A Level History Topics by Exam Board: Full List

A Level History courses can look very different at every school. This is because each exam board offers schools a choice about which content they want to teach. 

As a teacher, I’ve steered many students through the bewildering array of history options offered by exam boards. This article will give a detailed breakdown of all the A Level History topics covered in each exam board, which paper each option is assessed in, and what revision resources Save My Exams provide to help you ace your A Level History exam! 

AQA A Level History Topics

AQA A Level history consists of three components: 

• Component 1- Breadth Study 

  • This is a study of an extended period of history, covering around 100 years. 

  • Throughout your study, you’ll develop a good understanding of the changes and continuities that happened over that time period.

• Component 2- Depth Study 

  • This study is focused on a significant period of historical change or development. 

  • In this component you’ll take a more in-depth look at the events, changes and continuities, using primary evidence to deepen your understanding. 

• Component 3- Historical Investigation - non-exam assessment (A Level only) 

  • This is a personal independent study, where you have the opportunity to create a historical enquiry based on a 100-year period of History. 

  • You’ll be expected to choose a different period of study from those chosen in Components 1 and 2. 
    

Component 1: Breadth Study 

You will study one option from the list below: 

• The Age of the Crusades, c1071-1204

• Spain in the Age of Discovery, 1469-1598 (A Level only)

• The Tudors: England, 1485-1603

• Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603-1702 

• Russia in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment, 1682-1796 (A Level only)

• Industrialisation and the people: Britain, c1783-1885

• Challenge and transformation: Britain, c1851-1964

• Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855-1964

• The British Empire, c1857-1967 

• The making of a Superpower, USA, 1865-1975 

• The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871-1991 

Component 2: Depth Study 

 You will study one option from the list below: 

• Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154-1216

• The Wars of the Roses, 1450-1499

• The Reformation in Europe, c1500-1564 (A Level only)

• Religious conflict and the Church of England, c1529-1570

• The English Reformation, 1625-1660 

• The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643-1715 (A Level only)

• The Birth of the USA, 1760-1801

• France in Revolution, 1774-1815 (A Level only)

• America: A Nation Divided, c1845-1877 (A Level Only) 

• International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890-1941 (A Level only) 

• Italy and Fascism, c1900-1945 

• Wars and Welfare: Britain in Transition, 1906-1957 

• Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917-1953

• Democracy and Nazism: Germany, 1918-1945 

• The Transformation of China, 1936-1997

• The American Dream: reality and illusion, 1945-1980 

• The Cold War, c1945-1991

• The Making of Modern Britain, 1951-2007 

• The Crisis of Communism: The USSR and the Soviet Empire, 1953-200 (A Level only) 

Component 3: Historical Investigation 

For your historical investigation, you are expected to select and investigate a specific issue or development in depth that covers 100 years of History. As this is a student-led independent study, there is no set list of topics which can be chosen from. 

Instead, your teacher will help you to choose the period of study and will guide you to ensure you create the best questions to meet the exam board's expectations.  

Here are some examples of possible historical investigations: 

• assessing how Puritanism changed during the Seventeenth Century 

• assessing the extent to which the condition of the Russian peasant improved over the period of 1850-1950

• assessing the extent to which the Glorious Revolution successfully settled relations between the Crown and Parliament in the context of the Stuart period 

• assessing the extent to which Tsar Nicholas I changed the nature of Tsarist rule set against the period of Catherine the Great, Alexander and Nicholas I 

• assessing the extent to which the American civil rights movement successfully achieved racial equality from 1870- 1970 

What is Covered in AQA A Level History Component 1?

AQA A Level Component 1 is split into two sections:

• Section A - one question (30 marks). 

  • One compulsory question linked to historical interpretations 

• Section B - two questions (50 marks). 

  • You will be offered a choice of three essay-style questions, but you only need to answer two 

What is Covered in AQA A Level History Component 2?

AQA A Level Component 2 is split into two sections:

• Section A - One question (30 marks). 

  • one compulsory question linked to primary sources or sources contemporary to the period

• Section B- Two questions (50 marks). 

  • you will be offered a choice of three essay-style questions, but you only need to answer two 

What is Covered in AQA A Level History Historical Investigation? 

AQA A Level historical investigation is worth 40 marks and 20% of your overall A Level. 

This part of your A Level will be marked by your history teachers, and then moderated by AQA. 

