The GCSE History Revision Podcast

The GCSE History Revision Podcast

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Twitter: @GCSEHistoryPod Produced by History teachers working in the far North, these podcasts are designed to prepare you for your GCSE History exam, with a particular focus on the AQA Course. Most episodes are solo affairs by Mr W but watch out for t

Mr W


    • Nov 18, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 20m AVG DURATION
    • 86 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The GCSE History Revision Podcast

    Castle Acre Priory - Norman England Site Study 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2021 43:56


    What can castle Acre tell us about the influence of the Cluniac Order on England? Who were the Cluniacs? And how did the complicated relationships between powerful individual men in this period impact on the revival of monasticism in England? How did monasteries impact on the political, economic and social fabric of this new, Norman state?   Buckle in, because it's a long one as we look at the site study for the 2021 exam and dig into the birth and development of Castle Acre Priory. 

    Norman England: Castle Acre Priory - Monasticism

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2021 12:43


    The Historic Site Study for 2021 is Castle Acre Priory; but you can't understand why Castle Acre is so important without the context of monastisicm in Norman england. What is a monastery? Who do monks do?   The next episode will dig deeply into Castle Acre and how it links to the rest of Norman England. 

    Germany: A golden age? Weimar Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2021 13:41


    Alongside the economic and political stability of the Stresemann period came a flowering of Weimar Culture. What did this look like, how did it impact our world today and how did it give the Nazis a wedge issue they could use to gain political traction with people in the countryside?

    Germany: A Golden Age? Stresemann and the 1920s

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 19:03


    The Weimar Republic seemed on the brink of collapse in 1923 - yet it survived for another ten years. Was this miracle a true recovery or merely papering over the cracks? Join us as we look at the career of Gustav Stresemann and struggle to agree on a single pronunciantion for his name. 

    Norman England: How Much Did Life Change?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2021 32:19


    1066 is regarded as a watershed moment when all of life in England changed. How far is this accurate? In this episode we look at the various ways that life changed in Norman England - and the ways in which is changed. 

    Film Studies: Skyfall

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2021 53:52


    In this special episode for GCSE Film Studies students we are joined by John Rain, host of SMERSHPOD And author of THUNDERBOOK to talk about the underlying aesthetic of Bond films. Unsuprisingly, we also veer off the topic a bit and end up talking about Marvel films and why Infinity War is better than Endgame and why Film Studies students should watch JFK. 

    Leather and Steel: Young People in Nazi Germany

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2020 21:29


    The Nazi state had very clear plans for the young men and women of Germany; these plans would be reflected in the changes to the education system and the creation of youth groups. In this episode we look at the interplay of these two factors and the overall impact of Nazi youth policies. 

    BONUS GCSE English Episode: AQA Anthology - Remains and the Light Brigade

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2020 44:25


    For this episode we are joined by two colleagues from the English Department who are discussing two poems from the AQA anthology. Apologies for the sound quality - this episode was obviously recorded in lockdown. 

    Kinder, Küche, Kirche: Women in Nazi Germany

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2020 16:16


    Germany was a totalitarian state - one where the government imposed control over every aspect of its citizens lives. One of the areas worth looking at in depth is now Nazi social policy effected women. What were the laws passed in relation to women and how was the role of women seen by the state - and how far did this role have the support of the german people?

    The White Tower: Norman England Historic Site Study

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2020 53:01


    This is our bumepr episode on the Tower of London, the White Tower. William I's residence, symbol of power, refuge of last resort... why was it built? How did it function? How does it fit in with other castles built across England? Why was it white?   This is key episode for the 2021 exam as there will be a 16 mark essay question on this. 

    Germany Bonus Episode: The SA

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2020 23:45


    In this episode we look at the rise and fall of the SA. How important was it to early Nazi success and what impact did it have on their electoral victories - and at what point did it become a hinderance rather than a help? We are joined for this episode by Stephen Graham of the Faces of Fascism podcast. 

