Skip to content

A NSW Government website

Welcome to the NSW Curriculum website

NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority

11–12Modern History 11–12 Syllabus

Record of changes
Implementation from 2027
Expand for detailed implementation advice

Content

Year 11

Investigating modern history – The nature of modern history

Students discuss contemporary methods and issues involved in the investigation of modern history through a study of at least ONE of the following focus area options:

  • The investigation of historic sites and sources
  • The contestability of the past
  • The construction of modern histories
  • The representation and commemoration of the past.

The content may be taught as a standalone unit or teachers may develop an integrated study incorporating selected elements of 2 or more of the above 4 options. Content may also be integrated into Case studies.

The contestability of the past
Investigation
  • How historians test hypotheses about the past through the corroboration of sources

  • Problems associated with the evaluation of sources, including issues of authenticity and reliability in particular historical inquiries

  • The importance of understanding historical context in the interpretation of sources

  • The role of sources and evidence in the evaluation of different theories about the past

Related files