You will be expected to write 3,500-4,500 words and spend approximately 20-30 hours to complete the investigation. 

Revision Resources for AQA A Level History

At Save My Exams, we’ve got a wide range of AQA A Level past exam papers to help you prepare for your final exams.  

Edexcel A Level History Topics

Edexcel A Level history consists of three papers and coursework:

• Paper 1: Breadth Study 

  • Throughout your study, you’ll develop a good understanding of historical significance as well as the changes and continuities that happened over that time period

  • You will study historians' interpretations to evaluate different perspectives on these developments.

• Paper 2: Depth Study 

  • This paper focuses on a specific historical period, allowing you to conduct an in-depth analysis of the complexities and dynamics of that time.

  • The focus is on understanding the causes and consequences of events, as well as the interplay of various historical factors.

• Paper 3: Themes in breadth with aspects in depth 

  • This paper combines a thematic overview with detailed case studies, enabling you to understand broad historical themes and their manifestations in specific contexts. 

  • You will be expected to draw connections between different periods and regions. 

• Coursework 

  • This is an independent student-led independent historical investigation. 

  • The topic must not overlap with the content in Papers 1,2 and 3. 

Paper 1: Breadth Study 

You will study one option from the list below: 

• The Crusades, c1905-1204

• England, 1509-1603:authority, nation and religion 

• Britain, 1625-1701:conflict, revolution and settlement 

• Britain, c1785-c1870: democracy, protest and reform

• Russia, 1917-91:from Lenin to Yeltsin 

• In search of the American Dream: the USA, c1917-96

• Germany and West Germany, 1918-89

• Britain transformed, 1918-97

Paper 2: Depth Study 

You will study one option from the list below: 

• Anglo-Saxon England and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom, c1053–1106

• England and the Angevin Empire in the reign of Henry II, 1154–89

• Luther and the German Reformation, c1515–55

• The Dutch Revolt, c1563–1609

• France in Revolution, 1774–99

• Russia in Revolution, 1894–1924

• The unification of Italy, c1830–70

• The unification of Germany, c1840–71

• Mao’s China, 1949–76

• The German Democratic Republic, 1949–90

• India, c1914–48: the road to independence

• South Africa, 1948–94: from apartheid state to ‘rainbow nation’

• The rise and fall of fascism in Italy, c1911–46

• Spain, 1930–78: republicanism, Francoism and the re-establishment of

• democracy

• The USA, c1920–55: boom, bust and recovery

• The USA, 1955–92: conformity and challenge
  

Paper 3: Themes in breadth with aspects in depth  

You will study one option from the list below: 

• Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII, 1399–1509

• Rebellion and disorder under the Tudors, 1485–1603

• The Golden Age of Spain, 1474–1598

• The witch craze in Britain, Europe and North America, c1580–c1750

• Industrialisation and social change in Britain, 1759–1928: forging a new

• society

• Poverty, Public Health and the State in Britain, c1780–1939

• Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763–1914

• The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918

• Protest, agitation and Parliamentary Reform in Britain, c1780–1928

• Ireland and the Union, c1774–1923

• The changing nature of warfare, 1859–1991: perception and reality

• Germany, 1871–1990: united, divided and reunited

• The making of modern Russia, 1855–1991

• The making of modern China, 1860–1997

• Civil rights and race relations in the USA, 1850–2009

• Mass media and social change in Britain, 1882–2004

Coursework

For your coursework, you are expected to undertake an independent historical investigation. 

You will have the opportunity to select a topic of interest, create a research question, and engage with primary and secondary sources to develop a well-substantiated argument. 

As this is a student-led independent study, there is no set list of topics which can be chosen from. Instead, your teacher will help you to choose the period of study and will guide you to ensure you create the best questions to meet the exam board's expectations. 

Here are some examples of possible coursework questions:

• Historians have disagreed about the reasons for the end of the Cold War. What is your view about the reasons for the end of the Cold War? 

• Historians have disagreed about the extent to which by 1924 the Russian people had exchanged one authoritarian regime for another. What is your view about the extent to which by 1924 the Russian people had exchanged one authoritarian regime for another? 

• Historians have disagreed about the appropriateness of Appeasement as the basis of the British Foreign Policy 1937-1939. What is your view about the appropriateness of Appeasement as the basis of British Foreign Policy during 1937-1939? 

What is Covered in Edexcel A Level History Paper 1?

Edexcel A Level Paper 1 is split into three sections:

• Section A- one question (20 marks).

