to study the forces that have shaped today’s world and provides them with a broader and deeper comprehension of the world in which they live. The focus is on the 20^th Century and 21^st Century from the end of World War I (1917-18) until 2010. Learners are encouraged to make connections with the changing world to the present.

Modern History enhances learners’ curiosity and imagination, and their appreciation of larger themes, individuals, movements, events and ideas that have shaped the contemporary world and key drivers of change including: political systems, ideologies; crises that challenged the stability of governments; national and global conflicts and their resolution; the transformation of social, political and economic life; and shifts in power. Learners will also be introduced to Post World War II history with a focus on one area of study from the Cold War; Australia’s engagement with key Asian nations; migration; and issues impacting on global peace and security.

The Modern History course continues to develop the historical skills and understandings delivered in the Foundation to Year 10 History curriculum. Learners pose increasingly complex questions about the past and use their historical inquiry skills, analytical skills and interpretation of sources to formulate reasoned answers to those questions. Learners develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the different and sometimes conflicting perspectives of the past.

Learners are introduced to the complexities associated with the changing nature of evidence, its contestability; the distinctive characteristics of modern historical representation; and the skills that are required to investigate controversial issues that have a powerful contemporary resonance. Learners develop increasingly sophisticated historiographical skills and historical understanding in their analysis of significant events and close study of the nature of modern societies.

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

1. assess the significance of modern political systems and ideologies and describe their manifestations in the modern history of some nations (Have knowledge and understanding of modern history)
2. identify and assess drivers of social, political and economic change, and assess nature and impact of such changes in the modern history of some nations (Have knowledge and understanding of modern history)
3. assess the internal divisions and external threats in the development of modern nations (Have knowledge and understanding of modern history)
4. describe and assess key historical concepts in the historical record (Have knowledge and understanding of modern history)
5. describe and assess the causes and impacts of particular events, ideas, movements and developments that have shaped the modern world (Have knowledge and understanding of modern history)
6. describe and assess historical significance of individuals, events, movements and organisations. (Have knowledge and understanding of modern history)
7. apply the process of historical inquiry to understand historical change and characteristics of modern nations (Have historical inquiry skills)
8. assess primary and secondary sources to resolve major historical questions about their usefulness, reliability and contestability (Have historical inquiry skills)
9. make informed judgements about historical arguments and assess differing historical interpretations and representations (Have historical inquiry skills)
10. use appropriate evidence from a range of sources to explain the past, and to support and refute arguments (Have historical inquiry skills)
11. apply the principles of academic integrity (Have historical inquiry skills)
12. apply time management, planning and negotiation skills to historical inquiry. (Have historical inquiry skills)
13. correctly use historical terms when discussing issues and concepts (Have communication skills)
14. communicate historical ideas and information. (Have communication skills)

History and the Environment Level 2 provides a pathway to this course.

Successful completion of Modern History Level 3 prepares learners for tertiary study in a range of areas including: History; Politics; Asian Studies; Law; Religion; and Philosophy.

This course has a complexity level of 3.

At Level 3, the learner is expected to acquire a combination of theoretical and/or technical and factual knowledge and skills and use judgement when varying procedures to deal with unusual or unexpected aspects that may arise. Some skills in organising self and others are expected. Level 3 is a standard suitable to prepare learners for further study at tertiary level. VET competencies at this level are often those characteristic of an AQF Certificate III.

This course has a size value of 15.

The course has THREE sections.

• Section A – Modern Western Nations in the 20^th Century
• Section B – Modern Asian Nations in the 20^th Century
• Section C – The Changing World Order, 1945 to 2010.

All sections are compulsory. One topic will be selected for study in Section A and one in Section B. The ‘Overview’ in Section C is compulsory; learners will select one/strong> topic from this section for a more in depth study (i.e. Topic C1 OR Topic C2 OR Topic C3 OR Topic C4).

It is recommended that sections are delivered sequentially.

All topics in Section A and B can be used to contextualise development of the knowledge and understanding required to attain the Learning Outcomes.

Studies in Sections A and B will include modern political systems and ideologies and their manifestations in the modern history of chosen nations¹. Ideologies may, for example, include socialism, communism, fascism, liberalism, nationalism or other and key political systems that will be studied in the context of the history of the chosen countries will include democracy and totalitarianism.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SECTIONS, TOPICS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

In studying the three sections of this course learners will develop the skills, knowledge and understanding required to attain the Learning Outcomes.

The skills, knowledge and understanding required to attain all the specific Learning Outcomes about historical inquiry skills and communication skills are developed within the context of each of the three sections and topics of the course.

The knowledge and understanding required to attain the Learning Outcomes about knowledge and understanding of modern history are developed within the context of the course’s sections and topics. The specific Learning Outcomes about knowledge and understanding of modern history related to each section/topic are noted within the Course Content.

¹ ‘nations’ may also refer to states and empires.

TABLE 1 – SUMMARY OF CONTENT

SECTION A – MODERN WESTERN NATIONS IN THE 20^th CENTURY

This section of the course focuses on the drivers of social, economic and political change, including nationalism and the nature and impact of change on modern history in the period from 1917 to 1953. This will include studies of modern political systems and ideologies and their manifestations in the modern history of some nations. Ideologies may, for example, include socialism, communism, fascism, liberalism, nationalism or other, and key political systems that will be studied in the context of the history of a chosen nation in Section A may include democracy or totalitarianism or both. Studies will include investigations into the nature and impact of change on modern nations.

In the study of Sections A and B, both democratic and totalitarian political systems and at least ONE ideology will be studied.

ONE of the listed topics will be selected:

Topic 1: United States of America, 1917–1945
Topic 2: Australia, 1918–1949
Topic 3: Germany, 1918–1945
Topic 4: Russia and the Soviet Union, 1917–1953.

Specific Learning Outcomes about knowledge and understanding of modern history related to Section A.

Learners will be able to:

• identify and assess drivers of social, political and economic change, and assess nature and impact of such changes in the modern history of some nations
• assess the significance of modern political systems and describe their manifestations in the modern history of some nations
• assess the internal divisions and external threats in the development of modern nations.

All Learning Outcomes about historical inquiry skills relate to Section A.

All Learning Outcomes about communication skills relate to Section A.

SECTION A – TOPIC 1: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1917–1945 (ENTRY INTO WORLD WAR I TO THE END OF WORLD WAR II)

This topic will investigate two periods of time:

• 1917–1932
• 1933–1945.

Historical Issues

• Overview of the United States of America in 1917 as background for more intensive study of the period
• Nature and causes of internal divisions within American society and the aims and beliefs of different groups: for example African Americans, urban workers, rural workers, immigrants, industrialists and members of the first nations people (Native Americans); and consequences of divisions, for example the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, the Scopes 'Monkey' Trial and the Trial of Ossian Sweet
• The significance of prohibition and the 'Jazz Age' in shaping American values, for example music, film and fashion
• Consequences of the Great Depression for different groups and the effectiveness of political responses, including the New Deal
• Changing nature of American foreign policy between 1917 and 1945, including its international alliances and relationships; and the policy of isolationism
• Nature and scope of America's war effort in Europe, Asia and the Pacific (1941–1945), including the reasons for US involvement in WW II, and the decision to use the atomic bomb
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example may include but is not limited to Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, Harry S. Truman, F. D. Roosevelt, Booker T Washington, Jessie Owens, Amelia Earhart.

