GCSE History Edexcel

This subject offers 279 topics in 28 modules:

  1. Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060-1088 10 topics
  2. The Red Scare and McCarthyism 10 topics
  3. British America, 1713-1783: empire and revolution 10 topics
  4. Conflict in the Middle East, 1945-1995 10 topics
  5. Crime and Punishment in Britain, c1000- present 9 topics
  6. Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588 10 topics
  7. Henry VIII and his ministers, 1509-1540 10 topics
  8. London and the Second World War, 1939-1945 10 topics
  9. Mao's China, 1945-1976 10 topics
  10. Medicine in Britain: 1250-present 10 topics
  11. Migrants in Britain, c800-present 10 topics
  12. Notting Hill, c1948-c1970 10 topics
  13. Russia and the Soviet Union, 1917-1941 10 topics
  14. Spain and the 'New World',c1490-1555 10 topics
  15. Superpower relations and the Cold War 10 topics
  16. Superpower relations and the cold war- 1941-1991 10 topics
  17. The American West 10 topics
  18. The British sector of the Western front, 1914-1918: Injuries, treatment and the trenches 10 topics
  19. The Civil Rights Movement, 1954-75 10 topics
  20. The Hungarian Uprising, 1956 10 topics
  21. The reigns of Richard I and King John, 1189-1216 10 topics
  22. The Treaty of Versailles (1919) 10 topics
  23. The United Nations 10 topics
  24. The USA, 1954-1975: Conflict at home and abroad 10 topics
  25. Vietnam c1950– 1975 10 topics
  26. Warfare and society, c1250-present 10 topics
  27. Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-1939 10 topics
  28. Whitechapel, 1870-1900, crime , policing and the inner city 10 topics
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  • 28
    modules
  • 279
    topics
  • 101,124
    words of revision content
  • 12+
    hours of audio lessons

This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

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History

Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060-1088

Anglo Saxon society, the last years of Edward the Confessor and the succession crisis

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Anglo Saxon society, the last years of Edward the Confessor and the succession crisis

Anglo-Saxon Society

  • Feudal System: Society was structured in a hierarchy called the Feudal System. It was headed by the king, followed by the earls, then thegns (warriors and landowners), and finally ceorls (freemen).
  • Earls: They were immensely powerful figures appointed by the king, given the responsibility of ruling large areas known as earldoms.
  • Thegns and Ceorls: Thegns were noblemen who served and fought for their king or earl, while ceorls were free peasant farmers. Most people in Anglo-Saxon England belonged to this bottom class.
  • Women in Society: Women had limited rights in Anglo-Saxon England. Although some queens and noblewomen held power, most women were reliant on their male relatives.

The last years of Edward the Confessor

  • Childless Rule: King Edward the Confessor died in January 1066 without any direct heir, leading to a power vacuum and the succession crisis.
  • Implementation of Laws: Edward's reign was marked by his work for law enforcement and his deep devotion to the Church.
  • Relations with Normandy: Edward's associations with Normandy, including his exile there and his promise to William of Normandy that he would be his successor, dramatically influenced the succession crisis.

The Succession Crisis

  • Claimants to the Throne: There were several potential successors including Harold Godwinson (Edward’s brother-in-law), William Duke of Normandy, and Harald Hardrada of Norway.
  • Harold Godwinson’s Crowning: Upon Edward's death, Harold Godwinson swiftly secured the support of the Witan (the council of advisors) and was crowned King Harold II, escalating the succession crisis.
  • Norman and Viking Invasions: The succession crisis culminated in the invasion of England in 1066 by both William of Normandy (the Norman Invasion) and Harald Hardrada (the Viking Invasion). However, it was William who would eventually seize the throne.

Course material for History, module Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060-1088, topic Anglo Saxon society, the last years of Edward the Confessor and the succession crisis

History

Superpower relations and the Cold War

The Yalta and Potsdam Conferences: agreements and disagreements between the Allies at the end of the Second World War

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The Yalta and Potsdam Conferences: agreements and disagreements between the Allies at the end of the Second World War

The Yalta Conference (February 1945)

  • The Big Three - Churchill (UK), Roosevelt (USA), and Stalin (USSR) - met at Yalta to discuss plans for post-war Europe.
  • It was decided that Germany would be divided into four zones of occupation, to be controlled by the UK, USA, USSR and France.
  • The USSR was allowed to keep lands in Eastern Europe that had been gained during the war, and these countries were to become "friendly" to the USSR but yet free and democratic.
  • Stalin agreed to enter the war against Japan once Germany had surrendered. In return, he was promised territory in the Far East, such as southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.
  • They agreed to the establishment of the United Nations to replace the League of Nations and to maintain peace.

The Potsdam Conference (July-August 1945)

  • With Roosevelt's death and Churchill's replacement by Attlee, Harry Truman represented the USA and Clement Attlee attended for the UK, along with Stalin for the USSR.
  • The Potsdam Conference resulted in the Potsdam Agreement and the Potsdam Declaration.
  • There were ongoing disagreements about the details of how to divide Germany, the biggest being how much Germany was to reparations to pay. The USSR wanted a high amount to rebuild their country while the US and UK feared too high reparations might lead to another war in the future.
  • The leaders agreed to the demilitarisation and denazification of Germany, working towards a democratic government.
  • The Potsdam Declaration threatened Japan with an unconditional surrender, warning of "prompt and utter destruction" if they did not.
  • This conference increased tensions as Truman, who now knew about the successful test of the atomic bomb, adopted a more aggressive posture toward Stalin, which the Soviet leader noted.

These conferences illustrate the beginnings of the breakdown of the wartime alliance between the two superpowers and the UK, setting the stage for the Cold War. The agreements and disagreements between the leaders at Yalta and Potsdam show how different visions for post-war Europe and Asia began to cause conflicts.

Course material for History, module Superpower relations and the Cold War, topic The Yalta and Potsdam Conferences: agreements and disagreements between the Allies at the end of the Second World War

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