  • You will have the choice of two essay-style questions

• Section B- one question (20 marks).

  • You will have the choice of two essay-style questions

• Section C- one question (20 marks).

  • One compulsory question which assesses your ability to analyse and evaluate historical interpretations 

What is Covered in Edexcel A Level History Paper 2?

Edexcel A Level Paper 2 is split into two sections:

• Section A- one question (20 marks).

  • You will have the choice of two source-based questions

  • This assesses your ability to analyse and evaluate primary and secondary sources 

• Section B- two questions (40 marks).

  • You will be offered a choice of four essay-style questions

What is Covered in Edexcel A Level History Paper 3?

Edexcel A Level Paper 2 is split into three sections:

• Section A- one question (20 marks). 

  • One compulsory source based question. 

  • This assesses your ability to analyse and evaluate primary and contemporary sources. 

• Section B- one question (20 marks).

  • You will be offered a choice of two essay-style questions

  • The skills of causation, consequence, change, continuity, similarity or difference will be its main focus 

• Section C- one question (20 marks).

  • You will be offered a choice of two essay-style questions 

  • Questions will target change over a period of at least 100 years, focusing on:

    • the process of change; or 

    • the extent of change; or 

    • the impact of change; or 

    • patterns of change (turning points) 

What is Covered in Edexcel A Level History Coursework?

Edexcel A Level coursework is worth 40 marks and 20% of your overall A Level. 

This part of your A Level will be marked by your history teachers and then moderated by Edexcel. 

You will be expected to write 3,000-4,000 words and spend approximately 20–30 hours to complete the coursework. 

Revision Resources for Edexcel A Level History

At Save My Exams, we’ve got a wide range of Edexcel A Level past exam papers.

OCR A Level History A Topics

OCR A Level History A consists of four units:

• Unit group 1: British period study and enquiry

  • This is a source-based enquiry based on the chosen period of study 

• Unit group 2: Non-British period study 

  • This exam focuses on a period of British history  

• Unit group 3: Thematic study and historical interpretations

  • This is a thematic study of 100 years and three in-depth studies of events, individuals or issues based on the chosen period of study 

  • You will be expected to have detailed knowledge and evaluate historical interpretations of the chosen period

• Unit Y100: Topic based essay 

  • This is an independent student-led essay 

  • The topic chosen is not allowed to overlap with the content covered in units 1-3

British Period Study and Enquiry 

You will study one unit from the list below: 

• Alfred and the Making of England 871-1016 

  • Enquiry topic: Alfred the Great

• Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest 

  • Enquiry topic: Norman England 1087-1107

• England 1377-1272 

  • Enquiry topic: King John 1199-1216

• England 1377-1455 

  • Enquiry topic: Richard 11 1377-1399

• England 1445-1509: Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII

  • Enquiry topic: Wars of the Roses 1445-1461

• England 1547-1603: the Later Tudors

  • Enquiry topic: Mid Tudor Crises 1445-1558

• The Early Stuarts and the Origins of the Civil War 1603-1660

  • Enquiry topic: The Execution of Charles I and the Interregnum 1646-1660

• The Making of Georgian Britain 1678-c.1760

  • Enquiry topic: The Glorious Revolution 1678-1689

• From Pitt to Peel: Britain 1783-1853

  • Enquiry topic: Peel and the Age of Reform 1832-1853

• Liberals, Conservatives and the Rise of Labour 1846-1918

  • Enquiry topic: England and a New Century c.1900-1918

• Britain 1900-1951

  • Enquiry topic: England and a New Century c.1900-1918 

• Britain 1930-1997

  • Enquiry topic: Churchill 1930-1951

Non-British Period Study 

You will study one unit from the list below: 

• The Rise of Islam c500-750 

• Charlemagne 768-814

• The Crusades and the Crusader States 1095-1192 

• Genghis Khan and the Explosion from the Steppes c.1167-1405 

• Exploration, Encounters and Empire 1445-1570

• Spain 1469-1556

• The German Reformation and the rule of Charles V 1500-1559

• Philip II 1556-1598

• African Kingdoms c.1400-c1800: four case studies 

• Russia 1645-1741

• The Rise and Decline of the Mughal Empire in India 1526-1741

• The American Revolution 1740-1796

• The French Revolution and the rule of Napoleon 1774-1815 

• France 1814-1870

• Italy and Unification 1789-1896

• The USA in the 19th Century: Westward expansion and Civil War 1803-c.1890 

• Japan 1853-1937

• International Relations 1890-1941 

• Russia 1894-1941

• Italy 1896-1943 

• Democracy and Dictatorships in Germany 1919-1963 

• The Cold War in Asia 1945-1993 

• The Cold War in Europe 1941-1995 

• Apartheid and Reconciliation: South African Politics 1948-1999

Thematic Study and Historical Interpretations

You will study one unit from the list below: 

