Pearson Edexcel IGCSE History

Course Content

Areas of Study in IGCSE History EXAM YEARS 2027-2029

America: From New Nation to Divided Union, 1783-1877 23 lessons

A More Perfect Union? 1865-77 4 lessons

1 Andrew Johnson and the Reconstruction Act of 1867

2 The Freedmen's Bureau and the Black Codes

3 The Civil Rights Acts and the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments

4 Grant's Peace Policy and Custer's Last Stand

Building a New Nation, 1783-1809 4 lessons

1 A New Nation in Trouble: Shays' Rebellion

2 The Constitutional Convention and the Connecticut Compromise

3 Federalists Against Anti-Federalists and the Bill of Rights

4 Hamilton Against Jefferson and the '1800 Revolution'

Civil War and the End of Slavery, 1861-65 5 lessons

1 The Two Sides and the Union Naval Blockade

2 Lee, Grant and the Turning Points of 1863

3 Sherman's March Through Georgia and the Ruin of the South

4 Lincoln and Davis: Emancipation and the Gettysburg Address

5 Why the Union Won the Civil War

Slavery, the South and the Causes of Secession, 1850-61 4 lessons

1 The Compromise of 1850

2 Kansas-Nebraska, Bleeding Kansas and the Dred Scott Case

3 North and South: The Economic Roots of Division

4 John Brown, Lincoln's Election and Fort Sumter

Westward Expansion and Native American Removal, 1803-49 6 lessons

1 The Louisiana Purchase and the Transcontinental Treaty

2 The Missouri Compromise

3 The Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears

4 Manifest Destiny and the Oregon Trail

5 Texas: Migration, Annexation and War With Mexico

6 The California Gold Rush

Changes in Medicine, c1848-c1948 23 lessons

Accelerating Change, 1875-1905: Ehrlich, Koch and Chemistry 5 lessons

1 Koch and the Hunt for Germs

2 From Antiseptic to Aseptic Surgery

3 Cleaner Towns: The Impact of the 1875 Public Health Act

4 Blood Groups, Magic Bullets and Paul Ehrlich

5 Marie Curie and Radioactivity

Advances in Medicine, Surgery and Public Health, 1920-48: The NHS 4 lessons

1 Fleming and the Discovery of Penicillin

2 Florey, Chain and the Mass Production of Penicillin

3 Surgery, Blood and Women in the Second World War

4 Beveridge and the National Health Service

Discovery and Development, 1860-75: Lister and Pasteur 5 lessons

1 Pasteur and the Germ Theory

2 Lister and Antiseptic Surgery

3 The Public Health Act of 1875

4 Nightingale, Hospitals and the Training of Nurses

5 Elizabeth Garrett and Women in Medicine

Government Action and War, 1905-20 4 lessons

1 The Liberal Reforms and Public Health, 1906-11

2 Women in Medicine and the First World War

3 Surgery and X-Rays in the First World War

4 Blood Transfusion and Fighting Infection in the First World War

Progress in the Mid-19th Century: Nightingale, Chadwick, Snow and Simpson 5 lessons

1 Medicine in 1848: Why Progress Was So Slow

2 Florence Nightingale at Scutari

3 Dangers in Surgery and Simpson's Chloroform

4 Chadwick and the Public Health Act of 1848

5 Cholera and John Snow's Broad Street Pump

Japan in Transformation, 1853-1945 22 lessons

An Emerging Power, 1895-1919 6 lessons

1 Japan's Industrial and Commercial Revolution

2 The Sino-Japanese War and the Boxer Rebellion

3 The Anglo-Japanese Alliance, the Russo-Japanese War and Korea

4 Emperor Taisho and Taisho Democracy

5 Taisho Culture and Society: Youth, Women, Village and City

6 Japan, the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles

Depression, Empire and Collapse, 1931-45 6 lessons

1 Tenko: Rejecting Communism

2 The Return to Military Dictatorship in the 1930s

3 Manchukuo and the League of Nations

4 Strained Relations With the USA and the Co-Prosperity Sphere

5 Konoe's New Order: Life at Home and in Occupied Countries

6 Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the Surrender of the Showa Emperor

