The BBC documentary, Genghis Khan, is an excellent account of the his life and achievements. This worksheets assists students to focus on the problems and issues associated with his leadership of the tribe, army and nation. It is designed for NSW students of the History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Stage 4 Depth Study 6a: The Mongol Expansion

Classical historians were consistent in their claim that the burning of Persepolis was the result of a drunken party that turned bad. Twentieth-century historians have encouraged us to think a more broadly and to consider other factors that may have played upon Alexander's mind. This homework task supports student understanding of the NSW Ancient History syllabus Higher School Certificate course Part III: Personalities in Their Times Option H: Alexander the Great Why am I never invited to these types of parties? Preparing too much time preparing for Ancient History classes?

Held in honour of the Battle of Thyrea, this annual festival was held in July and included singing, dancing and the snatching of cheese from the altar in the Temple of Artemis Orthia. The purpose of the festival was to emphasise tradition and maintain the Spartan way of life. This source-based homework task supports student understanding of the NSW Ancient History syllabus Higher School Certificate course Part II: Ancient Societies Option I: Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra When cheese has a higher purpose than just being food...

It wasn't just German naval personnel who were interned in Australia. The War Precautions Act extended to German civilians from Australia and Asia, German-born Australians and people with German sounding surnames. They spent the duration of the World War 1 securely locked away from family, friends, livelihoods and employment. This task supports student understanding of the NSW History syllabus for the Australian Curriculum Stage 5 Depth Study 3: Australians at War I shutter to think of the untold trauma suffered by so many people over so many years!

During the Vietnam War Australian soldiers discovered a major Viet Cong army base below ground at Cu Chi. Their efforts to remove the Viet Cong from this enormous tunnel system was an absolute credit to their bravery and skill. Today, the tunnels are a tourist attraction. This is a homework task to support student understanding of the NSW History syllabus for the Australian Curriculum Stage 5 Depth Study 6: School-Developed Topic. Australia in the Vietnam War Era It is an activity requiring students to analyse a variety of primary and secondary, visual and written source materials to gain an understanding of the conditions in which Australian soldiers fought in the Vietnam War.

Is the conspiracy theory true: Was there really a Brisbane Line? If it is true, what parts of the conspiracy theory are true and what are false? This homework source-based activity is designed to create understanding and interest in the NSW History syllabus for the Australian Curriculum Stage 5 Depth Study 3: Australians at War World War II Students analyse a range of primary and secondary, visual and written source materials to determine the truth behind the conspiracy theory. The truth, of course, was that there was a plan to pull back Australian military resources to a line between Adelaide and Brisbane in the event of Japanese invasion but that the plan was rejected by the Commonwealth Government who adopted the policy of all out war rather than concession. The plan paid off with Australian and American forces slowly rolling back Japanese forces from New Guinea.

The 1966 Battle of Long Tan is touted as Australia's greatest battle in the Vietnam War. But is this true? This source-based homework activity is designed to support student understanding of the NSW History syllabus for the Australian Curriculum Stage 5 Depth Study 6: School Developed Topic Australia in the Vietnam War Era Students analyse a range of primary and secondary, visual and written sources to seek evidence to support or refute the argument that Long Tan was Australia's greatest battle in the Vietnam War. All circumstances considered, it's hard to refute this question.

Lycurgus of Sparta: legendary lawgiver of Sparta or just legend? This is a source-based homework task to support student understanding of the NSW Ancient History syllabus Higher School Certificate course Part II - Ancient Societies Option I - Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra Students analyse a range of primary and secondary, visual and written sources to determine whether Lycurgus was an actual historical figure or just a legend? What was his contribution to the unique society that was 6th and 5th century BCE Sparta.

What happened in Lakonia before the Spartans arrived? Well, lots really - Neolithic settlement, Mycenaean civilisation, occupation by pre-Dorian tribes. This source-based homework task is designed to support student understanding of the NSW Ancient History syllabus Higher School Certificate course Part II - Ancient societies Option I - Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra Students analyse a variety of primary and secondary, visual and written source materials to gain knowledge of the early history of Sparta.

The power of Spartan kings was balanced by the gerousia - 28 elected older Spartan men who were no longer eligible for military service. This really explains why Spartan society tended to be conservative and reinforced military exploits. This source-based homework task is designed to support student understanding of the NSW Ancient History syllabus Higher School Certificate course Part II - Ancient Societies Option I - Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra Students analyse a range of primary and secondary, visual and written sources to understand why the Spartans allowed elderly former soldiers to rule the state with the king.

