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NSW Curriculum
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7–10History 7–10 Syllabus

Record of changes
Implementation from 2027
Expand for detailed implementation advice

Content

Stage 5

Life Skills for Stage 4/5

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.

The medieval world (c. 500 – c. 1600)

Historical context: In the medieval world many societies had hierarchies (feudalism) and religion was the source of knowledge and authority. Forces such as conquests, innovation, trade or disease led to change in the medieval world.

This focus area aligns with:

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The following societies can be explored in this focus area. Teachers can choose to focus on one or more of these societies:

  • Medieval Europe (c. 590 – c. 1600) 
  • The expansion of Islam (c. 610–1258) 
  • Polynesian expansion across the Pacific (c. 700–1756) 
  • The Vikings (c. 790–1066) 
  • The Angkor/Khmer Empire (c. 802 – c. 1431)  
  • Japan under the Shoguns (c. 794–1867) 
  • Mongol expansion (c. 1206–1368) 
  • The Ottoman Empire (c. 1299 – c. 1683) 
  • The Black Death in Asia, Europe and North Africa (c. 1347 – c. 1351) 
  • Renaissance Italy (c. 1400 – c. 1600) 
  • The Spanish conquest of the Americas (c. 1492 – c. 1572) 

Content in Working with historical concepts and skills outlines how historical concepts and skills are to be integrated with all other content in this focus area as part of the process of historical inquiry.

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Working with historical concepts and skills
  • Use relevant historical concepts and skills

  • Engage in the historical inquiry process

  • Communicate ideas about the medieval world through oral, visual, written or multimodal texts

Background, origins and connections to the medieval world
  • Everyday objects and activities from now (present), a long time ago (past) and a very long time ago (ancient past)

  • Societies existed in the past

  • The geographical location of the society or event

  • A tradition from the medieval society that is different to the present day

  • The significant concepts, beliefs or ideas that contributed to change within the society or event

Significant groups, individuals, ideas, beliefs, practices or events in the medieval world
  • Aspects of the daily life of men, women or children in the society or event

  • The role and significance of a key individual or group

  • Key features of the society or event

  • Perspectives of different groups of people in the society or event

  • What caused the society or event to change

Impact and legacies of the medieval world
  • Changes from the time period that are still evident today

  • How a historical person, society or event is represented in a contemporary story

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