Japan Opening Up to China and the West, 1853-67 3 lessons

1 The Perry Mission and the Opening of Japan's Ports

2 After Perry: Political, Economic and Social Effects

3 The Fall of the Tokugawa: Choshu and Satsuma

Political and Economic Challenges, 1919-31 3 lessons

1 The Vote, the Labour Movement and the Public Security Preservation Law

2 The Great Kanto Earthquake and Economic Decline in the 1920s

3 The World Depression Hits Japan

Transformation, 1867-1895 4 lessons

1 Meiji Japan: A New Economy and Society

2 Cultural Upheaval and the Breakup of the Restoration Coalition, 1873

3 The Meiji Constitution

4 Meiji Culture: Civilisation, Enlightenment and Christianity

The Middle East: Conflict, Crisis and Change, 1917-2012 23 lessons

Build Up of Tension in Palestine, 1917-46 3 lessons

1 The Balfour Declaration and Jewish Immigration

2 Clashes in Palestine and the Peel Commission

3 Arab and Jewish Terrorism and the King David Hotel

Diplomacy, Peace Then Wider War, 1973-83 4 lessons

1 Kissinger and Shuttle Diplomacy, 1973-75

2 The Road to Camp David: Sadat, Begin and Carter

3 The Camp David Agreements: Terms and Results

4 War in Lebanon, 1982-83, and the PLO

Tension and Conflict, 1956-73 6 lessons

1 Nasser, Arab Aims and the Road to War in 1967

2 The Six-Day War, 1967

3 After 1967: The War's Impact on Israel and the Arab States

4 Arafat, the PLO, Black September and Munich

5 The Yom Kippur War, 1973

6 The Cold War and the Arab-Israeli Conflict

The Attempts to Find a Lasting Peace, 1987-2012 5 lessons

1 The First Intifada

2 The Oslo Peace Accords, 1993

3 Rabin's Assassination, Netanyahu, Hamas and Hezbollah

4 The Second Intifada and the Roadmap for Peace

5 The Gaza War, 2008-09

The Creation of Israel, the War of 1948-49 and the Suez Crisis of 1956 5 lessons

1 Britain Hands Over to the UN: The Partition Plan

2 The First Arab-Israeli War, 1948-49

3 Palestinian Refugees, the Law of Return and Border Raids

4 Nasser and the Nationalisation of the Suez Canal

5 The Suez Crisis: Attack, Withdrawal and Results

China: Conflict, Crisis and Change, 1900-89 25 lessons

Change Under Mao, 1949-63 7 lessons

1 Land Reform, Cooperatives and Collectives

2 China's First Five-Year Plan and Soviet Influence

3 Changes in the Role of Women in Mao's China

4 Thought Reform and the Three-Anti and Five-Anti Campaigns

5 The Hundred Flowers Campaign

6 The Great Leap Forward: Reasons and Key Features

7 The Great Leap Forward: Famine and Failure

China, 1976-89 5 lessons

1 The Rise and Fall of the Gang of Four

2 Deng's Economic Reforms: Agriculture, Industry and Privatisation

3 Deng's China: Education, Birth Control and Westernisation

4 The Democracy Wall, Wei Jingsheng and Deng's Opposition to Political Reform

5 Student Protest and Tiananmen Square, 1989

The Cultural Revolution and Its Impact, 1965-76 4 lessons

1 The Sino-Soviet Split and the Chinese Economy

2 Mao's Motives for the Cultural Revolution

3 The Red Guards, Education and the Cult of Mao

4 The Impact of the Cultural Revolution on China and on Mao

The Fall of the Qing, Warlordism and Chaos, 1900-34 5 lessons

1 The Boxer Uprising and the Late Qing Reforms

2 The 1911 Revolution

3 China Under the Warlords and the May the Fourth Movement

4 Sun Yat-sen, the Guomindang and the Birth of the Chinese Communist Party

5 Chiang Kai-shek: The Northern Expedition, Shanghai and the Extermination Campaigns

The Triumph of Mao and the CCP, 1934-49 4 lessons

1 The Long March, 1934-35

2 War With Japan, 1937-45: The Red Army and the Guomindang

3 The Civil War, 1946-49, and the Battle of Huai-Hai

4 Why Mao and the CCP Won the Civil War

Diversity, Rights and Equality in Britain, 1914-2010 31 lessons

Changes in Civil Rights, c1962-1986 7 lessons

1 Feminism, Dagenham and the Equal Pay and Sex Discrimination Acts

2 The Bristol Bus Boycott and the Race Relations Act 1965

3 Barriers to Change: Enoch Powell and the Immigration Act 1971

4 Comprehensive Schools and University Grants

5 Rights for Disabled People: The 1970 Act and the Warnock Report

6 The Sexual Offences Act 1967 and Rights for Sexual Minorities

7 How Far Was There a Social Revolution, 1962-86?

Changes in Opportunity and Culture, 1986-2010 7 lessons

1 The Drive for Equal Rights and the National Council for Civil Liberties

2 The Stephen Lawrence Case and Institutional Racism

3 Third-Wave Feminism and Continuing Sexism

4 Section 28 and the LGBT Foundation

5 Disabled People's Rights and Disability Discrimination

6 Diversity in the Arts, Culture and Education

7 Continuing Barriers and the Equality Act 2010

Consequences of War and the End of Empire, 1944-62 6 lessons

1 Butler's Education Act and the Start of the NHS

2 Windrush and Commonwealth Immigrants

3 Claudia Jones and the Caribbean Carnival

4 Barriers to Change: The Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962

5 Women and Sexual Minorities, 1944-62: The Wolfenden Report

6 Ludwig Guttmann and the Paralympic Games Movement

The Fight for Recognition, 1914-1928 5 lessons

1 Britain in 1914: Race, Gender, Disability and Class

2 The First World War: Women and the Working Classes

3 The First World War: Ethnic Minorities and Disabled People

4 Votes for Women and the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act

5 The Education Act 1918 and the Aliens Restriction (Amendment) Act 1919

The Impact of Depression and War, 1928-45 6 lessons

1 Unemployment, Class and the Jarrow Crusade

2 Gender, Disability and Eugenics Between the Wars

3 Immigration, Ethnic Tensions and the British Union of Fascists

4 The Second World War: National Service and the Treatment of Aliens

5 The Colour Bar and the Case of Learie Constantine

6 The Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944

The Changing Nature of Warfare and International Conflict, 1919-2011 21 lessons

Changing Methods of Warfare at the Beginning of the 21st Century, 2000-2011 3 lessons

