A Level History Topics

The following list of A Level History topics will help you to understand exactly which topics you are studying and how your course is broken down in terms of assessment. This post covers all the three main exam boards of AQA, Edexcel and OCR.

No matter which exam board and modules you are studying in order to get your best result at A Level History you will need to learn and improve certain techniques.

AQA A Level History Topics

Component 1: Breadth study

1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204

1B Spain in the Age of Discovery, 1469–1598

1C The Tudors: England, 1485–1603

1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702

1E Russia in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment, 1682–1796

1F Industrialisation and the people: Britain, c1783–1885

1G Challenge and transformation: Britain, c1851–1964

1H Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855–1964

1J The British Empire, c1857–1967

1K The making of a Superpower: USA, 1865–1975

1L The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871–1991

Component 2: Depth study

2A Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216

2B The Wars of the Roses, 1450–1499

2C The Reformation in Europe, c1500–1564

2D Religious conflict and the Church in England, c1529–c1570

2E The English Revolution, 1625–1660

2F The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643–1715

2G The Birth of the USA, 1760–1801

2H France in Revolution, 1774–1815

2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877

2K International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890–1941

2L Italy and Fascism, c1900–1945

2M Wars and Welfare: Britain in Transition, 1906–1957

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Ed Excel A Level History Topics

Breadth study with interpretations

1A: The crusades, c1095–1204

1B: England, 1509–1603: authority, nation and religion

1C: Britain, 1625–1701: conflict, revolution and settlement

1D: Britain, c1785–c1870: democracy, protest and reform

1E: Russia, 1917–91: from Lenin to Yeltsin

1F: In search of the American Dream: the USA, c1917–96

1G: Germany and West Germany, 1918–89

1H: Britain transformed, 1918–97

Depth study

2A.1: Anglo-Saxon England and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom, c1053–1106

2A.2: England and the Angevin Empire in the reign of Henry II, 1154–89

2B.1: Luther and the German Reformation, c1515–55

2B.2: The Dutch Revolt, c1563–1609

2C.1: France in revolution, 1774–99

2C.2: Russia in revolution, 1894–1924

2D.1: The unification of Italy, c1830–70

2D.2: The unification of Germany, c1840–71

2E.1: Mao’s China, 1949–76

2E.2: The German Democratic Republic, 1949–90

2F.1: India, c1914–48: the road to independence

2F.2: South Africa, 1948–94: from apartheid state to ‘rainbow nation’

2G.1: The rise and fall of fascism in Italy, c1911–46

2G.2: Spain, 1930–78: republicanism, Francoism and the re-establishment of democracy

2H.1: The USA, c1920–55: boom, bust and recovery

Themes in breadth with aspects in depth

30: Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII, 1399–1509

31: Rebellion and disorder under the Tudors, 1485–1603

32: The Golden Age of Spain, 1474–1598

33: The witch craze in Britain, Europe and North America, c1580–c1750

34.1: Industrialisation and social change in Britain, 1759–1928: forging a new society

34.2: Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780–1939

35.1: Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763–1914

35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918

36.1: Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928

36.2: Ireland and the Union, c1774–1923

37.1: The changing nature of warfare, 1859–1991: perception and reality

37.2: Germany, 1871–1990: united, divided and reunited

38.1: The making of modern Russia, 1855–1991

38.2: The making of modern China, 1860–1997

39.1: Civil rights and race relations in the USA, 1850–2009

39.2: Mass media and social change in Britain, 1882–2004

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OCR A Level History Topics

British Period Study and Enquiry

Alfred and the making of England 871—1016

Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest 1035—1107

England 1199—1272

England 1377—1455

England 1445—1509: Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII

England 1485—1558: the early Tudors

England 1547—1603: the late Tudors

The early Stuarts and the origins of the Civil War 1603—1660

The making of Georgian Britain 1678 — c. 1760

From Pitt to Peel: Britain 1783—1853

Liberals, Conservatives and the rise of Labour 1846—1918

Britain 1900—1951

Britain 1930—1997

Non-British Period Study

The rise of Islam c. 550 — 750

Charlemagne 768—814

The Crusades and the crusader states 1095—1192

Genghis Khan and the explosion from the Steppes c. 1167 — 1405

Exploration, Encounters and Empire 1445—1570

Spain 1469—1556

The German Reformation and the rule of Charles V 1500—1559

Philip II 1556—1598

African kingdoms c. 1400 — c. 1800: four case studies

Russia 1645—1741

The rise and decline of the Mughal Empire in India 1526—1739

The American Revolution 1740—1796

The French Revolution and the rule of Napoleon 1774—1815

France 1814—1870

Italy and unification 1789—1896

The USA in the 19th Century: Westward expansion and Civil War 1803 — c. 1890

Japan 1853—1937

International relations 1890—1941

Russia 1894—1941

Italy 1896—1943

Democracy and dictatorships in Germany 1919—1963

The Cold War in Asia 1945—1993

The Cold War in Europe 1941—1995

Apartheid and reconciliation: South African politics 1948—1999

Thematic Study and Historical Interpretations

The early Anglo-Saxons c. 400 — 800

The Viking age c. 790 — 1066

English government and the Church 1066—1216

The Church and medieval heresy c. 1100 — 1437

The Renaissance c. 1400 — c. 1600

Rebellion and disorder under the Tudors 1485—1603

Tudor foreign policy 1485—1603

The Catholic Reformation 1492—1610

The ascendancy of the Ottoman Empire 1453—1606

The development of the nation state: France 1498—1610

The origins and growth of the British Empire 1558—1783

Popular culture and the witchcraze of the 16th and 17th centuries

The ascendancy of France 1610—1715

The challenge of German nationalism 1789—1919

The changing nature of warfare 1792—1945

Britain and Ireland 1791—1921

China and its rulers 1839—1989

Russia and its rulers 1855—1964

Civil Rights in the USA 1865—1992

From colonialism to independence: The British Empire 1857—1965

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How To Improve at A Level History

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