11–12Modern History 11–12 Syllabus
The new Modern History 11–12 Syllabus (2024) is to be implemented from 2027.
2025 and 2026
- Plan and prepare to teach the new syllabus
2027, Term 1
- Start teaching new syllabuses for Year 11
- Start implementing new Year 11 school-based assessment requirements
- Continue to teach the Modern History Stage 6 Syllabus (2017) for Year 12
2027, Term 4
- Start teaching new syllabuses for Year 12
- Start implementing new Year 12 school-based assessment requirements
2028
- First HSC examination for new syllabus
Content
Year 12
Students investigate key features of the history of ONE of the following options, focusing on political and social change, and the role of individuals and groups.
The historical concepts and skills content is to be integrated as appropriate.
- The Nuclear Age 1945–2021
- Civil rights in the United States 1945–1972
- The Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa 1948–1994
- The struggle for democracy in Burma 1948–2021
- From the Cultural Revolution to Tiananmen Square 1966–1989
- The changing world order 1989–2016
The Manhattan Project and the Trinity Test
Truman, Stalin and the beginning of the nuclear arms race
The impact and legacy of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) and its role in nuclear deterrence
The impact of nuclear proliferation on citizens in the United States and the Soviet Union
The nature and impact of weapons testing conducted by nuclear powers from 1945 to 2018, including British tests in Australia and French tests in the Pacific
The role of international organisations in the use of nuclear technologies, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
The contributions of nuclear technology to energy and medicine
The challenges of uranium mining and export to global non-proliferation
The impact of nuclear disasters, including Chernobyl and Fukushima
The impact of anti-nuclear movements 1945–2021
Issues of proliferation 1945–2021: India, Iran, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan
The significance and impact of UN resolutions and treaties on nuclear disarmament