2018 School Magazine

MODERN HISTORY

experience for me was during my study of women in the Algerian War of Independence. The process tested my independent research and organisational skills, pushing me to go beyond the classroom in my quest for knowledge. This is the type of experience that makes Modern History such a valuable subject. I believe Modern History is an incredibly important subject for every student to study, to not only develop skills unique to the subject but to understand the context of the world we live in today and to provide fresh perspectives on events of the past. In the words of Oscar Wilde, the duty we owe to history is to rewrite it. Georgia Perry (12G)

This year, senior Modern History has been an eye-opening and enriching subject, challenging each girl to broaden her horizons. The subject is a particularly unique one, allowing us to explore a vast range of significant contemporary historical events, movements and figures that continue to shape our world today. Content varies from in-depth historical studies of topical conflicts, such as the Arab-Israeli conflict, to more self-guided research projects that allow girls to delve into a topic of their own choice. Through this lens, I have honed incredibly important academic skills, such as essay writing and referencing, communication and analytical skills and broader life lessons, such as critical judgement and independence. The most beneficial learning

ANCIENT HISTORY

In Term 3, we progressed to the Middle Ages, specifically, the Crusades. Learning about Crusades was an enriching experience as the conflict between followers of Christianity and Islam mimicked certain present day religious concerns portrayed in the media. By learning about the roots of such concerns we were able to form our own well-informed opinions in response to the social climate around us today. Our final topic was Ancient China and the role of women in society. History is rich with layers of intrigue, narrative, ideas, opinions and much more. I feel I have learned more from Ancient History than from any other subject. Bidisha Roy (12R)

Year 12 Ancient History focused on events, ideas and people of the past with the aim to gain insight that could be applied to present day social, cultural and political environments. In Term 1, we were introduced to the historical treasure trove that was Republic Rome. We dedicated lessons to studying aspects of Republic Rome relevant to the concept of power, with each student having the freedom to explore a particular aspect in great depth. We were able to establish an understanding of knowledge of Ancient Rome in Term 1 before building on that knowledge in Term 2, where we focused on Julius Caesar and other key historical figures pertaining to the time. Through critical evaluation of primary and secondary sources we were able to draw conclusions about the contributing factors that led to the rise of the Roman Empire.

068 | CURRICULUM | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2018