The Companion Cavalry were highly trained Macedonian troops first formed by Alexander the Great's father, Philip II. Despite his military genius, he could not have been successful without them. This source-based homework task supports student understanding of the NSW Ancient History syllabus Higher School certificate course Part III - Personalities in Their Times Option H - Alexander the Great Students analyse a range of primary and secondary, visual and written sources to come to an understanding of the importance of the Companion Cavalry to Alexander's military success. Most successful armies have a core of professional elite soldiers (e.g. the SAS in the Australian army). Students can research how and why these special forces are necessary and the training they undertake.

The krypteia are believed to be the secret police of the Spartan state. They kept the helots (always the majority of the population) in check through random acts of terror including murder. This source-based homework task is designed to enhance student understanding of the NSW Ancient History syllabus Higher School Certificate course Part II: Ancient Societies Option I: Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra Many societies have secret police in various forms, including security intelligence services. Some are overt and some covert. The more extreme (e.g. Spartan society in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE and Stalinist Russia etc.) used terror as a means of controlling the population. When does their work cross the line of acceptable behaviour? Is there a line? When should good people speak out? What are the consequences of this?

Mongol military success lay with the use of terror, high level of horsemanship, communication and the use of spies and informers. In this set of activities students examine these factors before writing a narrative response, imagining they are a Mongol soldier outside the walls of Samarkand in 1218. The activity is to support student understanding of the NSW History syllabus for the Australian Curriculum Stage 4 Depth Study 6: Expanding Contacts 6(a): The Mongol Expansion Great opportunity to explore the use of terror as a weapon in military conflict and social control.

This worksheet has been developed to support student learning for the NSW History syllabus for the Australian Curriculum Stage 5 Depth Study 2: Australia & Asia 2a Making a Nation - Australia 1900-1914 The worksheet includes an excellent passage from Les Carlyon's work, Gallipoli and activities that include visual images of people and equipment commonly found in rural areas in the period 1900-1914. There is an extended writing activity on whether student's believe that a person's environment affects the development of their personality and whether this applies to the characteristics of a nationality.

This is a source-based homework task to support student understanding of the NSW Stage 6 Ancient History Syllabus Higher School Certificate course Part II Ancient Societies Option I - Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra. Students examine archaeological and written evidence relating to the fifth century BCE Spartan practice of Spartiates eating at a syssitia (mess hall).

This is a source-based homework task to support student understanding for the NSW Stage 6 Ancient History Syllabus Higher School Certificate course Part III Personalities and their Times Option H- Alexander the Great. A variety of primary and secondary visual and written material is presented relating to the physical and personality characteristics of Alexander the Great so that students can make decisions about these issues.

Much has been written of the 1838 Myall Creek Massacre of Kamilaroi people by European settlers in New England NSW. But how did people at the time respond to news of the event? What are the responses now? How have people responded when they learned that their ancestors were perpetrators or victims of the event? This source-based homework task supports student understanding of the outcomes in the NSW History syllabus for the Australian Curriculum Stage 5 Depth Study 1: The Making of the Modern World The Industrial Revolution/Australia in the 1800s Students examine a range of primary and secondary, visual and written resources to discover the background to the Myall Creek Massacre, the event, and the aftermath. The activity concludes with an examination of responses to the event today. Students then explore some of the values of social responsibility: coming to terms with wrongdoing by and against our ancestors and the appropriateness of forgiving/apologising for these wrongdoings. Thought-provoking concepts that will generate plenty of discussion and engagement.

All Greek city states had agoges. But the Spartans were renowned for their military prowess rather than their pursuit of the intellect. Does this mean that their agoges focused were more bootcamps than schools? This source-based homework task assists student understanding of the NSW Ancient History syllabus Higher School Certificate course Part II: Ancient Societies Option I: Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra The Spartans were really no different to other Greeks of the 6th and 5th centuries BCE - they valued a rounded education but they also understood the political necessity of a strong military.

This worksheet supports the History Australian National Curriculum Syllabus Stage 4 Depth Study 6: Expanding Contacts (d) Aboriginal and Indigenous Peoples, Colonisation and Contact History. It guides students in describing and assessing the importance of land use and ownership by Aboriginal people and Europeans in the 1800s and investigates whether conflicting views were just about ethnic traditions or about these many other factors.

This Powerpoint presentation supports the teaching of the History Australian Curriculum Syllabus Stage 4 The Ancient to the Modern World Depth Study 4: Mediaeval Europe. It traces the history of the Knights Templar, positive impact on Mediaeval Europe and negative impact on the peoples of the Middle East. There are activities at the conclusion of the presentation that are suitable for Gifted and Talented students and students in regular mixed-ability classes. The activities can be modified for students in specialist classes for Emotional Disorders, Autism, Intellectual Disability and Behaviour Disorders.