    Germany: Alcohol and Politics Don't Mix, Munich 1923

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2020 51:55


    In November 1923 a bunch of politcal chancers launched an attempted coup - a 'putsch' - from a beer cellar. A collection of ex-soldiers and political monomaniacs led a failed artist they thought they could repeat Mussolini's March on Rome. Who were they? In this episode we look at the early history of the National Socialist German Workers' Party - the Nazis - and the causes of the Beer Hall Putsch. We look at the events of the failed rebellion and then look at the consequences for Hitler, the Party and Germany as a whole. As a special bonus we are joined buy Stephen Graham of the Faces of Facism Podcast for some expert input. 

    Germany: Out of the Frying-Pan 1919-23

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2020 23:17


    The newborn Weimar Republic did not have an easy life; rocked by attacks from both without and within, it seemed doomed to fail. In this episode, we look at the first few years of the Republic and the attacks it faced from both the left and the right. We cover Sparticists, Kapp and the invasion of the Ruhr. 

    Germany: Rising from the Flames 1920

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2020 10:20


    After the catastrophe of the Great War, Germany found itself without a leader, without a government and without a future. From this wreckage rose a new state; birthed in Weimar because Berlin was too dnagerous, it was known as the Weimar Republic. An experiment in democracy in an age of autocracy, was it doomed from the start? In this episode we consider the structure of the Weimar Constitution and the problems it creates for the future. 

    Germany: Apocalypse Now 1918

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2019 13:38


    What was the impact of WW1 on Germany? In this episode we look at the economic, social and political aspects of the War's impact and consider how that effects the birth of the Weimar republic. 

    Germany: Before the Fall 1890-1914

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2019 14:23


    What was Germany like before the First World War? What kind of power structures were in place and what difficulties were there in governing it?  

    The Battle of Hastings

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2019 44:18


    This is the episode to support the Norman England Historic Site study. An in depth examination of the factors that influence success or failure in medieval warfare with a focus on the Battle of Hastings. 

    1900s: Women's Rights

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2019 13:00


    Which groups were fighting for the rights of women at the dawn of the 20th Century? Was it due to their efforts that women got the vote in 1918 or was it due to other factors? This is part of the Power and the People Theme Study. 

    1800s: Reform and Reformers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2019 21:53


    Part of the Power and the People Theme Study for Paper 2.   The Chartists weren't the only game in town in the 1800s when it came to reform movements. There were also the Anti-Corn Law League, the anti-slavery Abolitionists and the various social and factory reformers. What tactics did they use and what success did they achieve?   No Geographers were harmed in the making of this podcast. 

    Faces of Fascism - the Brain of Mussolini

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2019 15:15


    Something a little different while we sort out the Pevensey castle episode This is the first episode of abnother podcast called Faces of Fascism, the rest of which can be found on Podbean and Apple Podcasts. It's a bit more in depth than you need for GCSE but great for A-Level or simply if you are interested in one the dominant political forces of the 20th century. 

    1800s: New Model Unions and New Unionism

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2019 13:52


    How did the Trades Union movement develop after the Tolpuddle Martyrs?

    1834: The Tolpuddle Martyrs

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2019 11:59


    "You don't get me, I'm part of the Union..." The first in our mini sequence of podcasts on the development of the Trades Union movement and its place in the development of democracy starts small; focused on one small village in Dorset and six men who swear an oath to found a Union to bargain for better pay and conditions...

    1800s: The Chartists II

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2019 17:09


    The Chartists were a huge political movement, able to mobilise a lot of public support; born out of unhappiness with the Great Reform Act, their demands were simple and clearly designed to improve the representation of the working class in Parliament. But the movement collapsed by the 1850s, ending in abject failure. Or did it...?

    1800s: The Chartists I - Peterloo and the Great Reform Act

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2019 12:35


    What was the problem with elections in the 1800s? How did a meeting at St Peter's Field lead to the Great Reform Act? And how Great was it anyway? This is background to the Chartist movement which will be covered in the next episode. 

    1776 The American Revolution

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2019 12:29


    After the Civil Wars, the question of who ruled - Parliament or the King - was settled. The next phase of power shifting to the people would be about who was represented in Parliament. The first skirmish of this fight would be a war across the sea, when colonists declared that there should be no representation without taxation and, in their Declaration of Independence, wrote down some self-evident truths. 

