Why Choose History?

1. Why Choose History?

2. The Usefulness of History If people could learn from history, what lessons it might teach us!                 Samuel Coleridge Taylor (1772–1834), a British poet. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. George Santayana, The Life of Reason (1905). Santayana was an American philosopher.  History repeats itself because nobody listens.                 Laurence Peter, a Professor of Education at the University of California.

3. History is YOU • To be ignorant of what happened before you were born is to remain always a child.                 Cicero, a Roman Speaker. • There is a history in all men's lives.              William Shakespeare (1564–1616), Britain's most famous playwright. • A man who does not respect his ancestors is worse than a wild animal. An American Indian saying. • Man is a history-making creature, who can neither repeat his past, nor leave it behind. WH Auden (1907–1973), a British poet.

4. Humanities These subjects explore the ways in which humans live and communicate in the world. Human life is examined by looking at our past, our present and into our future. These subjects help people to express themselves clearly and develop their reasoning ability.

5. History • History aims to record and analyse things which have happened in the past, with an emphasis on both how and why events occurred. • It is often studied out of personal interest, but also develops important skills such as self-discipline and critical thinking which are of life-long importance.

6. What Skills are used in the study of History? • It is crucial when studying history to pay attention to the evidence presented, and to keep in mind factors such as bias and propaganda. • Students are encouraged to consider the validity of different interpretations of evidence to develop a more balanced and grounded judgement. • Research skills such as drawing on a wide variety of sources of evidence (such as maps, public records, political cartoons, and memoirs) are developed throughout the course. • When writing, students are taught to produce focused, logical, and supported arguments.

7. Is it like the Junior Cert? • Leaving Cert History is very different from the Junior Cert course!

8. What do we study in Leaving Cert History? • There is a lot of variety on the course! • Question 1 is called the Document Based Question and students simply answer questions on documents in the exam e.g. letters, newspaper articles or even cartoons! • This question involves the study of 3 case studies. • This year we studied Indian Independence, The Congo and Racism in 1980’s France!

9. The Course • There are 3 other sections. • Including Irish and modern American history.

10. The United States and the World 1945-1989. • Some Key Personalities on this course include • Muhammad Ali • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-5_8af3TiY • Marilyn Monroe • Topics covered include The Space Race and Moon Landing • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk3phRygbUQ • Changes in American Society • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mctiO5FWWWI&feature=related

11. What kind of student might History suit? • Students who enjoy and appreciate history, and would like to improve their knowledge. • Students who are willing to commit a lot of time; History is a demanding subject. • Students who have strong English language skills, and are able to write  • Students aiming to improve their self-discipline and research skills.

12. Assessment consists of two components: • A written examination paper (80%) • A research study report (20%)

13. The Research Topicallows students to… • • Work independently on the research study, which will allow them to research a subject of their choice that is of historical significance. This will allow students to engage in self-directed learning and develop their critical skills. • • Choose a subject of personal interest from outside their chosen Field of Study if they wish, dealing with any subject of historical interest. • • Work in the area of local history subjects for the research study, with students using local sources and engaging in research on aspects of the history of their own locality. • • Submit their research study report before the exam, thus having chance to gain up to 20% of the overall mark before sitting the terminal exam.

14. Is it hard to do well in History? • There is a perception by some that it is hard to do well in history, however it is a subject that students generally do very well in! • Here’s the stats for last few years (they speak for themselves) • http://www.examinations.ie/statistics/statistics_2011/ProvisionalResultsLC2011NationalStatsmorethan10candidates.pdf

15. What Careers is History Useful for? Here are some areas that those who study history pursue. (However the skills that are learned are useful in every aspect of life or career) • The Legal Profession • Politics • Journalism and Media • Education • Archaeology • Conflict Resolution and International Relations

16. Recommendations • When considering history as a Leaving Certificate subject students should note the following: • An interest in the subject is vital; some students choose it on the basis that they like nothing else on the Subject Line. • A good knowledge of English, an ability to write and an interest in current affairs is important. • Self discipline is an essential ingredient as students must show initiative in researching material, not merely for the research topic, but also to augment their knowledge of the course in general. • Choosing it on the basis that it was an easy subject for the Junior Certificate has absolutely no basis of truth, they are two completely separate courses. Leaving Certificate history is demanding • If history is a subject that you like and you have the ability, discipline and work ethic to do well you should consider doing it

17. The Power of the Historian • God cannot change the past, but historians can.                 Samuel Butler, Erewhon Revisited (1902). • Who controls the Past controls the future.                 A Party slogan in George Orwell, 1984 (1948). Orwell was a British writer.