ISC Class 12th History Syllabus 2023: British leader Winston Churchill once said, "Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." The saying holds true to this day and will do so in the future as well. History is the study of the past. Births, deaths, wars, disasters, and civilizations all comprise history. As such, History is an essential branch of education. The ISC Class 12th History Syllabus also emphasizes the major happenings of the past of India and the rest of the world. History (Code: 851) is a key subject in ISC Class 12, especially for students with an inclination towards the humanities. The ISC Class 12 History syllabus is lengthy and features two sections: Section A: Indian History and Section B: World History, and spans centuries of historical events. We have covered the entire ISC Class 12th History syllabus for both theory and project work papers in this article. Read and download the latest and updated ISC Class 12 History Syllabus 2023 in pdf format here.
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ISC Board Class 12 History Syllabus
The ISC class 12 History subject is divided into two papers: theory and project work. The Paper 1: Theory carries 80 marks and the duration will be 3 hours. The Project Work will be of 20 marks. Check here the ISC Board Class 12 History Syllabus below.
PAPER I (THEORY) – 80 Marks
SECTION A
INDIAN HISTORY
- Towards Independence and Partition: the Last Phase (1935-1947)
(i) Important political developments: growth of socialist ideas, trade union activities, Kisan Sabha movement; growth of communalism (Hindu & Muslim).
These developments in the late 1930s and 1940s are to be done briefly.
(ii) Working of provincial autonomy: Congress and other ministries.
The main features of Provincial Autonomy should be explained. A critical account of the election of 1937 and the working of the Congress ministries must be given.
(iii) National Movement during the Second World War: The outbreak of World War II and the resignation of the Congress ministries, Lahore Session of the Muslim League in 1940 and the deadlock up to the August Offer (1940). Failure of the Cripps Mission; Quit India resolution; arrest of Congress leaders; violent public reaction; Government repression of revolt of 1942.
Why the Cripps Mission was sent to India should be explained along with its proposals. Reasons for the rejection of its proposals should lead directly to the Quit India resolution. A compact account of the movement, its repression and a brief analysis of its significance is needed.
(iv) Subhash Chandra Bose and the INA.
Bose’s role in the national movement and his differences with Gandhi to be discussed. Background to the formation of the IIL and INA; Bose’s revival of the INA should be emphasized, a brief account of its operations, eventual defeat and significance.
(v) Transfer of power (1945-1947): changed attitude of British Government; the Cabinet Mission Plan proposals; Congress and League reaction; Direct Action by League; communal riots; Attlee's declaration of 1947; the Mountbatten Plan; partition and independence.
Reasons for change in the attitude of the British government after World War II -Cabinet Mission: its aims and the major provisions of its Plan. Election to the Constituent Assembly and the results. Controversy between Congress and League over the question of: (a) grouping of provinces under the terms of the Plan (b) being part of the Constituent Assembly (c) being part of the Interim Government. Muslim League’s Direct Action and communal riots. Congress and Muslim League’s decisions on these issues.
1947: Attlee’s Declaration of 20th February 1947; Mountbatten Plan – main features: acceptance of the Plan by major political parties; modifications in the Indian Independence Act. Reasons why the Congress accepted partition.
- Establishment and development of Indian democracy (1947 – 1966)
The following should be discussed:
- Origin of the Kashmir problem. The role of Sardar Patel in the reorganisation and integration of princely states with special reference to Junagarh and Hyderabad.
- The foundation of Indian Democracy: significance of the first general election
based on universal adult suffrage (1952): role of political parties, problems of preparation and their solutions, process, result and impact of the elections.
- The linguistic reorganisation of states: movement for linguistic reorganisation with particular reference to Andhra, Bombay and Punjab; redrawing of the map of India on the basis of linguistic identity.
- Challenges to Indian Democracy (1964 – 1977)
The following to be discussed:
- The role of the Syndicate: (a) In the appointment of Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1964 and Indira Gandhi in 1966 as prime minister. (b) Importance of the election of 1967: the factionalism in the Congress (Syndicate vs. Indira Gandhi) leading to its split in 1969.
- Naxal Movement: causes of its rise; areas where they operated (West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh) and the struggle carried out by peasants and students.; government measures against it; reasons for its decline in the 1970’s and its impact.