• The Early Anglo-Saxons c400-800

• The Viking Age c.790-1066

• English Government and the Church 1066-1216

• The Church and Medieval Heresy c1100-1437

• The Renaissance c.1400-1600

• Rebellion and Disorder under the Tudors 1485-1603

• Tudor Foreign Policy 1485-1603

• The Catholic Reformation 1492-1610

• The Ascendancy of the Ottoman Empire 1453-1606

• The Development of the Nation State: France 1498-1610

• The Origins and Growth of the British Empire 1558-1783 

• Popular Culture and the Witchcraze of the 16th Century and 17th Centuries 

• The Ascendancy of France 1610-1715

• The Challenge of German Nationalism 1789-1919 

• The Changing Nature of Warfare 1792-1945 

• Britain and Ireland 1791-1921

• China and its Rulers 1839-1989 

• Russian and its Rulers 1855-1989 

• Civil Rights in the USA 1865-1992 

• From Colonialism to Independence: The British Empire 1857-1965 

• The Middle East 1908-2011: Ottomans to Arab Spring 

• Topic Based Essay  

For your topic based essay, you are expected to undertake an independent historical investigation. 

You will have the opportunity to select a topic of interest, create a research question, and engage with primary and secondary sources to develop a well-substantiated argument. 

As this is a student-led independent study, there is no set list of topics which can be chosen from. Instead, your teacher will help you to choose the period of study and will guide you to ensure you create the best questions to meet the exam board's expectations. 

Here are some examples of possible historical investigations: 

• Assess the view that religion was the main cause of the Western Rebellion 

• To what extent was Charlemagne’s empire on the defensive military in his later years?

• How isolationist was American foreign policy in the period 1920-41?

• Assess the view that Stalin’s suspicions of his Western allies between 1941 and 1945 were justified. 

• How far can it be argued that Nixon’s peace negotiations sacrificed the chance of victory in South Vietnam? 

What is Covered in OCR A Level History A British Period Study and Enquiry?

OCR A Level British period study and enquiry is split into two sections:

• Section A- one source question (30 marks). 

  • One compulsory question linked to historical sources 

• Section B- one essay question (20 marks). 

  • You will be offered a choice of two essay-style questions, but you only need to answer one 
    

 What is Covered in OCR A Level History A Non-British Period Study?

OCR A Level Non-British period study requires you to answer all of question 1 or all of question 2: 

• Question A- one essay question (10 marks).

  • This is a shorter question assessing the significance of two events, related to a different key topic from your chosen unit 

• Question B- one essay question (20 marks).

  • This is a traditional ‘period study’ question  

What is Covered in OCR A Level History A Thematic Study and Historical Interpretations? 

OCR A Level British period study and enquiry is split into two sections:

• Section A- one source question (30 marks).

  • On compulsory question linked to two historical interpretations 

• Section B- two essay questions (50 marks). 

  • You will be given a choice of 3 essay-style questions, but you only need to answer two 

What is Covered in OCR A Level History A Topic Based Essay? 

OCR A Level topic based essay is worth 40 marks and 20% of your overall A Level. 

This part of your A Level will be marked by your history teachers, and then moderated by OCR. 

You will be expected to write 3,000-4,000 words and spend approximately 20–30 hours to complete the coursework. 

Revision Resources for OCR A Level History A 

At Save My Exams, we’ve got a wide range of OCR A Level past exam papers.

Improve Your Grades with Save My Exams

Save My Exams helps students to study effectively and get higher grades than they ever thought possible. Our History revision resources are written by teachers and examiners, who have guided hundreds of students to success. That means notes, questions by topic and worked solutions that show exactly what the examiners for each specific exam are looking for. 

A Level History Overview Page

References

AQA A Level History Specification  

Edexcel A Level History Specification 

Edexcel A Level History Example Coursework Questions    

OCR A Level History Specification  

OCR A Level History A Topic Based Essay Document