1 Terrorism and 9/11

2 High-Tech Warfare and 'Surgical' Air Strikes

3 Drone Wars and Unmanned Land Vehicles

Changing Methods of Warfare by Land, Air and Sea, 1939-45 6 lessons

1 Blitzkrieg in Europe

2 The Battle of Britain and the Blitz

3 V Weapons and the Allied Bombing of Germany

4 U-Boat Warfare in the Atlantic

5 D-Day, Arnhem and the French Resistance

6 Aircraft Carriers in the Pacific War

Conventional War and the Development of 'New' Wars, 1976-2000 4 lessons

1 The Soviet War in Afghanistan

2 The Falklands War and Aircraft Carrier Warfare

3 Star Wars and the End of the Nuclear Arms Race

4 The First Gulf War and Nuclear Submarines

New Forms of Conflict: Nuclear and Guerrilla War Versus Conventional War, 1945-75 5 lessons

1 Why the Atom Bombs Were Dropped in 1945

2 The Nuclear Arms Race, Delivery Systems and MAD

3 Arms Limitation and Reduction Talks

4 Conventional War in the Arab-Israeli Conflicts

5 Superpower Against Guerrillas: The Vietnam War

The Changing Nature of Warfare, 1919-39 3 lessons

1 Warfare After 1918: Gas, Tanks and Heavy Artillery

2 Submarines and Military Aircraft Between the Wars

3 Guerrilla Tactics in the Spanish Civil War

A Divided Union: Civil Rights in the USA, 1945-74 23 lessons

Civil Rights in the 1950s 5 lessons

1 Jim Crow: Segregation, the Supreme Court and Congress

2 Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, 1954

3 Emmett Till and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

4 Little Rock, 1957

5 The Civil Rights Act 1957 and the Revival of the Ku Klux Klan

Nixon and Watergate 3 lessons

1 The Watergate Break-In and Cover-Up

2 Nixon's Resignation and Ford's Pardon

3 After Watergate: New Laws and Trust in Politics

Other Protest Movements: Students, Women, Anti-Vietnam 4 lessons

1 Student Protest: Berkeley, the SDS and the Hippies

2 The Anti-Vietnam War Movement

3 The Women's Movement: Friedan, Eleanor Roosevelt and NOW

4 Women's Liberation, Abortion and Phyllis Schlafly

The Impact of Civil Rights Protests, 1960-74 7 lessons

1 Sit-ins and Freedom Riders

2 Voting Rights and the Meredith Case

3 Martin Luther King, Birmingham and the March on Washington

4 Freedom Summer, Selma and the Civil Rights Laws

5 Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam

6 Black Power, Stokely Carmichael and the 1968 Olympics

7 The Watts Riots and the Black Panthers

The Red Scare and McCarthyism 4 lessons

1 Cold War Fears, the FBI and HUAC

2 Spy Cases: Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs

3 McCarthy's Methods and the Growth of Opposition

4 McCarthy's Downfall and the Impact of McCarthyism

Colonial Rule and the Nationalist Challenge in India, 1919-47 17 lessons

Communal Violence, Independence and Partition, 1945-47 4 lessons

1 The Simla Conference and the Labour Government

2 The Cabinet Mission and Direct Action

3 Mountbatten and the Decision to Partition

4 Independence, Partition and Its Consequences

Gandhi and Congress, 1919-27 3 lessons

1 Gandhi: Aims, Methods and Satyagraha

2 Non-Cooperation and Swaraj, 1920-22

3 Congress, the Muslims, the Untouchables and Jinnah

Key Developments, 1927-39 4 lessons

1 The Simon Commission and Its Consequences

2 The Salt March and Civil Disobedience, 1930-31

3 The Round Table Conferences, 1930-32

4 The 1935 Government of India Act and the 1937 Elections

The Impact of the Second World War on India 3 lessons

1 India Enters the War: Congress, the League and the Lahore Resolution

2 The Cripps Mission and Quit India

3 Wavell, Bose and the Cost of War

The Rowlatt Acts, Amritsar and the Government of India Act, 1919 3 lessons

1 British India and the Impact of the First World War

2 The Rowlatt Acts and the Amritsar Massacre

3 The Government of India Act 1919 and Dyarchy

The Vietnam Conflict, 1945-75 20 lessons

Confrontation in the Vietnam War, Escalation 1964-68 4 lessons

1 Johnson's War: Escalation, McNamara and Westmoreland

2 The Jungle War and Search and Destroy

3 Operation Rolling Thunder

4 Khe Sanh, the Tet Offensive and the Battle of Hue

Nixon and Ford's Policies: Vietnamisation, Peace and Communist Victory, 1969-75 4 lessons