OR

SECTION A – TOPIC 2: AUSTRALIA 1918–1949 (END OF WORLD WAR I TO THE ELECTION OF THE MENZIES' LIBERAL-COUNTRY PARTY GOVERNMENT)

This topic will investigate two periods of time:

• 1918–1939
• 1939–1949.

Historical Issues

• Overview of Australia in 1918 as background and information for more intensive study of the period
• Adjustment of national priorities in the 1920s, including tensions between urbanisation, industrialisation and rural development; the difficulties of soldier settlement, the exclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and the changing role of women
• Impact of the Great Depression on different groups and individuals within Australian society and the effectiveness of political responses to the crisis
• Changing nature and significance of Australian foreign policy from 1916 to 1949
• Nature and scope of Australia's war effort in Europe, Asia and the Pacific (1939–1945)
• Key features of post-war reconstruction, including industrialisation, immigration, the provision of social welfare, and attitudes and policies toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and women
• The impact of the rise of communism, its influence on the election of Robert Menzies and the Coalition in 1949, and the contrasting economic and social policies offered at the 1949 election
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example may include but is not limited to W.M. Hughes, Sir John Monash, Vida Goldstein, Ben Chifley, John Curtin, Robert Menzies.

OR

SECTION A – TOPIC 3: GERMANY 1918–1945 (END OF WORLD WAR I TO THE END OF WORLD WAR II)

This topic will investigate two periods of time:

• 1918–1933
• 1933–1945.

Historical Issues

• Overview of Germany in 1918 as background for more intensive study of the period
• Democratic changes under the Weimar Government and reasons for its failure to deal with social, political and economic problems
• Reasons for the Nazi party's rise to power, including the Treaty of Versailles, the impact of the Great Depression, the nature of Nazi ideology and hostility to communism, the ability of Hitler and the Nazi party to utilise popular fears, and the Party's organisational and tactical skills
• Nature and effects of the key aspects of the Nazi state, including military mobilisation, Lebensraum (living space), propaganda, terror and repression (SA and SS), the Hitler Youth, and the policy on religion
• Nazi policies of antisemitism and the promotion of the so-called ‘Aryan race’ resulting in measures to exterminate minorities in German-controlled lands and the Holocaust
• Germany's war effort, including its early successes and subsequent failures leading to the defeat of Germany by the Allies, and the division of Germany
• The role and impact of significant individuals in Weimar and Nazi Germany, for example may include but is not limited to Gustav Stresemann, President von Hindenburg, Leni Riefenstahl, Alfred Krupp, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Göring and Albert Speer.

OR

SECTION A – TOPIC 4: RUSSIA AND THE SOVIET UNION, 1917–1953 (REVOLUTION TO THE DEATH OF STALIN)

This topic will investigate two periods of time:

• 1917–1929
• 1929–1953.

Historical Issues

• Overview of Russia in 1917 as background for more intensive study of the period
• Internal divisions and crises within Russian society, including the causes, events and outcomes of the February and October Revolutions in 1917; the opposition to the Bolsheviks, the civil war and the reasons for the Bolshevik victory
• Significance of the struggle of Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky for power and the reasons for the success of Stalin
• Changes that transformed Russia, including the New Economic Policy, the creation of the USSR, the Five Year plans and how they contributed to state control of the economy, forced rural collectivisation, state-created famine and the modernisation of the Soviet Union
• Different experiences of individuals and groups in the period to 1945, including peasants and factory workers, and the methods the regime employed to control them, including mobilisation and propaganda, repression, the Purges and the Great Terror
• Impact of World War II and the methods that enabled the USSR to secure victory; post war military occupations of the Soviet Union
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example may include but is not limited to Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Nikolai Yezhov, Sergei Kirov, Alexandra Kollontai, Vyacheslav Molotov and Georgy Zhukov.

SECTION B – MODERN ASIAN NATIONS IN THE 20TH CENTURY

This section of the course focuses on the historical forces that have shaped Asian nations and ways in which internal divisions and external threats were addressed in the period from 1931–1984.

This will include studies of modern political systems and ideologies; and their manifestations in the modern history of some nations. Ideologies may include socialism, communism, fascism and nationalism, and key political systems that will be studied in the context of the history of a chosen country will include democracy or totalitarianism or both. Studies will include investigations into the nature and impact of change on modern nations.

ONE of the listed topics will be selected:

Topic 1: Japan, 1931–1952
Topic 2: India, 1930–1984
Topic 3: Indonesia, 1942–1975
Topic 4: China, 1935–1976.

Specific Learning Outcomes about knowledge and understanding of modern history related to Section B.

Learners will be able to:

• assess the internal divisions and external threats in the development of modern nations and how they shaped responses
• assess the significance of modern ¹political systems and ²ideologies and describe their manifestations in the modern history of some nations
• identify and assess drivers of social, political and economic change, and assess nature and impact of such changes in the modern history of some nations.

All Learning Outcomes about Historical Inquiry skills relate to Section B.

All Learning Outcomes about communication skills relate to Section B.

^1, 2 Refer to Appendix for definitions.

SECTION B – TOPIC 1: JAPAN, 1931–1952 (INVASION OF MANCHURIA TO TREATY OF SAN FRANCISCO)

This topic will investigate two periods of time:

• 1931–1941
• 1941–1952.

Historical Issues

• Overview of Japan in 1931 as background for more intensive study of the period
• Japan's first invasion of Manchuria in 1931 for political, military, economic and social reasons
• Japan during World War II, including the extent and nature of Japanese imperial expansion in Asia and the Pacific; the formation of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere; the external threats to Japan, including tension with the USA over trade before WW II; the bombing of Pearl Harbour; the scope and nature of fighting in Asia and the Pacific during WW II; and the US atomic attacks in 1945
• Immediate post-war effects of Japan's defeat, including opposition to democratic government; political division within the Japanese military; opposition to the Allied occupation after the war; the changes introduced during the American occupation
• Internal development of Japan after the Occupation and the nature of its foreign policy, including the nature of the constitution and political system; the terms of the US-Japan Security Treaty, and the nature of the political order that followed; and the reasons for Japan's low-profile role in world affairs and post-war economic development in the 1960s
• Japan's role and situation in the initial Cold War period, including membership of the United Nations, the limits on its military role and territorial disputes with the USSR, China, and North and South Korea
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example may include but is not limited to Hideki Tojo, Emperor Hirohito, General Douglas MacArthur, Eiji Toyoda, Akio Morita, and Yoshida Shigeru.

OR

SECTION B – TOPIC 2: INDIA, 1930–1984 (CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT TO ASSASSINATION OF INDIRA GANDHI)

This topic will investigate two periods of time:

• 1930–1947
• 1947–1984.