- JP Movement (1974-75): Origin: Jai Prakash Narayan’s disputes with Mrs. Gandhi; main features of its course; leadership; measures to suppress it. Assessment of its significance and impact (positive and negative features).
- Emergency (1975-76): reasons for imposition; main features of the suspension of democratic rights. Assessment of its impact (positive and negative aspects). Possible reasons for withdrawal.
- Changing face of the Indian Democracy (1977 – 1986)
(i) The Janata Government (1977 – 1979).
Restoration of democracy: formation of party and government, its programme and implementation; reasons for its downfall.
(ii) Return of Congress to power (1979 – 1986).
Centre-State relations to be studied with reference to:
(a) Punjab: separatist demands and the Centre’s response.
(b) Demands in the North-East:
- Assam’s agitation against foreigners and the Centre’s response (1947-85); main events to be done in detail.
- Nagaland’s demand for autonomy and its resolution (1947-80); main events to be done briefly.
- Mizoram Movement (1959-1986) to be touched upon.
- India’s Foreign Policy
(i) Pakistan (1948-49, 1965, 1971)
Indo-Pak wars: causes, course and consequences of each to be done separately.
(ii) Sino-Indian War
Background: Initial relations with the Peoples’ Republic of China; disputes over (a) Tibet issue: Chinese takeover and asylum of the Dalai Lama in India; (b) Border issues. Sino-Indian War (1962): immediate causes and consequences.
- Movements for Women’s Rights
A brief outline of the significance of the Towards Equality Report (1974) with regard to women’s issues.
Developments in the anti-dowry movement and struggle against domestic violence in the 1970s and 1980s.
SECTION B
WORLD HISTORY
- World War II
(i) Factors leading to the War: aggressive foreign policies of Germany, Italy and Japan.
Should be discussed in some detail, showing how these aggressive policies made war more likely and worldwide in scope.
Reasons for Japan’s alliances with Italy and Germany should be briefly explained, leading to the attack on Pearl Harbour.
(ii) Anglo-French appeasement policies.
Appeasement: why Britain and France chose to follow this policy and how it was carried out.
(iii) Course of the War: Europe, Africa and Far East.
Main theatres of the War during 1939-1945 should be done separately in chronological order; the main battles should be done in some detail: El Alamein, Stalingrad, Midway, the Normandy landings.
(iv) Reasons for the defeat of the Axis Powers.
Each of the reasons for the defeat of the Axis should be explained.
- De-colonisation – in Asia (China) and Africa (Ghana & Kenya)
(i) China: civil war and the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949; Mao Tse Tung; agrarian and industrial policy; political and economic developments; contribution of Mao.
An outline of the post-war struggle between the KMT and CCP and the victory of the Communists. The causes of Communist victory should be stated and briefly explained.
A short background of the problems facing the Communists in 1949: in agriculture, the gradual process from land distribution to collective farms should be outlined; in industry, the Five Year Plan and Soviet help.
The 100 Flowers Campaign should be covered in brief. The Great Leap Forward should be covered in more detail, particularly the development of commune and assessment of the GLF. Finally, a brief outline of the Cultural Revolution and its impact on China.
Estimate of Mao should be short and to the point.
(ii) Ghana: democracy, dictatorship and military government (1957-69).
Brief background to independence, Nkrumah’s role, reasons for his overthrow; coup of 1966.
(iii) Kenya: conflict and independence (1947 – 1969).
Background: conflict over independence and role of Kenyatta.
- Cold War 1945-91– origin, course, end and impact
(i) Origins of the Cold War: End of wartime unity; Yalta and Potsdam Conferences; Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan; Molotov Plan, COMECON and Cominform. The communist coup in Czechoslovakia (1948-49).
The main points raised at the two post-War Conferences as well as the major points of differences should be explained.
(ii) The Cold War expands: Berlin Blockade; NATO; division of Germany; “thaw” in the Cold War (1953-59) - how partial was it? Warsaw Pact; detente (1970s).
Each of the events referred to above should be done in some detail; the Cuban Missile crisis should be done in detail – the easing of tension can be done as a result of the crisis. Only the outline of the reasons for détente should be done.
(iii) Breakup of the USSR & changes in Eastern Europe – USSR, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia.