1 Nixon and Vietnamisation

2 Widening the War: Cambodia, Laos and the Secret Bombing

3 Kissinger, China and the Paris Peace Talks

4 The Fall of Saigon, 1973-75

The Impact of Conflict on Civilians in Vietnam and Attitudes in the USA 5 lessons

1 Hearts and Minds and the Phoenix Programme

2 Bombing, Defoliation and Vietnam's Civilians

3 The My Lai Massacre

4 Opposition to the War in the USA: University Protests

5 Media Coverage, Pro-War Demonstrations and the Fulbright Hearings

The Struggle Against France for Independence, 1945-54 3 lessons

1 Ho Chi Minh, the Vietminh and the First Indochina War

2 General Giap's Tactics and the Search for a Diplomatic Solution

3 Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat

US Policy and Intervention, 1954-64 4 lessons

1 The Geneva Conference and the Domino Theory

2 Two Vietnams: Life Under Ho Chi Minh and Ngo Dinh Diem

3 The NLF and the Ho Chi Minh Trail

4 Strategic Hamlets, the Fall of Diem and the Gulf of Tonkin

The French Revolution, c1780-99 16 lessons

Convention and Terror, 1792-94 3 lessons

1 The National Convention and the Execution of Louis XVI

2 The Committee of Public Safety and the Fall of the Girondins

3 Robespierre and the Terror

Developments 1789-92 4 lessons

1 The August Decrees and the Rights of Man

2 Reforming France: Church, Government and the 1791 Constitution

3 The Flight to Varennes and the Political Clubs

4 War, the August 1792 Coup and the National Convention

Directory and First Consul, 1794-99 3 lessons

1 The Fall of Robespierre and the Thermidorian Reaction

2 The Directory, 1795-99

3 Napoleon as First Consul and What the Revolution Achieved

Short-Term Causes of the Revolution, 1787-89 3 lessons

1 The Assembly of Notables, Calonne and Brienne

2 The Estates General and the Tennis Court Oath

3 The Storming of the Bastille and the Grande Peur

The Origins of the Revolution, c1780-87 3 lessons

1 France Before the Revolution: The Three Estates

2 Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and Dangerous New Ideas

3 A Kingdom Going Bankrupt: Debt, Necker and Failed Harvests

Development of a Nation: Unification of Italy, 1848-70 15 lessons

Developments in Piedmont, 1849-54 2 lessons

1 Victor Emmanuel II and the Rise of Cavour

2 Cavour's Reforms in Piedmont

Garibaldi and the Papal States 3 lessons

1 Garibaldi and the Thousand in Sicily

2 From Naples to Teano: Garibaldi, Cavour and the Papal States

3 The Kingdom of Italy, 1861

The 1848 Revolutions in the Italian States 3 lessons

1 Divided Italy and the Causes of the 1848 Revolutions

2 Mazzini, the Roman Republic and the Failure of 1848-49

3 The Legacy of 1848: Piedmont, Austria and the Pope

The Defeat of Austria, 1854-59 3 lessons

1 Piedmont, Austria and the Crimean War

2 Napoleon III, Orsini and the Pact of Plombières

3 The War of 1859: Magenta, Solferino and Villafranca

Venice and Rome and the Extent of Unification by 1870 4 lessons

1 Obstacles to Unity After 1861 and Piedmontisation

2 Venetia, 1866: Italy and the Austro-Prussian War

3 The Roman Question and the Taking of Rome

4 How United Was Italy in 1870?

South Africa: From Union to the End of Apartheid, 1948-94 20 lessons

Dismantling Apartheid, 1990-94 3 lessons

1 De Klerk's Reforms and the Repeal of Apartheid

2 Negotiating the End: Mandela, de Klerk and Others

3 The 1994 Election and the New South Africa

PW Botha: Response to Resistance, 1978-90 5 lessons

1 Why Botha Reformed Apartheid

2 Reactions to Botha's Reforms and the AWB

3 The UDF, Township Unrest and Church Leaders

4 The State of Emergency, 1985-90

5 Boycotts, Sanctions and International Opposition

Resisting Apartheid, 1955-78 5 lessons

1 The ANC, the Freedom Charter and the Treason Trials

2 Anti-Pass Protests and Sharpeville, 1960

3 Spear of the Nation and Mandela's Imprisonment

4 Steve Biko, Black Consciousness and Soweto, 1976

5 How Threatened Was Apartheid by 1978?

Setting Up Apartheid, 1948-54 5 lessons

1 South Africa in 1948: Segregation Before Apartheid

2 The 1948 Election and the Origins of Apartheid

3 The First Apartheid Laws: Classifying and Separating People

4 Passes, Reserves, Separate Amenities and Bantu Education

5 Early Resistance and Its Suppression, 1948-54

The Growth of Apartheid, 1955-59 2 lessons

1 Petty Apartheid and Daily Life Under Segregation

