South Africa Grade 11 History Syllabus - Course Entries

Topic 1: Communism in Russia (1900-1940)

Communism, a social, economic, and political ideology aiming to establish a communist society with collective ownership of the means of production, was a key focus. This section explores the writings of Karl Marx, providing background on his theories. Lenin's economic policy of War Communism and Stalin's political and economic policies are also examined.

Key figures like Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Soviet Union and leader of the Bolshevik party, are discussed. The implementation of communism in Russia under Lenin and Stalin is also covered.

Topic 2: Capitalism in the USA (1900-1940)

This section examines American capitalism as an ideological and policy framework. The rise of capitalism during the Industrial Revolution in England during the late 18th century is explored, along with its development and impact in the USA during the specified period.

The Great Depression and its impact on the USA, leading to a crisis of capitalism, are also studied. Roosevelt and the New Deal are examined in this context. The social stratification resulting from capitalism, with the wealthy/rich class, middle/working class, and the poor class, is also discussed.

Topic 3: Ideas of Race in the late 19th and 20th Centuries

This section delves into the ideas of race during this period, which underpinned various discourses and practices. The consequences of these pseudoscientific ideas of race becoming integral to government policies are explored through case studies.

Charles Darwin's ideas and their influence on the development of race theories are also examined.

Topic 4: Nationalisms - South Africa, the Middle East and Africa

This section examines the emergence of various nationalisms across the colonial world, provoked by European empires through colonization. The impact of colonization, rooted in the Industrial Revolution's economic prosperity, on the foundations of nationalism in Africa is discussed.

The rise of African nationalism in South Africa during the early 1900s as a response to discrimination and segregation against Black people is explored. The rise of Afrikaner nationalism is also covered.