Historical Issues

• Overview of India from 1930 to 1947 as background and information for more intensive study of the period, including the impact of World War II; includes impact of British Rule, growth of the civil disobedience movement, Salt March (Salt Satyagraha); Government of India Act (1935); Social, economic and political transformations under colonial / British rule; Caste system and the Raj; Rise of Nationalism and Islamic separatism; the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi (1948); wars with Pakistan; India’s underground nuclear testing
• Nature of the division of India that resulted in the creation of Pakistan (1947) and Bangladesh (1971), including the different paths taken by the two nations, and the response of India
• Establishment and significance of the Indian constitution (1950); the subsequent role of the Indian Congress Party, Hindu nationalism and the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964)
• Key features and significance of the Indira Gandhi leadership and policies (1966–1977) and again from 1980–1984
• Changing nature of India's foreign policy and external threats in the period, including relations with power blocs, wars with Pakistan over the disputed territory of Kashmir (1948, 1965 and 1971), recognition of Tibet as part of China, the liberation of Goa (1961), border war with China (1962), creation of Bangladesh (1971) and India's nuclear test (1974); Indira Gandhi return to power in 1980; assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example may include but is not limited to Mohamas (Mahatma) Gandhi, Jinnah, B.R Ambedkar, Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Louis Mountbatten, and Indira Gandhi
• Experiences of different groups and castes in India, with particular reference to Hindus, Muslims, women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Castes.

OR

SECTION B – TOPIC 3: INDONESIA, 1942–1975 (JAPANESE OCCUPATION TO THE INVASION OF EAST TIMOR/TIMOR–LESTE)

This topic will investigate two periods of time:

• 1942–1965
• 1965–1975.

Historical Issues

• Overview of Indonesia in 1942 as background for more intensive study of the period, including the Indonesian nationalist movement in the 1930s and the idea of Indonesia
• The reasons for the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, the nature of the occupation and its effects on different groups, including forced labourers; the effects of the occupation on Indonesian nationalism; the declaration of Indonesian independence in 1945 and its aftermath; the Netherlands' attempts to re-establish colonial rule
• The background, role and significance of Sukarno's presidency, with particular reference to 'Guided democracy'; the reasons for the growth of the Indonesian Communist party; and the role of the military
• The reasons for the deterioration in Indonesia’s economy up to 1965 and its impact on the population, including hyperinflation and food shortages
• The nature and causes of internal divisions in Indonesian society, including the ethnic and religious differences, and the role of Chinese Indonesians
• Indonesian foreign policy to 1965, including the Bandung Conference, relations with the USSR, China and the USA, confrontation with Malaysia and the annexation of West Irian
• The nature and significance of the 1965 coup, including the mass killings 1965-1966; the rise to power of Suharto and the army, the transmigration program and conflicts between settlers and indigenous populations; pro-democracy movements; and the reasons for the invasion of East Timor/Timor-Leste in 1975
• The role and impact of significant individuals and groups in the period, for example may include but is not limited to Sukarno, Mohammad Hatta, Dipa Nusantara Aidit, Suharto and Parmudya Ananta Toer, the LEKRA and Muhammadiyah groups.

OR

SECTION B – TOPIC 4: CHINA, 1935–1976 (THE LONG MARCH TO THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION)

This topic will investigate two periods of time:

• 1935–1949
• 1949–1976.

Historical Issues

• Overview of China in 1935 as background for more intensive study of the period
• Purpose and nature of the 'Yan'an Way', including the Long March; Mao Zedong's rise to prominence; life in the base areas including gender relations, rectification movements, and the role of the Chinese Communist Party's participation in the war against Japan
• Similarities and differences in both structure and philosophy between the GMD and the Chinese Communist Party, and the conflict that led to change in the regime in 1949 and the creation of a Communist state. Early Communist reforms and the ‘Hundred Flowers’ campaign
• Chinese involvement in the Cold War and relations with the United States in the Korean conflict (1950–1953), and the nature and practice of China's subsequent international relations until the 1960s
• Characteristics and impact of the Great Leap Forward (1958–1961), including the role of communes, methods of production, and the difficulties faced by workers
• Significance of the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) as a continuing attempt to organise Chinese social and economic life and to suppress dissent, and the implications for groups within China, including rural peasants and political dissidents
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example may include but is not limited to Mao Zedong, Jiang Qing, Jiang Jieshi and Lin Piao.

SECTION C – THE CHANGING WORLD ORDER, 1945 TO 2010

This section of the course focuses on significant and distinctive events of the modern world that have emerged since the end of World War II: topics include the Cold War, Australia’s engagement with Asia in the modern world; shifting international tensions, migration; peace and security and international terrorism.

Learners will apply key concepts as part of an historical inquiry, including evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, significance, empathy, perspectives and contestability.

Learners will study the Overview and ONE study from the list of topics (i.e. C1 or C2 or C3 or C4).

OVERVIEW – 10 Hours

The overview will briefly examine some significant and distinctive features of the modern world within the period 1945 – 2010. These include changes to the nature of the world order: shifting international tensions, alliances and power blocs; the emergence of Asia as a significant international political and economic force, and the nature of engagement by and with Australia; the nature of various conflicts and regional and international attempts to create peace and security; and the impact of population growth, globalisation, global conflict, migration, immigration and refugee crises.

Learners will then select ONE study from the list of topics i.e. C1 or C2 or C3 or C4. As part of their study, they will follow and make relevant connections with contemporary events.

The key conceptual understandings covered in this Unit are: causation; change and continuity; historical significance and changing representations and interpretations of the past; and contestability.

SECTION C – 40 Hours

Specific Learning Outcomes about knowledge and understanding of modern history related to Section C (including the Overview).

Learners will be able to:

• describe and assess key historical concepts in the historical record
• describe and assess causes and impacts of particular events, ideas, movements and developments that have shaped the modern world
• describe and assess historical significance of events, movements and organisations and changing representations and interpretations of the past.

Study of Section C topics will provide some opportunities for learners to develop the knowledge and understanding required to attain the Learning Outcomes:

• assess the significance of modern political systems and ideologies and describe their manifestations in the modern history of some nations
• assess the internal divisions and external threats in the development of modern nations
• identify and assess drivers of social, political and economic change, and assess nature and impact of such changes in the modern history of some nations.

Specific Learning Outcomes about Historical Inquiry skills related to Section C (including the Overview).

Learners will be able to:

• apply the process of historical inquiry to understand historical change and characteristics of modern nations
• assess primary and secondary sources to resolve major historical questions about their usefulness, reliability and contestability
• make informed judgements about historical arguments and assess differing historical interpretations and representations
• use appropriate evidence from a range of sources to explain the past, and to support and refute arguments.

All Learning Outcomes about communication skills relate to Section C.

TOPIC C1: THE COLD WAR

Historical Issues

• Origins and evolving nature and character of the Cold War to 1948, détente, causes and significance of the Cuban Missile Crisis; the arms race and nuclear strategy
• Colonialism in the Eastern communist bloc and Western capitalist bloc, and the emerging role of the United Nations
• The ideological, cultural and political differences between the United States and the Soviet Union; and the significance of the Truman Doctrine and Berlin Blockade
• Involvement by the superpowers in 'proxy' wars in the Middle East and Vietnam; and general superpower rivalry, including the space race
• The involvement of Australia in the Cold War, with particular reference to foreign policy, nuclear testing at Maralinga, and the war in Vietnam
• Significant developments that followed the end of the Cold War in 1989, including the breakup of the Soviet Union, the development of European governance and extension of the ‘European Union’, and the emergence of China and India as significant Asian powers
• End of the Cold War including Ronald Reagan and the 'second Cold War' of the 1980s; Gorbachev's economic and social reforms within the USSR; the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the breakup of the Soviet Union
• The role of significant individuals during the period, for example, may include but is not limited to Josef Stalin, Harry Truman, Mao Zedong, John Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev, Jawaharlal Nehru, Richard Nixon, Deng Xiaoping, Ronald Reagan, Leonid Brezhnev, Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev.

