History

from Loreto Normanhurst Yearbook 2021

Sport Profiles

Term 1 Year 7 started History (many for the first time) with big debates about what the purpose of history was, where we came from and the role of archaeology, primary evidence and secondary evidence in understanding the past. Year 8 looked at how King William maintained control of England after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and tracked the social, political and cultural changes throughout the Medieval period up to the Crusades. Years 7 and 8 were also very lucky to engage with Living History Australia, who brought history to life during ancient and medieval history incursions. They listened to stories about individuals from the past, re-enacted mock gladiatorial and medieval battles, dressed up as plague doctors, Japanese samurais and European knights, and tested replica weapons and armour. Year 9 dropped into Ancient Greece during the Persian Wars to look at how Sparta and Athens united Greece against their enemies to survive outnumbered odds. Year 10 debated whether or not the Industrial Revolution actually created a better world. The Year 11 Modern cohort engaged with the role of the Tsars in the downfall of the Russian Empire and our Ancient historians looked at who the ‘real’ Cleopatra was, before deep-diving into an historical investigation on an archaeological site of their choosing. Year 12 students continued to work on their HSC courses and, as a cohort, collectively supported each other and persevered with their studies.

Term 2 We returned to Term 2 with an ANZAC Day service, at which we remembered those who gave their lives in service of their country. This year, we looked at the stories of WWI’s forgotten ANZACs, particularly the Indigenous soldiers who served on the front lines. Year 9 received a special guest lecture from Associate Professor Nicholas Baker from Macquarie University, who opened their eyes to the historiographical debate about the ‘true’ relationship between the Black Death and the Renaissance.

HISTORY

This was particularly relevant as there was a big debate on social media that had people comparing the Renaissance to the ‘rebirth’ of society after the 2020 COVID wave.

Year 10 enjoyed their time away in Canberra, absorbing experiences at the War Memorial, National Museum of Australia and Old and New Parliament Houses as part of their valuable focus on civics and citizenship. They interacted with their passionate guides and teachers and learnt about the history of our nation’s capital and the importance of governance in everyday Australian life, coming to realise that the best learning often takes place outside the classroom. Finally, Year 11 Modern attended a Zoom Q&A session with Professor Kate Fullagar from ACU to help them refine their ideas for their Historical Investigations into the impact of decolonisation on a country of their choosing.

Term 3 Term 3 saw the return of Mr Scali as Head of History in the midst of what was to become our longest lockdown since the commencement of the COVID pandemic. The emphasis for the term was on maintaining quality learning despite the challenges of remote learning, while also maintaining the good health and welfare of both staff and students. The girls and staff continued to work creatively during remote learning.

Year 7 developed their source skills by examining truth and bias in primary and secondary sources related to the ancient Chinese emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi.

Year 9 looked at historical controversies related to various areas of the American Civil War using a newly purchased library database called ‘Issues and Controversies in History.’ The girls made some incredibly creative videos outlining the varied perspectives on these historical controversies, showing not only their growing awareness of how to decode truth and bias, but also their positive attitude and enthusiasm despite the isolation of remote learning. Year 12 continued this trend by creating video summaries of their History Extension Major Work logbooks, which were displayed during the HSC Showcase in Term 4.

Term 4 Term 4 saw us slowly return from remote learning. Year 12 continued to work on practice tasks after their HSC Trials. Year 7 to 11 returned with excitement and transitioned back to face to face with ease. Year 10 examined whether the rights and freedoms of indigenous Australians had improved since 1938 which prompted many discussions in class about whether improving legal rights can lead to meaningful change. On the staff front, Mr Scali wrote an article for the newsletter on how history has given meaning to many during the COVID pandemic and Mr Rafe had his article on peer feedback published in the AHISA journal. Term 4 also saw us commemorate Remembrance Day on November 11 with a whole school reflection on the destruction war brings and the need for peace and healing in our world.