Reasons for collapse of USSR: economic failure; Gorbachev’s policies (1985): Glasnost and Perestroika.
Fall of communism in East Europe in the following countries to be touched upon: Poland, Germany and Czechoslovakia.
- Protest Movements
Anti-Apartheid Movement and Feminist Movement.
(i) Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa (1948-1994): main features of Apartheid, opposition to Apartheid (Dr Nelson Mandela’s role), transition to black majority rule and the end of Apartheid.
(ii) Second Wave Feminist Movement in USA (early 1960s – early 1980’s): reasons for its origin (the impact of the Presidential Commission, Betty Friedan’s book and the Civil Rights Movement; Equal Pay Act of 1963 – its implications for American women, successive measures taken by Johnson (Civil Rights Act of 1964), role of National Organisation for Women (NOW) and its campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Socio-cultural impact of the Movement to be mentioned briefly.
- Middle East: Israeli-Palestine conflict (1916-1993)
(i) Post War conflict in Palestine after World War I, till the formation of the state of Israel.
Aims of Arab nationalism and Zionism. Impact of World War I: the conflicting promises made by the British to the Arabs and the Jews: Husain-MacMahon correspondence, the Sykes-Picot Agreement and the Balfour Declaration. All these need to be understood clearly. A general outline of events in the British Mandate of Palestine from 1919 to the Arab Revolt of the late 1930s (the increased immigration of Jews and the resultant conflict).
The impact of World War II and the intensification of the conflict against Britain’s decision to withdraw – the UNO’s plan. Creation of Israel and the War of Liberation (a chronological account should suffice here).
(ii) The Arab-Israeli Wars from 1948 to Camp David Accord (1979).
The following conflicts should be studied – First Arab- Israeli Conflict (1948-1949), the Suez Crisis (1956), the Six Day War (1967), the Yom Kippur War (1973), Sadat and the Camp David Accord (1979). For each of these events, the causes and results should be studied in detail. Events to be covered briefly.
The origin and formation of the PLO.
(iii) Oslo Peace Accords (1993).
Intifada and the change in attitude of Israel and the PLO leading to the Oslo Peace Accords: assessment of the main features: why it failed to bring peace.
PAPER II (PROJECT WORK)
- 20 MARKS
Candidates will be required to undertake one project which may be any one of the following:
- A case study.
- A field visit/ investigation.
- A local history.
- Interview/oral evidence.
- Book review/ film review/ posters/ newspapers/ advertisements/ cartoons and art.
The project must not be based primarily on the syllabus; students must be encouraged to produce original, creative and insightful perspectives on an allied aspect of the topic.
For example, if the theme is economic development in India, the project could be on a 5-year plan. However, it would have to give the historical perspective and impact.
The written outcome of the project, in the form of a 2000-word essay, should be structured as given below:
- The research question
- Abstract: it must contain the following information:-
- Reason for choosing the topic
- Methods and material to be used in the investigation
- Hypothesis: the conclusion the student is hoping to draw.
- Main essay: it must follow the structure given below:-
- Background and context – to be discussed very briefly
- Explanation of the theme and specific issue of the research question in the context of the background given above
- Interpretation, Analysis and Critical Evaluation of a range of evidence: the research material gathered by the student
- Conclusion – whether hypothesis stands or not
- Bibliography – a list of all material referred to in the essay, including print, electronic, oral & audio-visual material, referenced correctly, in a standard format
- Appendix – optional, only if it is crucial for the better understanding of the project essay.
List of suggested Projects:
- Martin Luther King.
- The West Asian radical organisations – ideologies, methodologies, acts and impact.
- Protests Movements – a detailed study on any one – political ideologies, civil rights, women, workers, caste, environment.
- Nelson Mandela.
- Karl Marx – Wealth of Nations – Its influence on the Russian Revolution.
- Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Revolution.
- Collapse of the Russian and Chinese Communism.
- Strands in the late 20th Century - military and economic organisations.
- UN – Peacekeeping actions and Weaknesses.
- The Cultural Movement (1968).
- Trends in India’s Foreign Policy – dynamics and the changing trends.
- Theatres of World War II - changes in warfare.
Some of the suggested projects have been exemplified in greater detail below:
- Martin Luther King
- The research question – How far was Martin Luther King successful in the achievement of his aims through non-violent methods?