TOPIC C2: AUSTRALIA’S ENGAGEMENT WITH ASIA

Historical Issues

Learners investigate Australia’s relationship with ONE Asian country chosen from China, India, Indonesia, Japan or Vietnam in relation to the following:

• an overview, as background information, of the impact of World War II on Australia and Asia, including the significance of the fall of Singapore, the political and social impact of the war with Japan, the increasing regional involvement of the United States, and movements towards decolonisation
• the nature of Australia’s response to key developments in the period, such as the success of the Communists in China, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, the return of the French to Vietnam, Indonesian claims for independence, Australia’s response to India’s nuclear testing, Australia’s adherence to the White Australia Policy until 1973, and the implications of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War
• the significance of Australia’s immigration policies on regional relationships after World War II, including the reasons for the gradual dismantling of the White Australia Policy in the period 1945–1973
• the formation of formal alliances and forums, for example ANZUS, SEATO and APEC, and cultural ties with Asia
• the changing characteristics of the chosen nation over the period, including political independence and alliances; system of government; political, social and cultural policies; economic growth; and the development of education and technology
• the nature of the connections between the chosen country and Australia in the areas of migration, trade, culture, membership of alliances, and political affairs
• the significance of the chosen country’s political and economic development since 1945 for its relationship with Australia
• the impact of globalisation and changing patterns in economic and military agreements, ‘free trade’, shared common interests (such as food and water security, climate change, pollution)
• the role of individuals and groups, for example national leaders, businessmen, and sporting and cultural identities, in promoting or questioning closer links between the chosen country and Australia.

TOPIC C3: PEACE, CONFLICT AND THE NATURE OF TERRORISM

This Unit investigates post-World War II events including the impact of global conflicts on peace and security, the origins and changing nature of terrorism as a political, ideological and economic weapon and the impact of the USA’s ‘War on Terror’. In the study of this Unit it is recommended that learners follow and make relevant connections with contemporary events.

Historical Issues

• An overview of the threats to world security in 1945, including austerity, border disputes, refugee movements, and the peace settlement in 1945
• The changing nature of global terrorism since 1945
• The objectives, methods and influence of terrorist groups, including state-based terrorism; anticolonial conflicts (such as Ireland and the United Kingdom; Palestine)
• International tensions (such as Al Qaeda, Boko Haram and ISIL); impact of 9/11 on the USA, and the world; the USA’s ‘War on Terror’ and response of US allies
• Methods and motivations of modern terrorism, terrorism as a political, ideological and economic weapon; impact of terrorism on Australia. It is recommended that learners follow and make relevant connections with contemporary events
• The nature of responses and the success of governments and the UN to conflicts and threats in the post-Cold War period (1991-2010), including national counter-terrorism actions; policies of non-negotiation; War on Terror; Anti-terrorism Laws; Counterterrorist organisations; impacts on civil liberties, surveillance, data and security measures and human rights
• The impact of significant individuals in the period, for example, may include but is not limited to Gerry Adams, George W Bush, Colin Powell, Osama bin Laden, John Howard, Edward Snowden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yasser Arafat.

TOPIC C4: PATTERNS OF MIGRATION

Historical Issues:

• An overview, as background, of the volume and forms of migration before 1945, including legal and illegal migrants, mass migration to former settler colonies and refugee movements
• The nature, extent and global distribution of populations in 1945 and then in 2010
• The circumstances in 1945 contributing to mass movement of people, including the impact of World War II on migration from Europe and its impact on Australian migration policies and on movements within the British Commonwealth
• The international legal and organisational frameworks for the movement of people, including the 1948 Universal Declaration, the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol, the anti-trafficking protocol of the Palermo Convention (2000), International Labor Organisation (ILO) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• Displacement arising from conflict and persecution (1945–1975) for example Communist regimes in Europe (Hungarian uprising 1956), conflicts in the Middle East (Israeli military interventions in Lebanon)
• Displacement arising from conflict and persecution (1975–2010), for example fleeing from Communism in Asia (Vietnam War) and civil wars in Africa (Horn of Africa)
• The consequences of the movement of peoples in the period 1945–2010, for example urban migration and labour migration, and the experiences of groups that moved and the implications for Australia, Great Britain and the British Commonwealth.

TABLE 2 – SUMMARY OF WORK REQUIREMENTS

Criterion-based assessment is a form of outcomes assessment that identifies the extent of learner achievement at an appropriate end-point of study. Although assessment – as part of the learning program – is continuous, much of it is formative, and is done to help learners identify what they need to do to attain the maximum benefit from their study of the course. Therefore, assessment for summative reporting to TASC will focus on what both teacher and learner understand to reflect end-point achievement.

The standard of achievement each learner attains on each criterion is recorded as a rating ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘C’, according to the outcomes specified in the standards section of the course.

A ‘t’ notation must be used where a learner demonstrates any achievement against a criterion less than the standard specified for the ‘C’ rating.

A ‘z’ notation is to be used where a learner provides no evidence of achievement at all.

Providers offering this course must participate in quality assurance processes specified by TASC to ensure provider validity and comparability of standards across all awards. To learn more, see TASC's quality assurance processes and assessment information.

Internal assessment of all criteria will be made by the provider. Providers will report the learner’s rating for each criterion to TASC.

TASC will supervise the external assessment of designated criteria which will be indicated by an asterisk (*). The ratings obtained from the external assessments will be used in addition to internal ratings from the provider to determine the final award.

The following processes will be facilitated by TASC to ensure there is:

• a match between the standards of achievement specified in the course and the skills and knowledge demonstrated by learners
• community confidence in the integrity and meaning of the qualification.

Process – TASC gives course providers feedback about any systematic differences in the relationship of their internal and external assessments and, where appropriate, seeks further evidence through audit and requires corrective action in the future.

Additionally, the Office of TASC may select to undertake scheduled audits of this course and its work requirements (Provider standards 1, 2, 3 and 4).

The external assessment for this course will comprise:

• a three (3) hour written examination assessing criteria: 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

For further information, see the current external assessment specifications and guidelines for this course which can be found in the Supporting Documents below.

The assessment for Modern History Level 3 will be based on the degree to which the learner can:

• 1. undertake inquiry in modern history issues
• 2. use historical ideas and concepts in discussing the modern world
• 3. communicate historical ideas and information*
• 4. use evidence to support historical interpretations and arguments*
• 5. assess drivers of social, economic and political change and nature and impact of changes in modern history*
• 6. describe and assess internal and external threats on the history of modern nations *
• 7. describe and assess key concepts of differing historical interpretations on issues affecting the modern world*
• 8. use resources and organisational strategies

* = denotes criteria that are both internally and externally assessed.

