The Making of the Modern World and Australia
In Levels 9 and 10, students study the making of the modern world from 1750 to 1918 and the modern world and Australia from 1918–present. It covers the period of industrialisation and rapid change in the ways people lived, worked and thought, the era of nationalism and imperialism, and the colonisation of Australia which was part of the expansion...
The Making of the Modern World and Australia
In Levels 9 and 10, students study the making of the modern world from 1750 to 1918 and the modern world and Australia from 1918–present. It covers the period of industrialisation and rapid change in the ways people lived, worked and thought, the era of nationalism and imperialism, and the colonisation of Australia which was part of the expansion of European power. The period 1750 – 1918 culminated in World War I 1914-1918, the ‘war to end all wars’. The history of the modern world and Australia from 1918 to the present, has an emphasis on Australia in its global context. The twentieth century became a critical period in Australia’s social, cultural, economic and political development. The transformation of the modern world during a time of political turmoil, global conflict and international cooperation provides a necessary context for understanding Australia’s development, its place within the Asia-Pacific region, and its global standing.
In this band, students will apply the following historical concepts and skills to the historical knowledge: sequencing chronology, using historical sources as evidence, identifying continuity and change, analysing causes and effect and determining historical significance.
Key questions:
• What were the changing features of the movements of people from 1750 to 1918?
• How did new ideas and technological developments contribute to change in this period?
• What was the origin, development, significance and long-term impact of imperialism in this period?
• What was the significance of World War I?
• How did the nature of global conflict change during the twentieth century?
• What were the consequences of World War II?
• How did these consequences shape the modern world?
• How was Australian society affected by other significant global events and changes in this period?
By the end of Level 10, students refer to significant events, the actions of individuals and groups, and beliefs and values to identify and evaluate the patterns of change and continuity over time. They analyse the causes and effects of events and developments and explain their significance. They explain the context for people’s actions in the past. Students evaluate the significance of events and analyse the developments from a range of perspectives. They evaluate the different interpretations of the past and recognise the evidence used to support these interpretations.
Students sequence events and developments within a chronological framework, and identify relationships between events across different places and periods of time. They locate and select historical sources and identify their origin, purpose and content features. Students explain the context of these sources to identify motivations, values and attitudes. They compare and contrast historical sources and evaluate their accuracy, usefulness and reliability. Students analyse the different perspectives of people in the past and evaluate how these perspectives are influenced by the significant events, ideas, location, beliefs and values. They evaluate different historical interpretations and contested debates. Students construct and communicate an argument about the past using a range of reliable sources of evidence. In developing these texts and organising and presenting their arguments, they use historical terms and concepts, evidence identified in sources, and they use consistent referencing of these sources.