- Abstract: it must contain the following information:-
(i) Reason for choosing the topic – to understand the value of no-violence as an effective means of protest.
(ii) Material and methods to be used in the investigation – Materials: may include books, magazine articles (both print and electronic), Martin Luther King’s famous speech, films like Mississippi Burning. Method: reading/ viewing, taking notes for analysis, and evaluation.
(iii) Hypothesis: the conclusion the student is hoping to draw.
- Main essay: it must follow the structure given below:
- Background and context – Martin Luther King’s personal background and his involvement in the civil rights movement.
- Explanation of the theme and specific issue of the research question in the context of the background given above – the different aspects of the research question must be dealt with individually and in detail: Martin Luther King’s aims, methods used by him, how far successful.
- Interpretation, Analysis and Critical Evaluation of a range of evidence: the research material gathered by the student – the various research material may be analysed and interpreted by the student to fit his/ her hypothesis; may also include comparison of the different sources to evaluate their usefulness.
- Conclusion – whether hypothesis stands or not.
- Bibliography – a list of all material referred to in the essay, including print, electronic, oral & audio-visual material, referenced correctly, in a standard format.
- Appendix – optional, only if it is crucial for the better understanding of the project essay.
- The West Asian radical organisations – ideologies, methodologies, acts and impact.
- The research question – What methods were used in the period 1948-1979 by the PLO to achieve a homeland for Palestinians and with what effect?
- Abstract: it must contain the following information:-
(i) Reason for choosing the topic – to understand the impact of radical political organizations on the search for peace in West Asia.
(ii) Methods and material to be used in the investigation – Materials: may include books, magazine articles (both print and electronic), films like Chronicle of A Disappearance (1996). Method: reading/ viewing, taking notes for analysis, and evaluation.
(iii) Hypothesis: the conclusion the student is hoping to draw.
- Main essay: it must follow the structure given below:-
- Background and context – to be discussed very briefly: West Asia, the settlement of Jews in Israel, the question of Palestinians and the Birth of the PLO.
- Explanation of the theme and specific issue of the research question in the context of the background given above – the different aspects of the research question must be dealt with individually and in detail: the role played by the PLO, its impact, its success/ failures.
- Interpretation, Analysis and Critical Evaluation of a range of evidence: the research material gathered by the student – the various research material may be analysed and interpreted by the student to fit his/ her hypothesis; may also include comparison of the different sources to evaluate their usefulness.
- Conclusion – whether hypothesis stands or not.
- Bibliography – a list of all material referred to in the essay, including print, electronic, oral & audio-visual material, referenced correctly, in a standard format.
- Appendix – optional, only if it is crucial for the better understanding of the project essay.
- Protests Movements – a detailed study on any one - political ideologies, civil rights, women, workers, caste, environment.
- The research question – What impact did the Greenpeace movement have on the general improvement of the world environment in the 1970s and 1980s?
- Abstract: it must contain the following information:-
(i) Reason for choosing the topic – to understand the connection between global politics and environmental issues.
(ii) Methods and material to be used in the investigation – Materials: may include books, magazine articles (both print and electronic), films like Free Willy (1993) and Soylent Green (1973)
(iii) Hypothesis: the conclusion the student is hoping to draw – that people have become much more conscious of the importance of the natural environment.
- Main essay: it must follow the structure given below:-
- Background and context – How the Greenpeace movement was born and the context of world politics at that time that adversely affected the environment.
- Explanation of the theme and specific issue of the research question in the context of the background given above - the different aspects of the research question must be dealt with individually and in detail: Aims of the Greenpeace movement, its organization and structure, its activities in the 1970s and 1980s; its relationship and issues/ conflicts with national governments.
- Interpretation, Analysis and Critical Evaluation of a range of evidence: the research material gathered by the student – the various research material may be analysed and interpreted by the student to fit his/ her hypothesis; may also include comparison of the different sources to evaluate their usefulness.
- Conclusion – whether hypothesis stands or not.
- Bibliography – a list of all material referred to in the essay, including print, electronic, oral & audio-visual material, referenced correctly, in a standard format.
- Appendix – optional, only if it is crucial for the better understanding of the project essay.
Related: ICSE Full Form: What does ICSE stand for? Indian Certificate of Secondary Education
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