    2018 Exam Technique

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2018 30:51


    In our final episode of the class of 2018, we talk through with an AQA Lead Examiner how to answer each of the questions on the new paper.  For the last time, 2018 - good luck in your exams!   Good-BYEEEEE-EEEEEEE. 

    exam technique
    1642: The World Turned Upside Down

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2018 31:25


    England is at war with itself; the King versus Parliament. This confilct gave rise to new radical politics which would inform the rest of British political history. But not only that - hovering in the background is the biggest unanswered question of all - what do you do with the King?   Probably the most important turning point in the development of Power and the People is covered in this episode. 

    1642: What were the causes of the English Revolution?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2018 29:13


    In August 1642 King Charles I raised his standard at Nottingham, declaring war on his own Parliament. The most serious challenge to royal authority in English history was about to begin - British history, actually, as the mid-1600s saw war engulf the three kingdoms of the British isles. How did it come to this? In this episode we talk through the steps to 1642 and what brought Parliament and the King to the brink of war....

    1536: What was the Impact of the Pilgrimage of Grace?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2018 17:09


    Henry VIII had to deal with the challenge to his authority, but how? This episode wraps up the events of 1536 and looks at the impact it had for the people who rebelled, Henry and Thomas Cromwell.

    1536: What were the causes of the Pilgrimage of Grace?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2018 22:25


    In 1536 Henry VIII faced the most serious challenge to his power - the most serious challenge to any monarch since 1381. Why did nobles, commons and peasants alike join together to rise up against the Tudor king?

    1381: What was the impact of the Peasants' Revolt?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2017 22:31


    This is the second of the two episodes on the Peasants' Revolt; here we discuss the events and consequences of the revolt. We also discuss the differing interpretations of the revolt depending on the different point of view of different historians.

    1381: What were the Causes of the Peasants' Revolt?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2017 24:31


    This is another episode for the Power and the People Theme Study. In the summer of 1381, peasants from the south east of England rampaged through towns and cities. They murdered merchants and tax collectors and even the Archbishop of Canterbury. What caused this sudden outburst of violence? This episode looks at the social, politcial and economic causes of the revolt while the next one looks at the events and consequences. The book mentioned in the podcast is available here: Summer of Blood  

    1264: The Origins of Parliament

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2017 21:33


    How important was Simon de Montfort and what was the significance of his Parliament? This episode looks at the next major challenge to royal authority after Magna Carta and considers whether Simon de Monfort's meeting deserves the title of 'The First Parliament'.

    1215: Why does Magna Carta matter?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2017 11:42


    Welcome to the second episode on Magna Carta with a new microphone cable. In this episode we cover the key clauses of the Great Charter and why they matter today.

    1215: Why was Magna Carta necessary?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2017 17:44


    Apologies for the sound quality on this episode - the microphone cable was damaged and I didn't have a spare. This is the first episode of the Power to the People Theme Study and it looks at where it all began: in 1215 witrh the document held by some to be the cornerstone of all modern democracy - the Magna Carta. But why did the Magna Carta come about?

    Durham Cathedral - Norman England Historic Site

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2017 31:13


    Cathedrals were an important part of the organisation and structure of the Church, and Durham Cathedral was the one that established the pattern for all other Norman Cathedrals. This episode will prepare you for the 16-mark Historic Site question on Paper 2.

    Norman England Part VI: How did life change?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2017 15:15


    1066 is seen as a cataclysmic event, a moment that changed England forever: but how much actually changed for the peasant in the field? This summary episode looks at all the aspects of Norman England we've discussed so far and considers how life chnaged in the Norman period and, perhaps more importantly, for who.

    Norman England Part V: The Growth of Towns

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2017 13:48


    The Domesday book paints a picture of the grown of towns in the Norman period; over 200 hundred of them in the reign of William alone. Why did towns grow - and perhaps more importantly, how did they grow?

