Topic 08: Independence Movements
Topic 8 focuses on the emergence of new states in the 19th and 20th Centuries.
You will need to cover at least two Independence movements from different regions though it is recommended that you study three to allow students to have a choice when answering comparative questions. (Note that the focus is on independence movements seeking independence from foreign powers.)
With each independence movement you must cover the prescribed content for each of the three themes below.
The three themes for this topic are:
Origins and rise of independence movements, up to the point of independence; factors that led to the rise of the independence movements
Methods used and reasons for success: Tactics used and the role of leaders in the success of the independence movements
Challenges faced in the first 10 years, and responses to the challenges: political, economic and social challenges and how effectively they were dealt with
The full details of these themes can be found on page 31 of the 2020 IB History Guide
1. Case Study: India
India's fight for independence from British rule started in the mid 19th Century and ended in 1947 when the Indian Independence Bill came into force.
2. Case study: Ghana
Ghana was the first African country south of the Sahara to achieve independence from colonial rule. It was thus a watershed movement in twentieth century Africa.
3. Case Study: Vietnam
Vietnam's independence movement developed in resistance to French colonial rule but ended up fighting against not only the French but also the Japanese during the Second World War and then the US from 1954.
4. Case Study: Kenya
Kenyan independence came about following the Mau Mau revolt - a guerrilla insurgency against British rule which ended up being one of the British Army's bloodiest post-war conflicts. Although the rising...
5. Case Study: Algeria
Algerian independence from France was achieved after a long struggle and a brutal war in 1962. The Algerian nationalist movement fought for liberation from the French government but the situation in Algeria...