Analyse: to examine, scrutinise, explore, review, consider in detail for the purpose of finding meaning or relationships, and identifying patterns, similarities and differences

Apply: use, utilise, employ in a particular situation, discussion or response

Appropriate: suitable or proper in the circumstances; suitable for a particular response; fitting

Assess: to make a judgement about, to rate, to weigh up, to form an opinion

Coherent: a logical and consistent argument or theory

Critically analyse: to closely examine, analyse in detail, focus on essence, examine component parts of an issue or information (for example, identifying the premise of an argument or ideology, and its plausibility, illogical reasoning or faulty conclusions)

Describe: to recount, tell of/about, chronicle, comment on, give an account of characteristics or features

Effective: successful in producing a desired or intended result

Evaluate: to appraise, measure, judge, provide a detailed examination and substantiated judgement concerning the merit, significance or value of something; to determine the worth of ideas and concepts

Evidence: information or resources used in forming a conclusion or judgment; used to support an historical inquiry

Explain: to make plain, clear, intelligible; to describe in detail, revealing relevant facts

Factual historical information includes, but is not limited to: uncontested dates; uncontested events; and names of historical figures, places and events

Identify: to point out, name, list, distinguish, recognise, establish or indicate who or what someone or something is

Impact of social, economic and political change includes, but is not limited to: the scale and scope of change (effecting all or specific elements of nation’s society); short-, medium- and long-term impact; impact on nation and other nations/world

Investigate: plan, inquire into and draw conclusions about

Key historical concepts include cause and effect, significance, continuity and change, empathy, perspectives and contestability

Manifestation of modern democratic and totalitarianism ideology includes, but is not limited to: representative democracy in a constitutional monarchy or parliamentary republic, Nazism, fascism, military rule/dictatorships, and Stalinism

Nature of social, economic and political change includes, but is not limited to: the time period of change (sudden or over time, revolutionary or ‘evolutionary’); and characteristics (violent, imposed, supported/driven by society or elements/classes within society)

Organise: systematically order and arrange

Outline: use general terms to indicate the main features of an idea or concept

Prescribed: A stated rule or authority that a particular action or procedure should be carried out; a process or method for completing a task

Range of primary and secondary sources: has dimensions of number (how many sources) and scope of types (books, academic articles, internet, film/video etc.)

Select: choose in preference to another or others

Strategy: a plan of action intended to accomplish a specific goal

Task characteristics may include, but are not limited to: word limits; format of response; mode of response; and presentation requirements

Terms: word or phrase used to describe abstract aspects or features of the past (for example decolonisation, imperialism, democracy) and more specific features such as a warship or monument

Tools and strategies used to collect and organise information include, but are not limited to:

• graphic organisers
• note taking
• use of categories to organise information.

Modern History Level 3 (with the award of):

EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

HIGH ACHIEVEMENT

COMMENDABLE ACHIEVEMENT

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT

The final award will be determined by the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification from 13 ratings (8 from the internal assessment, 5 from external assessment).

The minimum requirements for an award in Modern History Level 3 are as follows:

EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT (EA)
10 ‘A’ ratings, 3 ‘B’ ratings (4 ‘A’ ratings, 1 ‘B’ rating from external assessment)

HIGH ACHIEVEMENT (HA)
5 ‘A’ ratings, 5 ‘B’ ratings, 3 ‘C’ ratings (2 ‘A’ ratings, 2 ‘B’ ratings, 1 ‘C’ rating from external assessment)

COMMENDABLE ACHIEVEMENT (CA)
6 ‘B’ ratings, 6 ‘C’ ratings (2 ‘B’ ratings, 3 ‘C’ ratings from external assessment)

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)
11 ‘C’ ratings (3 ‘C’ ratings from external assessment)

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)
7 ‘C’ ratings

A learner who otherwise achieves the ratings for a CA (Commendable Achievement) or SA (Satisfactory Achievement) award but who fails to show any evidence of achievement in one or more criteria (‘z’ notation) will be issued with a PA (Preliminary Achievement) award.

The Department of Education’s Curriculum Services will develop and regularly revise the curriculum. This evaluation will be informed by the experience of the course’s implementation, delivery and assessment.

In addition, stakeholders may request Curriculum Services to review a particular aspect of an accredited course.

Requests for amendments to an accredited course will be forwarded by Curriculum Services to the Office of TASC for formal consideration.

Such requests for amendment will be considered in terms of the likely improvements to the outcomes for learners, possible consequences for delivery and assessment of the course, and alignment with Australian Curriculum materials.

A course is formally analysed prior to the expiry of its accreditation as part of the process to develop specifications to guide the development of any replacement course.

The statements in this section, taken from documents endorsed by Education Ministers as the agreed and common base for course development, are to be used to define expectations for the meaning (nature, scope and level of demand) of relevant aspects of the sections in this document setting out course requirements, learning outcomes, the course content and standards in the assessment.

MODERN HISTORY

Unit 3 – Modern Nations in the 20^th Century

Historical skills

Chronology, terms and concepts

• Identify links between events to understand the nature and significance of causation, change and continuity over time (ACHMH098)
• Use historical terms and concepts in appropriate contexts to demonstrate historical knowledge and understanding. (ACHMH099)

Historical questions and research

• Formulate, test and modify propositions to investigate historical issues (ACHMH100)
• Frame questions to guide inquiry and develop a coherent research plan for inquiry (ACHMH101)
• Identify, locate and organise relevant information from a range of primary and secondary sources (ACHMH102)
• Practise ethical scholarship when conducting research. (ACHMH103)

Analysis and use of sources

• Identify the origin, purpose and context of historical sources (ACHMH104)
• Analyse, interpret and synthesise evidence from different types of sources to develop and sustain a historical argument (ACHMH105)
• Evaluate the reliability, usefulness and contestable nature of sources to develop informed judgements that support a historical argument. (ACHMH106)

Perspectives and interpretations

• Analyse and account for the different perspectives of individuals and groups in the past (ACHMH107)
• Evaluate critically different historical interpretations of the past, how they evolved, and how they are shaped by the historian’s perspective (ACHMH108)
• Evaluate contested views about the past to understand the provisional nature of historical knowledge and to arrive at reasoned and supported conclusions. (ACHMH109)

Explanation and communication

• Develop texts that integrate appropriate evidence from a range of sources to explain the past and to support and refute arguments (ACHMH110)
• Communicate historical understanding by selecting and using text forms appropriate to the purpose and audience (ACHMH111)
• Apply appropriate referencing techniques accurately and consistently. (ACHMH112)

Historical knowledge and understanding

United States of America, 1917–1945 (Entry into WWI–End of WW II)

• An overview of the United States of America in 1917 as background information for more intensive study of the period (ACHMH113)
• The nature and causes of internal divisions within American society and the aims and beliefs of different groups: for example African Americans, urban workers, rural workers, immigrants, industrialists and members of Indian Nations; and the consequences of divisions for example the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, the Scopes ‘Monkey’ Trial and the Trial of Ossian Sweet (ACHMH114)
• The significance of prohibition and the ‘Jazz Age’ in shaping American values, for example music, film and fashion (ACHMH115)
• The consequences of the Great Depression for different groups and the effectiveness of political responses, including the New Deal (ACHMH116)
• The changing nature of American foreign policy between 1917 and 1945, including its international alliances and relationships; and the policy of isolationism (ACHMH117)
• The nature and scope of America’s war effort in Europe, Asia and the Pacific (1941–1945), including the reasons for US involvement in World War II, and the decision to use the atomic bomb (ACHMH118)
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, Harry S. Truman, F. D. Roosevelt, Booker T Washington, Jessie Owens, Amelia Earhart. (ACHMH119)

Australia, 1918–1949 (End of WWI–Election of Menzies)

