A Level Humanities OCR

This subject is broken down into 37 topics in 12 modules:

  1. British period study and enquiry 4 topics
  2. Non-British period study and enquiry 4 topics
  3. Thematic study and historical interpretations 4 topics
  4. Topic-based essay 1 topics
  5. Drama and Poetry pre-1900 3 topics
  6. Comparative and contextual study 2 topics
  7. Literature post-1900 2 topics
  8. Non-examined assessment 1 topics
  9. Philosophy of Religion 3 topics
  10. Religion and Ethics 4 topics
  11. Developments in religious thought 3 topics
  12. Optional modules (Study of Religion, Christianity, or other world religions) 6 topics
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  • 12
    modules
  • 37
    topics
  • 14,719
    words of revision content
  • 1+
    hours of audio lessons

This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

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Humanities

British period study and enquiry

England 1485–1558: the Early Tudors

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England 1485–1558: the Early Tudors

The Tudor Dynasty

  • Henry VII started the Tudor dynasty after defeating Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

  • His reign established the stability necessary for his son Henry VIII and granddaughters Mary I and Elizabeth I to consolidate their power.

Henry VII’s Administration

  • Henry VII secured his rule by marrying Elizabeth of York, uniting two warring houses – York and Lancaster.

  • He regulated the nobility using bonds and recognisances, discouraging them from maintaining private armies, and using the Star Chamber to control Nobles.

  • Financial security was achieved by avoiding wars, effective taxation, and promoting trade through navigation acts and commercial treaties.

Henry VIII

  • He ascended the throne in 1509 and unlike his father, he was an extravagant spender and engaged in military ventures against France and Scotland.

  • Married six times in desperate pursuit of a male heir, causing religious turmoil.

Reformation under Henry VIII

  • The Pope’s refusal to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon initiated the English Reformation.

  • He declared himself head of the Church of England, breaking away from the Catholic Church and Papal authority, leading to the Dissolution of Monasteries.

Edward VI and the Protestant Reform

  • Edward VI, son of Henry VIII, continued the reformation after his father’s death, leading to the establishment of Protestant doctrine in England.

  • The reign of Edward was marked by power struggles between nobles acting as his regents, like the Duke of Somerset and the Duke of Northumberland.

‘Bloody’ Mary I and Return to Catholicism

  • Mary I, daughter of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, reversed religious reform, restored Papal authority and returned England to Catholicism.

  • She executed many Protestants, earning the nickname ‘Bloody Mary’.

  • Her death in 1558 ended the possibility of a Catholic England.

Elizabeth I and the Elizabethan Settlement

  • Elizabeth I, daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, navigated political and religious strife to establish what is known as the ‘Elizabethan Settlement’.

  • This involved a compromise between Catholic and Protestant practices, creating a broad church acceptable to most of her subjects to ensure stability.

  • Her reign known as Golden Age due to progress in culture, economy, and exploration.

Course material for Humanities, module British period study and enquiry, topic England 1485–1558: the Early Tudors

Humanities

Literature post-1900

Texts chosen for re-creative writing and commentary

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Texts chosen for re-creative writing and commentary

Texts for Re-creative Writing and Commentary

Choosing Your Texts

  • Pick a text that excites your imagination and inspires you to craft your own version of scenarios or characters.
  • The text chosen should provide enough material for re-creation. A rich text in terms of character development, themes, or narrative structure is ideal.
  • Understand the original context of your chosen text and consider how you want to maintain or diverge from this in your re-creative piece.

Crafting your Re-creative Piece

  • Your re-creative piece should use the same narrative style as the original text, but it should also showcase your personal style and insight.
  • Consider choosing a key scene or character from the original text and explore it from a different angle.
  • Ensure your piece stands alone as a complete narrative and is not dependent on the original text for understanding.
  • Pay attention to the literary devices used in the original text, and purposefully include these to reflect and extend upon the source material.

Writing your Commentary

  • Your commentary should explain the reasons behind your choices in the re-creative piece, discussing the connections to the original text.
  • Contextualise your decisions - why did you choose this character to re-create, or why did you set the scene in a particular way?
  • Explore how you've attempted to mimic or adapt the style of the original author, providing examples.
  • Discuss the key themes from the original text and how you've re-interpreted or developed these in your own piece.
  • Contrast any major changes or departures you’ve made from the original text and justify your decisions.

Final Remarks

  • Both your re-creative piece and commentary should demonstrate a deep understanding of the original text.
  • Experiment and take creative risks while staying true to the main spirit of the original text.
  • A successful re-creative writing piece depends on an effective balance of imagining creatively and analysing critically.

Course material for Humanities, module Literature post-1900, topic Texts chosen for re-creative writing and commentary

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