2 Verwoerd, Vorster and the Bantu Self-Government Act

A World Divided: Superpower Relations, 1943-72 18 lessons

Early Developments in the Cold War, 1945-49 4 lessons

1 Soviet Expansion and the Iron Curtain Speech

2 The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan

3 Cominform, Comecon and the Quarrel Over Germany

4 The Berlin Blockade and Airlift, 1948-49

Reasons for the Cold War 3 lessons

1 Communism Against Capitalism: Long-Term Rivalry

2 The Big Three at Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam

3 Truman, Stalin and Eastern Europe in 1945

The Cold War in the 1950s 4 lessons

1 The Korean War and the Warsaw Pact

2 Khrushchev, Peaceful Co-existence and Unrest in Hungary

3 The Soviet Invasion of Hungary, 1956

4 The Nuclear Arms Race in the 1950s

The Thaw and Moves Towards Détente, 1963-72 2 lessons

1 The Thaw: Hotline and the Treaties of the 1960s

2 Détente and SALT 1: How Far Had Relations Improved by 1972?

Three Crises: Berlin, Cuba and Czechoslovakia 5 lessons

1 The U2 Incident and the Paris Summit, 1960

2 Building the Berlin Wall, 1961

3 The Bay of Pigs and the Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis

4 Thirteen Days: The Cuban Missile Crisis and Its Outcome

5 The Prague Spring and the Brezhnev Doctrine, 1968

Dictatorship and Conflict in the USSR, 1924-53 20 lessons

Five-Year Plans and Collectivisation 5 lessons

1 Why Stalin Wanted Rapid Industrialisation

2 The Five-Year Plans: Gosplan, Targets and Stakhanovites

3 Successes and Failures of Industrialisation

4 Collectivisation: Reasons, Kolkhozes and Tractor Stations

5 The Kulaks, the Great Famine and the Results of Collectivisation

Life in the Soviet Union, 1924-41 3 lessons

1 Living and Working Conditions in Town and Countryside

2 Women, Family Life and Education Under Stalin

3 The Persecution of Ethnic Minorities in the USSR

Purges, Show Trials, the Cult of Stalin and the Revision of History 5 lessons

1 The Murder of Kirov and the Reasons for the Purges

2 Yezhov, the NKVD and the Gulags

3 The Moscow Show Trials and the Purge of the Armed Forces

4 The Cult of Stalin

5 Censorship, Propaganda and Rewriting History

The Leadership Struggle, 1924-29 3 lessons

1 The Rivals to Succeed Lenin

2 Stalin's Steps to Power: Defeating Trotsky and the Left, 1924-27

3 Stalin Becomes Leader: Defeating Bukharin and Why He Won

The Second World War and After, 1941-53 4 lessons

1 Invasion: Soviet Setbacks, 1941-42

2 Stalingrad and Soviet Survival

3 Post-War Recovery and the Last Purges, 1945-53

4 The USSR in 1953: Judging Stalin's Rule

Germany: Development of Dictatorship, 1918-45 23 lessons

Germany and the Occupied Territories During the Second World War 4 lessons

1 The Holocaust: Ghettos, Death Squads and the Final Solution

2 The German Home Front, 1939-45

3 Opposition to Hitler in Wartime

4 Hitler's Death and the End of the Third Reich

Nazi Germany 1933-39 7 lessons

1 From Chancellor to Führer, 1933-34

2 The Nazi Police State

3 Censorship and Propaganda in Nazi Germany

4 Education and the Young in Nazi Germany

5 Women and the Churches in Nazi Germany

6 Nazi Racial Policy and the Persecution of Jews, 1933-39

7 Work and Bread: Nazi Employment Policies

The Establishment of the Weimar Republic and Its Early Problems 5 lessons

1 The Kaiser's Abdication and the German Revolution, 1918-19

2 The Weimar Constitution: Strengths and Weaknesses

3 German Reactions to the Treaty of Versailles

4 Threats From Left and Right: Spartacists and the Kapp Putsch

5 The Ruhr Occupation and Hyperinflation, 1923

The Recovery of Germany, 1924-29 2 lessons

1 Stresemann and Economic Recovery, 1924-29

2 Stresemann's Successes Abroad

The Rise of Hitler and the Nazis to January 1933 5 lessons

1 Hitler and the Early Nazi Party, 1919-22

2 The Munich Putsch, 1923

3 The Lean Years: Rebuilding the Nazi Party, 1924-28

4 The Great Depression and Growing Nazi Support

5 How Hitler Became Chancellor, 1932-33

Exam Skills 11 lessons

How the Exam Works 2 lessons

1 How Your History Exam Works: Papers, Options and Timing

2 What Examiners Reward: Assessment Objectives and Levels

Paper 1 Question Types 3 lessons

1 Paper 1 Question (a): What Impression Does the Author Give?

2 Paper 1 Question (b): Explain Two Effects

3 Paper 1 Question (c): The 16-Mark How Far Do You Agree Essay

