The study of VCE History assists students to understand themselves, others and their world, and broadens their perspective by examining people, groups, events, ideas and movements. Through studying VCE History, students develop social, political, economic and cultural understanding. They also explore continuity and change: the world is not as it has always been, and it will be subject to change in the future. In this sense, history is relevant to contemporary issues. It fosters an understanding of human agency and informs decision making in the present.

The study of history fosters the ability to ask searching questions, to engage in independent research, and to construct arguments about the past based on evidence. Historical comprehension enables a source to be understood in relation to its context; that is, students make links between the source and the world in which it was produced.

We can never know the whole past. Historical knowledge rests on the interpretation of sources that are used as evidence. Furthermore, judgments of historical significance made by historians are central to the discipline. Historians do not always agree about the meaning that is taken from the past: historical interpretations are often subject to academic and public debate. The study of history equips students to take an informed position on such matters, helping them develop as individuals and citizens.

Aims

This study enables students to:

develop an understanding of the nature of history as a discipline and to engage in historical inquiry
ask questions about the past, analyse primary and secondary sources, and construct historical arguments based on evidence
use historical thinking concepts such as significance, evidence, continuity and change, and causation
explore a range of people, places, ideas and periods to develop a broad understanding of the past
engage with debates between historians in an informed, critical and effective manner
recognise that the way in which we understand the past informs decision-making in the

present
appreciate that the world in which we live has not always been as it is now, and that it will

continue to change in the future.