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11–12Ancient History 11–12 Syllabus

Record of changes
Implementation from 2027
Expand for detailed implementation advice
OverviewRationaleAimOutcomesContentAssessmentGlossaryTeaching and learning support

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.

Features of ancient societies

The following key features and societies are suggestions only. Teachers may develop studies of a different society to meet student interest or ability. This society should focus on key feature(s) such as the ones listed below. Students may explore one feature and society, part of a feature and society, or a different combination of the content as appropriate.

The ancient societies and key features could be drawn from the following:

Ancient societies

  • Egypt
  • Phoenicia
  • Assyria
  • Persia
  • Israel
  • Mycenae
  • Greece
  • Etruria
  • Carthage
  • Rome
  • Celtic Europe
  • India
  • China

Key features

  • Women
  • Slavery
  • Art and architecture
  • Weapons and warfare
  • Death and funerary customs
  • Power and image
  • Trade and cultural contact

Teachers can consider teaching this as a comparative unit, allowing students to investigate the similarities and differences between ancient societies and the modern society in which they live.

Connections and context

  • Roles of people in their family, familiar groups or the community

  • Examples of art and architecture in their home, school or community

  • Religious beliefs or practices they are familiar with

  • Why communities have religious beliefs or practices

  • Familiar leaders and their roles within the community

  • Ways that people obtain goods and services today

  • Location and geographical features of the selected ancient society

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

Women

  • The everyday life of women in the society

  • The role of women within the family in the society

  • The place of women in the social structure

  • The role of women in a workplace

  • The role of women in religion

  • Reasons for the status and role of women

  • The representation and impact of influential women

  • The impact of a significant woman in the society

  • Continuity and/or change in the role and impact of women

  • The role and impact of women in ancient times compared to their role and impact in the present day in the local and wider community

Slavery

  • The reasons for the enslavement of people

  • Aspects of the daily lives of enslaved people, including men, women and children

  • The relationship between slavery and the economy of the time

  • Key events that occurred in relation to slavery

  • Development that led to a significant revolt or resistance

  • Continuity and/or change in the use of unpaid or underpaid labour from ancient times to today

  • Issues related to slavery in the modern global community

Art and architecture

  • The types of art and architecture that characterised the ancient society

  • Different styles of art and materials used

  • The main features and purposes of significant building(s)

  • The role of art in the ancient society

  • How different art styles spread throughout ancient societies

  • The impact of a significant individual in the society in relation to art or architecture

  • Continuity and/or change in the nature and significance of art and architecture

  • How art and architecture from the ancient society are reflected in art and architecture in the present day

Weapons and warfare

  • The types of warfare in ancient times

  • Different types of weapons and means of defence

  • Battles in the ancient society

  • The role of armies in the society

  • The role of the military in the society

  • The life of soldiers, including their living conditions and training

  • A key military encounter

  • Social and economic outcomes of warfare

  • Continuity and/or change in the development of weaponry and methods of warfare

  • Weaponry and warfare used in ancient times compared to the use of technology in weaponry and warfare of the modern world

Death and funerary customs

  • The predominant religion(s) of the ancient society

  • Key beliefs and rituals of the ancient religion related to death

  • The impact of beliefs and rituals on individuals and society

  • Beliefs about death and the concept of an afterlife

  • Funerary practices

  • Continuity and/or change in different beliefs, rituals and funerary practices

  • Beliefs, rituals and funerary practices of an ancient society compared to personal present-day beliefs and practices

Power and image

  • Key authority figures in the society

  • Roles of people in leadership positions

  • Images and portrayal of the leader(s)

  • The social hierarchy of the leader(s) of the ancient society

  • How a leader contributed to a society at the time

  • The way leaders are represented in ancient sources

  • The impact of a significant leader on the society

  • Continuity and/or change in different leaders and how they are portrayed and remembered in society

  • The role of leaders in ancient societies compared to the roles of leaders in the present day at local, national and global levels

Trade and cultural contact

  • The nature and range of sources that brought trade and cultural contact between ancient societies

  • The motivations for trade

  • Evidence of maritime trade routes

  • The types of goods that were traded

  • The impact of trade on the society

  • A key site relating to trade

  • The nature and impact of cultural contact between ancient societies

  • Continuity and/or change in trade and cultural contact

  • Trade and cultural contact in the ancient society compared to the present day at a local and/or global level

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