Modern History Unit 2: The Changing World Order

Elective Unit

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this unit.

Course Description

In this unit students investigate the nature and impact of the Cold War and challenges and changes to social, political and economic structures and systems of power in the second half of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first century.

 

Areas of Study

Area of Study 1

Causes, course and consequences of the Cold War

In this area of study students focus on the causes and consequences of the Cold War; the competing ideologies that underpinned events, the consequences on people, groups and nations, and the causes of the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the USSR.

Students investigate the causes of the Cold War in the decades that followed World War Two. They analyse the significant contribution of events, ideologies and individuals, and the consequences for nations and people in the period 1945–1991. While the USA and the USSR never engaged in direct armed conflict, they opposed each other in a range of international conflicts and proxy wars such as those in Berlin, Korea, Cuba and Vietnam. They both tried to exert their influence through aid and propaganda in Asia and the Americas and engaged in an arms race and a space race, with competition also extending to sport and the arts.

Students consider the reasons for the end of this long-running period of ideological conflict and the collapse of the USSR in 1991, as well as exploring the legacy of communism and/or socialism in the post-Soviet era and the emergence of democracy in new nations.

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain the causes of the Cold War and analyse its consequences on nations and people.

To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area
of Study 1.

Area of Study 2

Challenge and change

In this area of study students focus on the ways in which traditional ideas, values and political systems were challenged and changed by individuals and groups in a range of contexts during the second half of the twentieth century and first decade of the twenty-first century. Students also consider the extent to which ideas, values and political systems remained the same and/or change was resisted. Students explore the causes of significant political and social events and movements, and their consequences for nations and people.

While the Cold War dominated the second half of the twentieth century, social and political challenges, continuities and changes occurred within and between nations based on religion, nationalism, race, gender and human rights.

In many societies, individuals and groups emerged to challenge the ways that power structures were organised, distributed and used. Traditional attitudes to race, war, gender, sexuality, religion, the environment and human rights were questioned, challenged and in some cases remained the same and/or changed.

Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain the challenges to social, political and/or economic structures of power and evaluate the extent to which continuity and change occurred.

To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area
of Study 2.

Assessment

The award of satisfactory completion for a unit is based on whether the student has demonstrated the set of outcomes specified for the unit. Teachers should use a variety of learning activities and assessment tasks that provide a range of opportunities for students to demonstrate the key knowledge and key skills in the outcomes.

All assessments at Units 1 and 2 are school-based.