IGCSE History Course

Unit 1: 19th century core content: What caused the First World War?

Focus Points

Did the Alliance System make war more likely or less likely?
How far did colonial problems create tensions between the Great Powers?
Why were problems in the Balkans so difficult for the Great Powers to solve?
How did the assassination of Franz Ferdinand lead to war?

Specified Content

The origins of the First World War, 1890–1914:
The Alliance System
Colonial rivalries
Developments in the Balkans
The crisis of June-July 1914 and the outbreak of war

Unit 2: Depth Study: Russia 1905-1941

1 Why did the Tsarist regime collapse in 1917?
Focus Points

How well did the Tsarist regime deal with the difficulties of ruling Russia up to 1914?
How did the Tsar survive the 1905 revolution?
How far was the Tsar weakened by the First World War?
Why was the revolution of March 1917 successful?

2 How did the Bolsheviks gain power, and how did they consolidate their rule?
Focus Points

How effectively did the Provisional Government rule Russia in 1917?
Why were the Bolsheviks able to seize power in November 1917?
Why did the Bolsheviks win the Civil War?
How far was the New Economic Policy a success?

3 How did Stalin gain and hold on to power?
Focus Points

Why did Stalin, and not Trotsky, emerge as Lenin’s successor?
Why did Stalin launch the Purges?
What methods did Stalin use to control the Soviet Union?
How complete was Stalin’s control over the Soviet Union by 1941?
Curriculum content 
Cambridge IGCSE History 0470 19

4 What was the impact of Stalin’s economic policies?
Focus Points

Why did Stalin introduce the Five-Year Plans?
Why did Stalin introduce collectivisation?
How successful were Stalin’s economic changes?
How were the Soviet people affected by these changes?

Specified Content

The main features of Tsarist rule and Russian society before the First World War: 
The 1905 revolution and its aftermath
Attempts at reform
The First World War and its impact on the Russian people
The March revolution of 1917.
The Provisional Government and the Soviets, the growing power of revolutionary groups
Reasons for the failure of the Provisional Government
The Bolshevik seizure of power, the role of Lenin
The main features of Bolshevik rule, the Civil War and War Communism, and reasons for the 
Bolshevik victory
The Kronstadt Rising and the establishment of the New Economic Policy
Lenin’s death and the struggle for power
Reasons for Stalin’s emergence as leader by 1928
Stalin’s dictatorship: 
Use of terror
The Purges
Propaganda and official culture
Stalin’s economic policies and their impact: 
The modernisation of Soviet industry
The Five-Year Plans
Collectivisation in agriculture
Life in the Soviet Union: 
The differing experiences of social groups
Ethnic minorities and women.

Unit 3: 20th century core content: International Relations since 1919

The 20th century: International Relations since 1919

The Core Content in Option B focuses on seven Key Questions:

1 Were the peace treaties of 1919–23 fair?
2 To what extent was the League of Nations a success?
3 Why had international peace collapsed by 1939?
4 Who was to blame for the Cold War?
5 How effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism?
6 How secure was the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe, 1948–c.1989?
7 How effective has the United Nations Organisation been?

Unit 4: Depth Study: Israelis and Palestinians 1945-1994