• An overview of Australia in 1918 as background information for more intensive study of the period (ACHMH120)
• The adjustment of national priorities in the 1920s, including the tensions between urbanisation, industrialisation and rural development; the difficulties of soldier settlement; the exclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; and the changing role of women (ACHMH121)
• The impact of the Great Depression on different groups within Australian society and the effectiveness of political responses to the crisis (ACHMH122)
• The changing nature and significance of Australia’s foreign policy from 1916–1949 (ACHMH123)
• The nature and scope of Australia’s war effort in Europe, Asia and the Pacific (1939–1945) (ACHMH124)
• The key features of post-war reconstruction, including industrialisation, immigration, the provision of social welfare, and attitudes and policies towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and women (ACHMH125)
• The impact of the rise of communism, its influence on the election of Robert Menzies and the Coalition in 1949, and the contrasting economic and social policies offered at the 1949 election (ACHMH126)
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example W.M. Hughes, Sir John Monash, Vida Goldstein, Ben Chifley, John Curtin, Robert Menzies. (ACHMH127)

Germany 1918–1945 (End of WWI–End of WW II)

• An overview of Germany in 1918 as background for more intensive study of the period (ACHMH128)
• The democratic changes under the Weimar Government and reasons for its failure to deal with social, political and economic problems (ACHMH129)
• The reasons for the Nazi Party’s rise to power, including the Treaty of Versailles, the impact of the Great Depression, the nature of Nazi ideology and hostility to communism, the ability of Hitler and the Nazi Party to utilise popular fears, and the Party’s organisational and tactical skills (ACHMH130)
• The nature and effects of key aspects of the Nazi state, including military mobilisation, Lebensraum (living space), propaganda, terror and repression (SA and SS), the Hitler Youth, and policy on religion (ACHMH131)
• Nazi policies of antisemitism and the promotion of the Aryan race resulting in efforts to exterminate minorities in German-controlled lands and the Holocaust (ACHMH132)
• Germany’s war effort, including its early successes and subsequent failures leading to the defeat of Germany by the Allies and the division of Germany (ACHMH133)
• The role and impact of significant individuals in Weimar and Nazi Germany, for example Gustav Stresemann, President von Hindenburg, Leni Riefenstahl, Alfred Krupp, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Göring and Albert Speer. (ACHMH134)

Russia and the Soviet Union, 1917–1945 (Revolution–End of World War II)

• An overview of Russia in 1917 as background for more intensive study of the period (ACHMH135)
• The internal divisions and crises within Russian society, including the causes, events and outcomes of the February and October Revolutions in 1917; the opposition to the Bolsheviks, the civil war and the reasons for the Bolshevik victory (ACHMH136)
• The significance of the struggle of Josef Stalin and Leon Trotsky for power and the reasons for the success of Stalin (ACHMH137)
• The changes that transformed Russia, including the New Economic Policy, the creation of the USSR, the Five Year plans and how they contributed to state control of the economy, forced rural collectivisation, state-created famine and the modernisation of the Soviet Union (ACHMH138)
• The different experiences of individuals and groups in the period to 1945, including peasants and factory workers, and the methods the regime employed to control them, including mobilisation and propaganda, repression, the Purges and the Great Terror (ACHMH139)
• The impact of World War II and the methods that enabled the USSR to secure victory (ACHMH140)
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Nikolai Yezhov, Sergei Kirov, Alexandra Kollontai, Vyacheslav Molotov and Georgy Zhukov. (ACHMH141)

Japan, 1931–1967 (Invasion of Manchuria–Foundation Day Ceremony*)

• An overview of Japan in 1931 as background for more intensive study of the period (ACHMH142)
• Japan’s first invasion of Manchuria in 1931 for political, military and social reasons (ACHMH143)
• Japan during World War II, including the extent and nature of Japanese imperial expansion in Asia and the Pacific; the formation of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere; the external threats to Japan, including tension with the USA over trade before WWII; the bombing of Pearl Harbor; the scope and nature of fighting in Asia and the Pacific during WWII; and the US atomic attacks in 1945 (ACHMH144)
• The immediate post-war effects of Japan’s defeat, including opposition to democratic government; political division within the Japanese military; opposition to the Allied occupation after the war; the changes introduced during the American occupation (ACHMH145)
• The internal development of Japan after the Occupation and the nature of its foreign policy, including the nature of the constitution and political system; the terms of the US-Japan Security Treaty, and the nature of the political order that followed; and the reasons for Japan’s low-profile role in world affairs and post-war economic development to the 1960s (ACHMH146)
• Japan’s role and situation in the initial Cold War period, including membership of the UN, the limits on its military role and territorial disputes with the USSR, China, and North and South Korea (ACHMH147)
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example Hideki Tojo, Emperor Hirohito, General Douglas MacArthur, Hayato Ikeda*, Eisaku Sato**, Eiji Toyoda, Akio Morita, and Yoshida Shigeru. (ACHMH148)

* TASC course covers 1931–1952 (Invasion of Manchuria–Treaty of San Francisco)
** Hayato Ikeda and Eisaku Sato were excluded from the TASC syllabus as the periods in which they were elected as Prime Minister of Japan was outside the period of study.

India, 1947–1974 (Independence–First Nuclear Test)

• An overview of India in 1947 as background for more intensive study of the period, including the impact of World War II (ACHMH149)
• The nature of the division in India that resulted in the creation of Pakistan (1947) and Bangladesh (1971), including the different paths taken by the two nations, and the response of India (ACHMH150)
• The establishment and significance of the Indian constitution (1950); the subsequent role of the Indian Congress Party, Hindu nationalism and the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru (1947-1964) (ACHMH151)
• The key features and significance of the Indira Gandhi leadership and policies (1966-1974) (ACHMH152)
• The changing nature of India’s foreign policy and external threats in the period, including relations with power blocs, wars with Pakistan over the disputed territory of Kashmir (1948, 1965 and 1971), recognition of Tibet as part of China, the liberation of Goa (1961), border war with China (1962), creation of Bangladesh (1971) and India’s nuclear test (1974) (ACHMH153)
• The experiences of different groups and castes in India, with particular reference to Hindus, Muslims, women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Castes (ACHMH154)
• The role and impact of significant individuals in India in the period, including Jinnah, B.R Ambedkar, Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad and Indira Gandhi. (ACHMH155)

* TASC course covers India, 1947–1984 (Independence–Assassination of Indira Gandhi)

Indonesia, 1942–1974* (Japanese occupation–Invasion of East Timor)

• An overview of Indonesia in 1942 as background for more intensive study of the period, including the Indonesian nationalist movement in the 1930s and the idea of Indonesia (ACHMH156)
• The reasons for the Japanese occupation of Indonesia, the nature of the occupation and its effects on different groups, including forced labourers; the effects of the occupation on Indonesian nationalism; the declaration of Indonesian independence in 1945 and its aftermath; and the Netherlands’ attempts to re-establish colonial rule (ACHMH157)
• The background, role and significance of Sukarno’s presidency, with particular reference to ‘Guided democracy’; the reasons for the growth of the Indonesian Communist Party; and the role of the military (ACHMH158)
• The reasons for the deterioration in Indonesia’s economy up to 1965 and its impact on the population, including hyperinflation and food shortages (ACHMH159)
• The nature and causes of internal divisions in Indonesian society, including the ethnic and religious differences, and the role of Chinese Indonesians (ACHMH160)
• Indonesian foreign policy to 1965, including the Bandung Conference, relations with the USSR, China and the USA, confrontation with Malaysia and the annexation of West Irian (ACHMH161)
• The nature and significance of the 1965 coup, including the mass killings 1965-1966; the rise to power of Suharto and the army, the transmigration program and conflicts between settlers and indigenous populations; pro-democracy movements; and the reasons for the invasion of East Timor in 1974 (ACHMH162)
• The role and impact of significant individuals and groups in the period, for example Sukarno, Mohammad Hatta, Dipa Nusantara Aidit, Suharto and Parmudya Ananta Toer, the LEKRA and Muhammadiyah groups. (ACHMH163)

