Activity 1 - Which events should we revise?

  1. ​Mind-Map - Create a concept-map using Padlet, Mindmup or any other similar mind-mapping tool (or create a sketchnote by hand!). In the middle write ‘How did superpower competition unfold?’.
  2. Summarise - Now fill in your mind-map with key historical information and facts about the main events of the unit. Use this timeline, review your notes and summarise using the following headings:
    1. The Cold War in Asia
    2. The Cold War in Europe
    3. The Cold War in Middle East
    4. The Cold War in Americas
    5. The Cold War in Africa
    6. The Nuclear Arms and Space Race
  3. Revise - Use your mind maps to help you revise the historical content for your upcoming assessment and final exams. Make sure you store a copy with your other revision materials.

Activity 2 - What was our inquiry?

  1. Recall -  Examine the statement of inquiry for this unit again and consider how it applies to what you’ve studied:
    1. "Competition between states can result in increasing conflicts and crises over time unless tensions are contained"
  2. Analyse - With a partner, discuss how this statement of inquiry could be applied to the global spread of the Cold War. Consider the following questions:
    1. Connect - How is the SOI connected to what you have studied?
    2. Extend - Does the SOI extend your thinking about the Cold War in any way?
    3. Challenge - What is challenging or confusing about the SOI?
    4. Discuss - Does the SOI apply to the Cold War? What other events in history might it also apply to?
  3. Evaluate - The key concept of this unit was change. One of the issues historians face when describing and explaining change revolves around the precision of language we use to characterise changes. Examine the following words we can use to help improve our explanation of change:

Activity 3 - How might we be assessed?

  1. Essay Plan - Try practicing for your end of unit review by essay planning previous questions on this topic. Use this essay mark-scheme to help:
    1. ​Examine the impact of the US policy of containment on superpower relations 1947 - 1964 - Specimen Paper
    2. Evaluate the successes and failures of the US policies of containment and brinkmanship up to 1962 - Nov 2016
    3. Examine the significance of the Cold War on events in the Middle East from 1956 to 1973 - Nov 2015
    4. Evaluate the influence of Cold War tensions on two military conflicts, each chosen from a different region - May 2015
    5. ​In what ways, and with what success, did the US attempt to prevent the global spread of Soviet influence between 1945 and 1962? - May 2014
    6. ​Analyse the reasons for, and results of, the adoption and expansion of the doctrine of containment up to 1962 - May 2013
    7. Compare and contrast the methods and extent of superpower success in maintaining control of their spheres of influence up to 1962 - Nov 2012
    8. For what reasons, and with what results, did the Cold War affect the Middle East between 1956 and 1979? - Nov 2011
    9. “The US and the USSR were successful in their efforts to maintain their spheres of influence between 1950 and 1962.” To what extent do you agree with this assertion? - Nov 2010
    10. Examine the role and importance of fear and suspicion in the development of the Cold War between 1953 and 1975 - May 2009​
    11. Why did the Cold War spread from Europe to other parts of the world after 1950? - May 2009
    12. In what ways, and with what results, did the US implement the policy of containment in Asia between 1950 and 1975? - Nov 2008
    13. How effective was the United States policy of containment up to 1962? - Nov 2007

Further Reading for Revision

obligatory reading
  1. Mamaux, A. (2015). Oxford IBDP Programme - The Cold War
recommended reading
  1. ​Williamson, D.G. (2015). Access to History - The Cold War
supplemental reading
  1. The Cold War Around the World (article) | Khan Academy. (2018). Khan Academy. 
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