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NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority

11–12Ancient History 11–12 Syllabus

Record of changes
Implementation from 2027
Expand for detailed implementation advice

Content

Life Skills

Life Skills for Stage 6

Through collaborative curriculum planning, it may be decided that Life Skills outcomes and content are the most appropriate option for some students with intellectual disability.

Ancient societies

The following societies are suggestions only. Teachers may develop studies of a different society to meet student interest or ability. Students may explore one society or elements of the content as appropriate.

  • New Kingdom Egypt to the death of Amenhotep III
  • New Kingdom Egypt during the Ramesside period
  • Israel from Solomon to the fall of Samaria
  • Persia in the time of Darius and Xerxes
  • China during the Han dynasty
  • Minoan Crete in the Bronze Age
  • Sparta to the Battle of Leuctra 371 BCE
  • Athens in the time of Pericles
Connections and context
  • Roles of people in familiar groups or the community, including the role of government

  • How goods and services are purchased today

  • Beliefs and practices of their own culture and why they are important

  • Geographical setting, natural features, resources and neighbours of the selected ancient society

  • Sources and what they tell us about the selected ancient society

Social and political organisation
  • Structure of government and how it operated

  • Role and status of women, and how this may have changed

  • Nature and role of the military

Economic activities
  • How goods and services were bartered, exchanged or purchased

  • Main occupations and industry, and how this contributed to the society

  • Technology developments and their impacts on the society

  • Main products traded and how these were produced

  • Key trade partners and why the society traded with them

Religion, death and burial
  • Beliefs and practices and why these were important

  • Funerary customs and why they were followed

  • How and why people participated in rituals and festivals

  • Places of worship and how they were used by people in the society

Cultural life
  • Examples of art and architecture

  • Poems, songs or stories written by people from the society

  • Ways in which people participated in recreation and entertainment

Significance and legacy
  • Similarities and differences between art and architecture of the ancient society and the modern world

  • Contributions of developments in technology, science and medicine from the ancient society

  • Impact of government structures or systems of the ancient society on the modern world

  • World Heritage status and tourism associated with the ancient society

  • Popular culture in the ancient society and how this has impacted the modern world

  • The value of sources in understanding the ancient civilisation

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