The Pre Modern History curriculum enables students to study life in the pre modern period based on the analysis and interpretation of physical and written remains. The pre modern period, as defined in this curriculum, is global in scope and covers the period c. 400-1750 CE.

Pre modern history stimulates students’ curiosity and imagination and enriches their appreciation of humanity and the value of the past. It shows how the world and its people have changed, as well as the significant legacies that exist into the present. The study of pre modern history illustrates the development of some of the distinctive features of contemporary societies for example social organisation, culture, systems of law, governance and religion. Pre modern history is also concerned with the possible motivations, and actions of individuals and groups, and how they shaped the political, social and cultural landscapes of the pre modern world.

The Pre Modern History curriculum continues to develop the historical skills and understandings taught in the Foundation to Year 10 History curriculum. Students develop transferable skills associated with the process of historical inquiry. These include critical literacy skills for example interpreting, analysing and weighing evidence; the ability to synthesise evidence from a variety of sources; and developing reasoned and evidence-based arguments that challenge accepted theories. The Pre Modern History curriculum caters for the interests of students and teachers by providing choice as well as opportunity for breadth and depth of study across the four units. It provides ample opportunities for the study of indigenous societies, the importance of Asia and the challenges of sustainability.

Students are introduced to the complexities of reconstructing the past using often fragmentary evidence from a range of literary, documentary, architectural and archaeological sources, and the skills associated with the analysis and evaluation of historical sources. Students develop increasingly sophisticated historiographical skills and historical understanding, from their analysis of interpretations and representations of the pre modern world to their close study of features and structures of pre modern societies.

The Pre Modern History course is written under The HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES FRAMEWORK 2019: BSSS HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Framework

Achievement Standards for HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES courses can be found within the Framework.

Humanities and Social Sciences is the study of how people process and document the human experience and their place in it. It empowers students to better understand humankind, society and culture and communicate ideas for the future.

Transformation

The unit provides an introduction to the pre modern world. It looks at the factors that transformed societies in this period. It also explores the problematic and contestable nature of the evidence, both written and archaeological, that has survived. The fragmented nature of the evidence requires students to develop techniques for analysing historical silences. In addition, students will investigate the contested nature of interpretations and representations of this evidence. This unit focuses on issues relevant to the investigation of the pre modern world and builds on the historical skills developed in the Foundation to Year 10 curriculum to develop an introduction to historiography.

The unit provides an opportunity to select ONE or TWO of the electives listed with a close study of at least ONE of the topics in each. It is strongly advised that, in order to reach appropriate depth, teachers select no more than THREE topics in total.

Golden Ages

This unit examines the role of individuals and personalities in historical causation and compares this to social structural theories. Students will undertake two case studies in which they explore the role of a great person within the ‘golden age’ in which they lived.

Students will examine the notion of a Golden Age, and the role of a great people within that age, with particular reference to political, economic, social, artistic and cultural developments. They will ask questions such as:

• For whom this was a Golden Age?
• To what degree Golden Age is a suitable term to describe the lives of ordinary people?
• To what extent can a ‘great person’ claim the creation of a Golden Age?
• To what extent is our perception of a Golden Age shaped by the surviving sources?

For the standard (1.0) unit, students study TWO of the following electives, which are to be taught with the requisite historical content described below. For the half standard (0.5) unit, students study ONE of the electives, which are to be taught with the prescribed historical content prescribed for this unit and considering the historical issues suggested for the elective.

Conflict

This unit examines the interaction of societies in the pre modern period and the impact that they have on one another. The approach taken by this unit is comparative in that it explores different perspectives of the same events. This will include interrogating different perspectives through source material and examining its origins, purposes, values and limitations.

Students will also investigate archaeological sources and develop techniques for interpreting and understanding historical material other than the written word. Further, the fragmented nature of the evidence requires students to develop techniques for analysing historical silences and the way that these have shaped the cultural narrative.

This unit will explore the complexities of contact between groups of people and the adaptations, confrontations, benefits, relationships, or violence that might result.

For a standard (1.0) unit students will study TWO of the following electives using the historical content set out below. For the half standard (0.5) unit students will study ONE of the following electives using the historical content set out below.

Power

This unit examines the nature and exercise of power and authority in pre modern societies. Students will analyse structures, loci and relations of power to understand their varied and complex nature.  In order to do this they will draw upon historical concepts such as: Gender Theory, Marxism, Modernism/ Positivism, Post-modernism, Post-colonialism, Subaltern Studies, Orientalism and the way that these theories shape historical viewpoints. This type of analysis requires students to engage with scholarly and historiographical debate.

For a standard (1.0) unit, students will study ONE or more of the following electives. For a half standard (0.5) unit students will study at least ONE, possibly more of the following electives using the historical content set out below.

Pre Modern History A/T/M (842 KB)

Pre Modern History A/T/M  (326 KB)

The following courses are also available:

• Ancient History
• History Integrated
• Modern History