Paper 2 Section A Question Types 3 lessons

1 Paper 2 Section A Question (a): Describe Two Features

2 Paper 2 Section A Question (b): How Far Does Source A Support Source B?

3 Paper 2 Section A Question (c): Judging an Interpretation

Paper 2 Section B Question Types 3 lessons

1 Paper 2 Section B Question (a): Similar or Different?

2 Paper 2 Section B Question (b): Explain Two Causes

3 Paper 2 Section B Question (c): The 16-Mark Breadth Essay

The USA, 1918-41 22 lessons

Increased Social Tensions in the 1920s 5 lessons

1 Immigration: Closing the Golden Door

2 The Red Scare, the Palmer Raids and Sacco and Vanzetti

3 Black Americans and the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s

4 The Monkey Trial: Old Values Against New

5 Prohibition and the Gangsters

Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1933-41 6 lessons

1 Roosevelt's Aims and the Hundred Days

2 The Alphabet Agencies: Work and Relief for the Unemployed

3 The Alphabet Agencies: Farming, Industry and the TVA

4 The Second New Deal: The WPA and Social Security

5 The Second New Deal: Unions, Banks and Farmers

6 How Successful Was the New Deal?

The Opposition to the New Deal 2 lessons

1 Opposition From the Supreme Court, Republicans and Business

2 Radical Critics: Huey Long and Father Coughlin

The Roaring Twenties 5 lessons

1 The Boom: The First World War, Henry Ford and Mass Production

2 Buy Now, Pay Later: Consumerism, Advertising and the Stock Market

3 Left Behind: Farmers and the Older Industries

4 Leisure in the Twenties: Cinema, Jazz, Sport and Radio

5 Women in the 1920s and the Flappers

The USA in Depression, 1929-33 4 lessons

1 The Causes of the Wall Street Crash

2 From Crash to Depression: Banks, Farms and Factories

3 Life in the Depression: Unemployment and Hoovervilles

4 Hoover's Response and the Bonus Marchers

East Germany, 1958-90 20 lessons

Life in the GDR: Social Change, 1962-87 4 lessons

1 Work and Housing in the GDR

2 Education and Welfare in the GDR

3 The Changing Role of Women in the GDR

4 Honecker, GDR Identity, the Media and Sport

Ostpolitik: Relations With the Federal Republic, 1969-87 3 lessons

1 Ostpolitik and the Agreements of 1970-72

2 Travel, Contact and Western Money

3 International Recognition and State Visits

Stabilisation and Control: The GDR, 1962-87 6 lessons

1 Economic Stabilisation: The New Economic System and Comecon

2 Economic Problems in the 1980s

3 The Stasi

4 Controlling the Young and the Church

5 Propaganda, Censorship, Support and Opposition

6 The GDR, the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc

The Berlin Wall Crisis, 1958-63 3 lessons

1 The Refugee Problem and the Origins of the Berlin Wall

2 Ulbricht, Khrushchev and the Decision to Build the Wall

3 Living With the Wall: Security, Escapes and East Berliners

The Peaceful Revolution, 1987-90 4 lessons

1 Gorbachev and the Protest Movements

2 1989: Open Borders and the Decline of Honecker

3 Krenz and the Opening of the Berlin Wall

4 The End of the GDR and German Reunification

Russia and the Soviet Union, 1905-24 17 lessons

Opposition to Tsarist Rule 1914-17: The Impact of War and the February Revolution 3 lessons

1 Russia at War: Defeats, Shortages and Inflation

2 The Tsar, the Tsarina and Rasputin

3 The February Revolution and the Tsar's Abdication

Provisional Government and the Bolshevik Revolution 4 lessons

1 The Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet

2 Lenin Returns: The April Theses and the July Days

3 The Kornilov Revolt

4 The Bolshevik Takeover, October 1917

The Bolshevik Consolidation of Power and the Civil War 3 lessons

1 Holding On to Power: Decrees, the Constituent Assembly and Brest-Litovsk

2 Reds Against Whites: The Russian Civil War

3 Why the Bolsheviks Won the Civil War

Tsarist Rule in Russia, 1905-14 4 lessons

1 Russia in 1905: The Tsar and His Discontented People

2 The 1905 Revolution and How Nicholas Survived

3 The Dumas and the Growth of Opposition Groups

4 Stolypin: Repression, Land Reform and the Lena Goldfield Strike

War Communism and the New Economic Policy (NEP) 3 lessons

1 War Communism and the Kronstadt Mutiny

2 The New Economic Policy and Its Critics

3 Lenin's Achievements to 1924

The Changing Role of International Organisations: The League and the UN, 1919-c2011 24 lessons

