History for the IB Diploma: What we are publishing
and how it matches the latest syllabus
The new syllabus moves from two routes to one that encompasses all time periods.
The table below compares the old syllabus with the new. The titles we will be publishing will focus
on modern history and are highlighted in yellow below. Titles for Paper 1 and 2 will be published
from July 2015 and titles for Paper 3, including History of the Americas topics, will publish in 2016,
further details will be provided closer to the time.
PAPER 1
Old Syllabus
Centres chose 1 of 3 options
New Syllabus
Centres choose 1 prescribed subject option from a choice of 5
Prescribed subject 1:
Peace-making, peacekeeping – international relations 1918-36
Prescribed Subject 1:
Military leaders
Prescribed subject 2:
The Arab Israeli conflict 1945-79
Prescribed subject 2:
Conquest and its impact
Prescribed subject 3:
Communism in crisis 1976-89
Prescribed subject 3:
The move to global war (Japanese and German/Italian expansion)
Prescribed subject 4:
Rights and Protest (US Civil Rights and Apartheid)
Prescribed subject 5:
Conflict and intervention (Rwanda and Kosovo)
PAPER 2
Old Syllabus – Two routes
Route 1: History of Europe and Islamic World
Route 2: 20th Century (Example shown below)
Centres chose 2 topics from 5 options of either route
New Syllabus
Centres choose 2 world history topics from a choice of 12
Topic 1:
Causes, practices and effects of war
Topic 1:
Society and Economy (750-1400)
Topic 2:
Democratic states- challenges and responses
Topic 2:
Causes and effects of medieval war (750-1500)
Topic 3:
Origins and development of authoritarian
and single-party states
Topic 3:
Dynasties and rulers (750-1500)
Topic 4:
Nationalist and independence movements in Africa and Asia
post-1945 Central and Eastern European states
Topic 4:
Societies in transition (1400-1700)
Topic 5:
The Cold War
Topic 5:
Early Modern States (1450-1789)
Topic 6:
Causes and effects of Early Modern wars (1500-1750)
Topic 7:
Origins, development and impact of industrialisation (1750-2005)
Topic 8:
Independence movements (1800-2000)
Topic 9:
Evolution and development of democratic states (1848-2000)
Topic 10:
Authoritarian states (20th Century)
Topic 11:
Causes and effects of 20th Century wars
Topic 12:
The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th Century)
Find out more about our IB Diploma resources at: education.cambridge.org/ibdiploma