IB History HL case studies
IB History HL · Put your knowledge to work in context.
IB History HL is the higher-level history course within the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, typically taken by students aged 16–19 across two academic years. It suits candidates who can read sources critically, hold several interpretations in tension, and write sustained analytical prose under time pressure. The IB History HL case studies are 5 cases and about 3,284 words.
1Paper 1, Question 4: The Manchurian Crisis and the Sourcing Trap
During a timed Paper 1 mock on the prescribed subject The Move to Global War, a candidate has 60 minutes to answer four source-based questions. The four sources concern the Japanese occupation of Manchuria in 1931–32: S1 is an extract from a Japanese Foreign Ministry statement (1932) claiming that Chinese troops fired first at Mukden; S2 is an extract from the League of Nations Lytton Report (1932), which criticises Japan's actions; S3 is a memoir by a Chinese diplomat, published in 1946; S4 is a British newspaper editorial from 1931 warning about instability in the Far East.
722 words, about 4 min2Paper 2: Rise to Power Is Not Consolidation of Power
Halfway through a Paper 2 mock, a candidate has 45 minutes left for one essay. They choose the authoritarian states question: 'Compare and contrast the rise to power of two authoritarian leaders, each from a different region.' They select Hitler (Europe) and Mao (Asia), and their plan is: (1) Hitler became chancellor in January 1933 and used the Enabling Act and the Night of the Long Knives to remove opposition; (2) Mao launched the Hundred Flowers Campaign, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution to control China; (3) both used propaganda and terror; conclusion: they were similar.
610 words, about 3 min3Paper 3: Choosing the Question You Can Argue, Not the One You Memorised
On a Paper 3 mock, a candidate has 150 minutes for three essays. The depth study is Imperial Russia, revolution and the establishment of the Soviet Union (1855–1924).
608 words, about 3 min4Internal Assessment: Turning a Topic into a Historical Investigation
An HL student is drafting the 2,200-word historical investigation. The proposed question is: 'How did propaganda affect Nazi Germany?' The plan of investigation says the investigation will cover 1933–45 and will show that propaganda was effective.
672 words, about 3 min5Paper 1: Bias Is Not a Limitation You Can Stop At
On a Paper 1 mock on Rights and Protest, the class is studying apartheid South Africa. The four sources concern the Sharpeville shooting of 21 March 1960, when police opened fire on a crowd protesting against pass laws, killing 69 people and wounding more than 180.
672 words, about 3 min