* TASC courses covers 1942–1975

China, 1937–1976 (Second Japanese Invasion of Manchuria–Cultural Revolution)

• An overview of China in 1937 as background for more intensive study of the period (ACHMH164)
• The purpose and nature of the ‘Yan’an Way’, including the Long March; Mao Zedong’s rise to prominence; life in the base areas including gender relations, rectification movements, and the role of the Chinese Communist Party’s participation in the war against Japan (ACHMH165)
• Similarities and differences in both structure and philosophy between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party, and the conflict that led to a change in the regime in 1949 and the creation of a Communist state (ACHMH166)
• Chinese involvement in the Cold War and relations with the United States in the Korean conflict (1950-53), and the nature and practice of China’s subsequent international relations until the 1960s (ACHMH167)
• The characteristics and impact of the Great Leap Forward (1958-1961), including the role of communes, methods of production, and the difficulties faced by workers (ACHMH168)
• The significance of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) as a continuing attempt to organise Chinese social and economic life and to suppress dissent, and the implications for groups within China, including rural peasants and political dissidents (ACHMH169)
• The role and impact of significant individuals in the period, for example Mao Zedong, Jiang Qing, Jiang Jieshi, Zhou Enlai and Lin Piao. (ACHMH170)

Unit 4 – The Modern World since 1945

Historical skills

Chronology, terms and concepts

• Identify links between events to understand the nature and significance of causation, change and continuity over time (ACHMH171)
• Use historical terms and concepts in appropriate contexts to demonstrate historical knowledge and understanding. (ACHMH172)

Historical questions and research

• Formulate, test and modify propositions to investigate historical issues (ACHMH173)
• Frame questions to guide inquiry and develop a coherent research plan for inquiry (ACHMH174)
• Identify, locate and organise relevant information from a range of primary and secondary sources (ACHMH175)
• Practise ethical scholarship when conducting research. (ACHMH176)

Analysis and use of sources

• Identify the origin, purpose and context of historical sources (ACHMH177)
• Analyse, interpret and synthesise evidence from different types of sources to develop and sustain a historical argument (ACHMH178)
• Evaluate the reliability, usefulness and contestable nature of sources to develop informed judgements that support a historical argument. (ACHMH179)

Perspectives and interpretations

• Analyse and account for the different perspectives of individuals and groups in the past (ACHMH180)
• Evaluate critically different historical interpretations of the past, how they evolved, and how they are shaped by the historian’s perspective (ACHMH181)
• Evaluate contested views about the past to understand the provisional nature of historical knowledge and to arrive at reasoned and supported conclusions. (ACHMH182)

Explanation and communication

• Develop texts that integrate appropriate evidence from a range of sources to explain the past and to support and refute arguments (ACHMH183)
• Communicate historical understanding by selecting and using text forms appropriate to purpose and audience (ACHMH184)
• Apply appropriate referencing techniques accurately and consistently. (ACHMH185)

Historical knowledge and understanding

The Changing World Order

• An overview, as background, of the nature of the world order at the end of World War II, colonialism in the Eastern communist bloc and Western capitalist bloc, and the emerging role of the United Nations (ACHMH186)
• The nature of the origins and early development of the Cold War to 1948, including the ideological, cultural and political differences between the United States and the Soviet Union; and the significance of the Truman Doctrine and Berlin Blockade (ACHMH187)
• The evolving nature and character of the Cold War in Europe and the Asia-Pacific from 1948 through to détente, including the arms race and threat of nuclear war, and the new Cold War of the 1980s (ACHMH188)
• The involvement of Australia in the Cold War, with particular reference to foreign policy, nuclear testing at Maralinga, and the war in Vietnam (ACHMH189)
• Significant developments that followed the end of the Cold War in 1989, including the breakup of the Soviet Union, the development of European governance and extension of the ‘European Union’, and the emergence of China and India as significant Asian powers (ACHMH190)
• The changing nature of world order in the period 1989-2010, for example the peaceful reunification of Germany, the US as superpower, the exercise of military power, and economic influence (ACHMH191)
• The role of significant individuals during the period, for example Josef Stalin, Harry Truman, Mao Zedong, John Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev, Jawaharlal Nehru, Richard Nixon, Deng Xiaoping, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev. (ACHMH192)

Historical knowledge and understanding

Engagement with Asia

Learners investigate the following with specific reference to Australia’s relationship with Asia:

• An overview, as background information, of the impact of World War II on Australia and Asia, including the significance of the fall of Singapore, the political and social impact of the war with Japan, the increasing regional involvement of the United States, and movements towards decolonisation (ACHMH193)
• The nature of Australia’s response to key developments in the period, including the success of the Communists in China, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, the return of the French to Vietnam, Indonesian claims for independence, Australia’s adherence to the White Australia Policy until 1973, and the implications of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War (ACHMH194)
• The significance of Australia’s immigration policies on regional relationships after World War II, including the reasons for the gradual dismantling of the White Australia Policy in the period 1945–1973 (ACHMH195)
• The formation of formal alliances and forums, for example ANZUS, SEATO and APEC, and cultural ties with Asia (ACHMH196)

Learners investigate Australia’s relationship with ONE Asian country chosen from China, India, Indonesia, Japan or Vietnam in relation to the following:

• The changing characteristics of the chosen nation over the period, including political independence and alliances; system of government; political, social and cultural policies; economic growth; and the development of education and technology (ACHMH197)
• The nature of the connections between the chosen country and Australia in the areas of migration, trade, culture, membership of alliances, and political affairs (ACHMH198)
• The significance of the chosen country’s political and economic development since 1945 for its relationship with Australia (ACHMH199)
• The role of individuals and groups, for example national leaders, businessmen, and sporting and cultural identities, in promoting or questioning closer links between the chosen country and Australia (ACHMH200)

Historical knowledge and understanding

Movements of People

• An overview, as background, of the volume and forms of migration before 1945, including legal and illegal migrants, mass migration to former settler colonies and refugee movements (ACHMH208)
• The nature, extent and global distribution of populations in 1945 and then in 2010 (ACHMH209)
• The circumstances in 1945 contributing to mass movement of people, including the impact of World War II on migration from Europe and its impact on Australian migration policies and on movements within the British Commonwealth (ACHMH210)
• The international legal and organisational frameworks for the movement of people, including the 1948 Universal Declaration, the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol, the anti-trafficking protocol of the Palermo Convention (2000), International Labor Organisation (ILO) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (ACHMH211)
• Displacement arising from conflict and persecution (1945–1975) for example Communist regimes in Europe (Hungarian uprising 1956), conflicts in the Middle East (Israeli military interventions in Lebanon) (ACHMH212)
• Displacement arising from conflict and persecution (1975–2010), for example fleeing from Communism in Asia (Vietnam War) and civil wars in Africa (Horn of Africa) (ACHMH213)
• The consequences of the movement of peoples in the period 1945–2010, for example urban migration and labour migration, and the experiences of groups that moved and the implications for Australia, Great Britain and the British Commonwealth (ACHMH214)