Setting Up the United Nations Organisation and Its Work to 1964 7 lessons

1 Setting Up the United Nations and the UN Charter

2 How the UN Works: Assembly, Security Council and Peacekeepers

3 Human Rights, Refugees and the ILO

4 The UN's Agencies: WHO, FAO, UNESCO and UNICEF

5 The UN in Palestine, 1947-49

6 The UN and the Korean War, 1950-53

7 The UN in the Congo, 1960-64

The Creation and Successes of the League, 1919-29 4 lessons

1 Woodrow Wilson and the Birth of the League of Nations

2 How the League Worked: Assembly, Council and Secretariat

3 The League's Successes in the 1920s: Aaland, Upper Silesia and Bulgaria

4 The Refugee and Drugs Committees in the 1920s

The League Challenged, 1930-39 4 lessons

1 The Great Powers and the League's Weaknesses in the 1930s

2 The League Fails in Manchuria, 1931-33

3 The League Fails in Abyssinia, 1935-36

4 The League's Agencies in the 1930s: Child Welfare and Slavery

The UN at Bay, 1990-2011 5 lessons

1 The UN in Somalia, 1991-95

2 The UN in Bosnia and the Balkans, 1991-99

3 The UN in Mozambique and Sudan

4 The UN and the Gulf Wars

5 Obstacles to Success and the UN's Agencies, 1990-2011

The UN Challenged, 1967-89 4 lessons

1 The UN and the Middle East: Resolutions 242 and 338

2 The UN and Lebanon, 1975-85

3 Namibia, 1989: A UN Success

4 The Permanent Five, the Veto and the Agencies, 1967-89

The Origins and Course of the First World War, 1905-18 18 lessons

The Alliance System and International Rivalry, 1905-14 2 lessons

1 The Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente

2 Economic, Imperial and Military Rivalry Before 1914

The Defeat of Germany 3 lessons

1 The USA Enters the War

2 The Ludendorff Spring Offensive, 1918

3 The Hundred Days and Why Germany Lost

The Growth of Tension in Europe, 1905-14 5 lessons

1 The Balkans: Nationalism and the Bosnian Crisis

2 The Balkan Wars, 1912-13

3 Anglo-German Rivalry: The Naval Race and the Moroccan Crises

4 The Assassination at Sarajevo

5 From Sarajevo to War: The July Crisis of 1914

The Schlieffen Plan and Deadlock on the Western Front 5 lessons

1 The Schlieffen Plan and Why It Failed

2 The Trench System and Life in the Trenches

3 New Weapons, New Methods and the Reasons for Deadlock

4 The Somme and Passchendaele

5 Haig and the Western Front: Successes and Failures

The War at Sea and Gallipoli 3 lessons

1 The War in the North Sea: Raids, Dogger Bank and Jutland

2 The U-Boat Threat and the Lusitania

3 The Gallipoli Campaign

Frequently Asked Questions

What is BrainyLemons?

BrainyLemons is an online learning platform that provides comprehensive GCSE and IGCSE courses designed for home study. We offer expert-created content, virtual tutoring support, and flexible learning schedules to help students achieve their academic goals from anywhere in the world.

How do I know if home learning is right for me?

Home learning with BrainyLemons is perfect if you're:

Self-motivated and disciplined
Prefer flexible scheduling
Need to work around other commitments
Want personalised pacing

Our 30-minute lesson format makes it easy to fit studying into your daily routine, whether you're home educated, supplementing traditional education, or retaking subjects.

What age groups do you cater to?

Our courses are designed for students typically aged 14-18 taking GCSEs and IGCSEs. However, we welcome adult learners and mature students who want to gain qualifications or improve their knowledge in specific subjects.

Which exam boards do you cover?

We offer courses aligned with major exam boards including:

AQA
Cambridge
Pearson Edexcel

Each course clearly states which exam board it follows, so you can choose the right one for your needs.

How many subjects can I study at once?

You can enroll in as many subjects as you feel comfortable managing. Most students take 5-9 subjects, but this depends on your goals, available study time, and other commitments. We recommend starting with 3-4 subjects if you're new to home learning.

How long does each course take to complete?

Every course has about 130 hours of recommended study time, in line with the exam boards' guided learning hours. That covers the lessons plus the games, quizzes, flash cards and revision. With our flexible approach, you can:

Intensive study: Complete in 6 months (about 5 hours per week)
Standard pace: Complete in 12 months (2-3 hours per week)
Extended study: Spread over 18-24 months for lighter commitment

Are your courses up to date with the latest syllabus?

Yes! All our courses are regularly updated to reflect the most current exam board specifications. We clearly indicate which exam year each course is designed for (e.g., 2026 specifications).

What does a typical lesson look like?

Each lesson is designed to take approximately 30 minutes and includes:

Clear learning objectives
Written explanations and examples
Audio content to help learn the material
Knowledge check quizzes
Progress tracking

Can I learn at my own pace?

Absolutely! One of our key advantages is flexible, self-paced learning. You can study when it suits you, repeat lessons as needed, and accelerate through topics you find easier. Our bespoke study timetable feature helps you plan your learning journey.

What if I get stuck on a topic?

We provide multiple support options:

24/7 AI advisors for instant help
Virtual tutors specializing in each subject
Detailed explanations and worked examples
Interactive quizzes to test understanding
Progress reports highlighting areas needing attention

Do you provide practice papers and exam preparation?

Yes! Each course includes extensive revision materials, practice questions, and exam-style assessments. Our progress tracking system identifies your strengths and areas for improvement, helping you focus your revision effectively.

What equipment do I need?