    Summer 2017 - Exam Tips

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2017 20:42


    In the final episode for the Class of 2017, we run through how to answer each of the questions on both of the AQA GCSE History B papers. So for us on Paper 1 that's: Origins of WW1 Peacemaking and the League of Nations Hitler's Foreign policy, Appeasement and the Origins of WW2   and, on Paper 2; USA in the 1920s Germany 1933-45 Vietnam 1954-75 For the last time - and we really do mean it: Thank you for listening - and good luck in your exams.  

    Vietnam Part IV: Peace With Honour?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2017 17:37


    The USA lost. One of the two great superpowers lost. It can be argued that America never got over their defeat in Vietnam. So why did they leeave?   In this episode we consider the factors that led towards Nixon claiming that they had peace with honour while the world watched the last chopper flee from the American Embassy in Saigon, leaving screaming crowd to their fate.   This is the last episode for the 2017 Year 11s, so let's just say good luck with your exams!

    Vietnam Part III: Apocalypse Now - what problems did the US face in Vietnam?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2017 21:01


    How the VC won is a slightly different question: but why didn't the USA win? The strongest natio on earth faced some particular problems in the Vietnam War. What were they?

    Vietnam Part II: Size Isn't Everything

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2017 24:20


    As a general rule the USA solves problems by throwing money and technology at them. But this did not work in Vietnam. Why?   In this essay style episode, we discuss which of the two sides in the war had the most effective tactics.

    Vietnam Part I: You Don't KNow Man, You Weren't There

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2017 14:39


    Why did the USA even get involved in Vietnam? It's thousands of miles away and, at first glance, of no strategic value. The answer lies in the background to the Cold War and some fairly tangled geo-politics and economics. Have a listen to this episode and decide for yourself - which was the main reason the Americans got involved in a land war in South east Asia?

    Germany Part IV: Cui Bono? Who benefitted from Nazi Germany?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2017 23:39


    Even leaving aside the apparatus of the police state, Nazi control of Germany must have depended to some extent on the support of the German People. So why did people support the Nazi regime? The answer, as is also true in the case of Dick Nixon, is simple: follow the money.

    Germany Part III: The Night of the Long Knives

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2017 8:23


    After the Enabling Act and the Emergency Decree, the Nazi party has control of most of the levers of power in the German State. But there was always one other power bloc in Germany: the army. And the army were willing to throw their support behind Hitler and his party - but at a price...

    Germany Part II: Burn Baby Burn - The Reichstag Fire

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2017 8:01


    In early 1933, Adolf Hitler was Chancellor of Germany but he had very little, actual power. How did the Nazis sieze control of the German state? That long road started with a fire in the Reichstag.

    Germany Part I: Never Mind the Ballots

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2017 10:22


    How did Hitler become Chancellor? One of the most common mistakes people make is thinking that Hitler and the Nazis were elected to power. As you will see in this episode, the truth is rather more complex....

    Norman England Part IV: Religion

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2017 22:20


    How did religion change under the Normans? When William of Normandy asked for the Pope's blessing to invade England, he promised to reform the corrupt church in England. Was it corrupt? And how far did he stick to this promise? All will be revealed in this episode...

    The Roaring 20s Part V: Did the 1920s roar for everyone?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2017 25:51


    In this episode we cover the people who didn't benefit from the economic boom; who were they, and why were they left behind? We also zero in on the experience of black americans and the activities of the Ku Klux Klan. It's recommended that you listen to this section alongside the episode on the experience of immigrants to make sure you're comfortable with WASPS and so on. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains a short extract from the film Mississippi Burning which contains language that some people might find offensive.

    Norman England Part III: Trial by Ordeal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2017 11:44


    What changes in the legal system did the Normans make? This whistlestop tour takes in language, forest law and legal principles before stopping off for some good old fashioned death and mutliation when we look at trial by ordeal and consider the role of God in determining guilt or innocence.

    The Roaring 20s Part IV: Why was alcohol made illegal and what were the effects of Prohibition?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2017 18:34


    In this episode we cover the causes of Prohibition through to the growth of the Chicago Outfit and the repeal of the 18th amendment in the wake of the St Valentine's Day Massacre. Are you a Wet or a Dry? Let us know in the comments.

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