 
Historical knowledge and understanding

The Struggle for Peace in the Middle East

• An overview of the background to the establishment of the British mandate in Palestine and the establishment of the state of Israel, including the immediate consequences for relations between Jews and Arabs (ACHMH215)

The Search for Peace and Security

• An overview of the threats to world security in 1945, including austerity, border disputes, refugee movements, and the peace settlement in 1945 (ACHMH222)
• The changing nature of global terrorism to 2010, as represented by the objectives, methods and influence of terrorist groups, including state-based terrorism; anticolonial conflicts (such as Ireland and the United Kingdom) and international tensions (such as Al Qaeda and Western countries) (ACHMH227)
• The nature of responses and the success of governments and the UN to conflicts and threats in the post-Cold War period (1991–2010), including national counter-terrorism actions, efforts to ensure disarmament and non-nuclear proliferation; and the resolutions of the UN Security Council. (ACHMH228)

TASC course Section C, Topic 4 ‘Peace, Conflict and the Nature of Terrorism’ replaces the ACARA units on ‘The Search for Peace and Security’ and ‘The Struggle for Peace in the Middle East’. Elements of these two units have been incorporated into ‘Peace, Conflict and the Nature of Terrorism’.

The accreditation period for this course has been renewed from 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2025.

During the accreditation period required amendments can be considered via established processes.

Should outcomes of the Years 9-12 Review process find this course unsuitable for inclusion in the Tasmanian senior secondary curriculum, its accreditation may be cancelled. Any such cancellation would not occur during an academic year.

Version 1 – Accredited on 20 October 2016 for use from 1 January 2017. This course replaces Modern History (HSM315115) that expired on 31 December 2016.

Version 1.a – Correction to award algorithm. 9 February 2017.

Version 1.1 – Renewal of accreditation on 13 August 2017 for use in 2018.

Accreditation renewed on 22 November 2018 for the period 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2021.

Version 1.2 - Accreditation renewed on 14 July November 2021 for the period 1 January 2022 until 31 December 2023. Minor amendment to periods in SECTION A – TOPIC 4: RUSSIA AND THE SOVIET UNION, 1917–1953 (REVOLUTION TO THE DEATH OF STALIN) from 1917-1941 and 1941-1953, to 1917-1929 and 1929 - 1953.

Version 1.3 - Accreditation renewed on 22 June 2023 for the period 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2025. Minor amendment to periods in Section A - Topic 1: United States of America, 1917-1945 (Entry into World War I to the end of World War II) from 1917-1932 and 1932-1945 to 1917-1932 and 1933-1945. 

AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM MODERN HISTORY GLOSSARY

Cause and effect
Used by historians to identify chains of events and developments over time, short term and long term.

Concepts
A concept (in the study of history) refers to any general notion or idea that is used to develop an understanding of the past, such as concepts related to the process of historical inquiry (for example evidence, continuity and change, perspectives, significance).

Contemporary world
The period of modern world history from 1945 to present.

Contestability
Occurs when particular interpretations about the past are open to debate, for example, as a result of a lack of evidence or different perspectives.

Continuity and change
Aspects of the past that remained the same over certain periods of time are referred to as continuities. Continuity and change are evident in any given period of time and concepts such as progress and decline may be used to evaluate continuity and change.

Democratic political systems
A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives; government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system; a state of society characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges.

Empathy
Empathy is an understanding of the past from the point of view of a particular individual or group, including an appreciation of the circumstances they faced, and the motivations, values and attitudes behind their actions.

Evidence
In History, evidence is the information obtained from sources that is valuable for a particular inquiry. Evidence can be used to help construct a historical narrative, to support a hypothesis or to prove or disprove a conclusion.

Globalisation
The process enabling financial and investment markets to operate internationally, largely as a result of deregulation and improved communications; make worldwide in scope or application; the process by which businesses or other organisations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.

Historical inquiry
Historical inquiry is the process of investigation undertaken in order to understand the past. Steps in the inquiry process include posing questions, locating and analysing sources and using evidence from sources to develop an informed explanation about the past.

Ideologies
Ideologies are a system of ideas and ideals; a coherent system of ideas, doctrines or beliefs; may form the basis of economic or political theory and policy or a set of ideas proposed by a dominant group; examples of ideologies may include but are not limited to, nationalism, liberalism, fascism, communism, socialism.

Interpretation
An interpretation is an explanation of the past, for example about a specific person, event or development. There may be more than one interpretation of a particular aspect of the past because historians may have used different sources, asked different questions and held different points of view about the topic.

Key Historical Concepts
Key historical concepts refers to those concepts used as part of historical inquiry. These include evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, significance, empathy, perspectives and contestability; historical ‘ideas’ may include aims, purpose, thoughts or rationale that led to a particular course of action; may refer to the historical interpretation of events; may also be significant in explaining identifiable concepts.

Modern world
As defined in the Australian Curriculum: Senior Secondary Modern History, the period of time in the modern world between 1750 and present. For the purpose of this course Modern History is defined as the period from the end of World War I (1917/18) until 2010.

Nationalism
Devotion and loyalty to one's own country; spirit or aspirations common to the whole of a nation; the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one's own nation viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or the common interests of all nations; the desire for national advancement or political independence.

Perspective
A person’s perspective is their point of view, the position from which they see and understand events going on around them. People in the past may have had different points of view about a particular event, depending on their age, gender, social position and their beliefs and values. Historians also have perspectives and this can influence their interpretation of the past.

Political Systems
Systems of politics and government; a coordinated set of principles, laws, ideas, and procedures relating to a particular form of government, or the form of government itself: for example, democracy.

Primary and secondary sources
In History, primary sources are objects and documents created or written during the time being investigated, for example during an event or very soon after. Examples of primary sources include official documents, such as laws and treaties? personal documents, such as diaries and letters? photographs? film and documentaries. These original, firsthand accounts are analysed by the historian to answer questions about the past.

Representation
A picture or image of the past that may be a popular portrayal within society (past or present) or that may be created by historians.

Secondary sources
In History, secondary sources are accounts about the past that were created after the time being investigated and which often use or refer to primary sources and present a particular interpretation. Examples of secondary sources include writings of historians, encyclopaedia, documentaries, history textbooks, and websites.

Significance
The importance that is assigned to particular aspects of the past, e.g. events, developments, and historical sites. Significance includes an examination of the principles behind the selection of what should be investigated and remembered and involves consideration of questions such as: How did people in the past view the significance of an event? How important were the consequences of an event? What was the duration of the event? How relevant is it to the contemporary world?

Source
Any written or non-written materials that can be used to investigate the past, for example newspaper articles, photos, and journal entries. A source becomes ‘evidence’ if it is of value to a particular inquiry.

Synthesise
To combine ideas and concepts to form a new, more complex product, statement or analysis; may be derived from own or others ideas and concepts

Terms
A word or phrase used to describe abstract aspects or features of the past (for example decolonisation, imperialism, democracy) and more specific features such as a warship or monument.

Totalitarian political systems
Relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralised control over all aspects of life; the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed; relating to a system of government that is centralised and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state.

LINE OF SIGHT – Modern History Level 3