You only need:

A computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access
A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
Basic writing materials for note-taking
Optional: Printer for worksheets and practice papers

Can I access courses offline?

While our platform is primarily online to ensure you have the latest content and features, you can download certain materials like worksheets and revision guides for offline study.

Do you arrange exams for students?

No, you are responsible for booking and paying for your own exams. Exam fees are not included in course subscriptions. However, we provide guidance on finding local exam centres and understanding the booking process.

How do I find an exam centre?

We recommend:

Contacting local schools, colleges, or sixth forms
Searching online exam centre directories
Contacting the exam board directly
Considering private exam centres

We provide a helpful guide on our website with step-by-step instructions for finding and booking exam centres.

When should I book my exams?

Most exam boards require registration 4-6 months before the exam date. We recommend researching exam centres and booking as early as possible, especially for less common subjects or if you live in a remote area.

What grades do students typically achieve?

Our students have a 97% success rate, with many achieving grades 7-9 (A*-A equivalent). Success depends on consistent study, engagement with materials, and effective exam preparation.

How much do courses cost?

Individual courses start from £120 £84 per subject, or £10 per month (monthly subscription). We also offer bundle discounts for multiple subjects and payment plan options to make learning more affordable.

Do you offer discounts?

Yes! We provide:

Multi-subject bundle discounts
Early bird pricing for advance bookings
Price match promise against competitors
Special offers for newsletter subscribers
Family discounts for siblings

What's included in the course fee?

Your course fee includes:

24 months access to all course materials
260+ lessons per subject (varies by course)
Virtual tutor support
AI advisor access (24/7)
Progress tracking and reporting
Interactive quizzes and assessments
Revision materials and practice papers

What's NOT included?

Course fees do not include:

Exam registration fees
Exam centre costs
Physical textbooks (though digital resources are provided)
Individual face-to-face tutoring

What support do parents receive?

Parents get:

Detailed progress reports showing strengths and areas needing support
Study guide resources to monitor upcoming lessons
Complete visibility of their child's learning journey
Safety assurance with our fully moderated, child-friendly platform
Flexible scheduling options to fit family routines

How do you ensure student safety online?

We maintain a fully moderated, child-friendly platform with:

Secure login systems
Monitored virtual tutor interactions
Age-appropriate content
Privacy protection measures
Clear reporting mechanisms for any concerns

What if I'm not satisfied with my course?

We're confident in our course quality, but if you're not satisfied within the first 14 days, we offer a full refund. After this period, we'll work with you to address any specific concerns and ensure you get the most from your learning experience.

How does online learning compare to classroom teaching?

Online learning with BrainyLemons offers:

Flexibility: Study when and where it suits you
Personalisation: Learn at your own pace
Accessibility: 24/7 access to materials and support
Focused attention: No classroom distractions
Comprehensive resources: Everything you need in one place

However, it requires more self-discipline and motivation than traditional classroom learning.

Will universities and employers accept my qualifications?

Yes! GCSEs and IGCSEs obtained through independent study are identical to those achieved in traditional schools. What matters is your exam results, not how you prepared for them. Our courses prepare you for the same official exams as school students.

How do I stay motivated when studying alone?

We help maintain motivation through:

Clear progress tracking and celebration of achievements
Interactive quizzes and games that make learning fun
Regular check-ins with virtual tutors
Flexible scheduling that prevents burnout
Community features to connect with other learners

How can I contact support?

Email: hello@brainylemons.com
Live Chat: Available on our website during business hours
Help Centre: Comprehensive guides and tutorials
Community Forum: Connect with other students and get peer support

What makes BrainyLemons different from other online learning platforms?

Expert-created content aligned with official exam specifications
30-minute lesson format perfect for busy schedules
24/7 AI support plus specialised virtual tutors
97% success rate with proven results
Comprehensive progress tracking for students and parents
Affordable pricing with flexible payment options
24 months access giving you plenty of time to complete courses

Got questions? Contact us!

Reviews for Brainy Lemons

Real feedback from parents and students learning with Brainy Lemons.

★★★★★

“We have used you for Marine Science and Geography IGCSE subjects. We were very pleased with both the cost and ease of use of your online learning. We are very happy with the experience and would fully recommend you to others. Thank you.”

Sarah H.

Marine Science IGCSEGeography IGCSE

“I love Brainy Lemons so much I’ve been recommending it to others. What I found, as a parent, the most useful was the timetable feature. I could put when I wanted the course to finish into the timetable and loved how it worked out a weekly set of lessons. This gave us plenty of time for revision and exam practise and my child went into the exam feeling confident.”

Emma L.

Environmental Management IGCSE

“My son is home educated and we signed him up to the Geography and Business courses. We got a discount when signing up for 2 courses and so it worked out really good value for money. My son has found it easy to use just following through the lessons and it really helped to be able to set a deadline to keep my son on track. I would really like to see more subjects and more options to pay where you can spread the cost as being home educated and having to pay for all education yourself can really add up.”

Claire M.

Geography GCSEBusiness GCSE

Course fee: £120 £84

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