IB History HL Notes

History

Aimnova offers free IB History HL revision notes covering the same Paper 1 prescribed subjects and Paper 2 world-history topics as SL, plus the HL-only Paper 3 regional depth study — the history of Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania, and Africa and the Middle East. Each topic includes concise explanations, timelines, case studies, historiography, spaced-repetition flashcards, and IB-style practice questions with AI feedback — no sign-up required to read the notes.

IB History studies the past through evidence, asking not only what happened but how we know, whose account we trust, and why interpretations differ. The course rewards students who argue with precise knowledge, evaluate sources rigorously, engage with historians’ debates, and reach a clear, supported judgement rather than simply narrating events.

These notes are organised by unit and topic according to the official IB syllabus, so you can revise systematically for Paper 1 (source analysis on one prescribed subject, 20%), Paper 2 (two world-history comparative essays, 25%), Paper 3 (three essays on one chosen region, 35%), and the historical investigation Internal Assessment (20%). Paper 1 technique — comprehension, OPVL value-and-limitations, compare-and-contrast, and the source-plus-knowledge mini-essay — is built in alongside the Paper 2 and Paper 3 essay markbands, so you cover both the content and the exam skills efficiently.

What's included

The five Paper 1 prescribed subjects, the Paper 2 world-history topics, and the four Paper 3 regional depth studies
Timelines, case studies, and historiography for every topic
OPVL, compare-and-contrast, and essay technique built in
Spaced-repetition flashcards for dates, terms, and case studies
IB-style practice questions with AI marking and feedback
Free to access — no account required for notes

How to use History HL notes

1Start with a unit overview. Click any unit heading to see all topics — the Paper 1 prescribed subjects and the Paper 2 world-history topics.
2Read micro-topic notes. Each topic links to detailed, exam-aligned notes with timelines, case studies, and historiography.
3Test with flashcards. Every topic has spaced-repetition flashcards to lock dates, terms, and case studies into your memory.
4Practise exam questions. Apply what you know with Paper 1 source questions and Paper 2 essay practice, and get AI feedback on your answers.

Unit 1

1.1Genghis Khan (c1200–1227)

1.2Richard I of England (1173–1199)

1.3Paper 1 source skills

Unit 2

2.1Muslim rule in Spain and the fall of Granada (1492)

2.2Conquest of Mexico and Peru (1519–1551)

2.3Paper 1 source skills (Conquest)

Unit 3

3.1Japanese expansion in East Asia (1931–1941)

3.2German and Italian expansion (1933–1940)

3.3Paper 1 source skills (Move to global war)

Unit 4

4.1US civil rights movement (1954–1965)

4.2Apartheid South Africa (1948–1964)

4.3Paper 1 source skills (Rights and protest)

Unit 5

5.1Rwanda (1990–1998)

5.2Kosovo (1989–2002)

5.3Paper 1 source skills (Conflict and intervention)

Unit 6

6.1Social structures and governance

6.2The medieval economy

6.3Crisis and change (c1300–1400)

6.4Case studies: society and economy across regions

Unit 7

7.1Causes of medieval wars

7.2The nature and practice of medieval warfare

7.3Effects of medieval wars

Unit 8

8.1A framework for dynasties and rulers

8.2Case study 1 — the Abbasid Caliphate (Middle East)

8.3Case study 2 — Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire (Africa)

8.4Law, governance and administration

Unit 9

9.1A framework for societies in transition

9.2Case study 1 — Renaissance and Reformation Europe (Europe)

9.3Case study 2 — Tokugawa Japan (Asia and Oceania)

9.4Regional case studies

Unit 10

10.1A framework for Early Modern states

10.2Case study 1 — France under Louis XIV (Europe)

10.3Case study 2 — the Ottoman Empire under Suleiman the Magnificent (Middle East)

10.4Colonial and overseas empires

Unit 11

11.1Causes of conflicts

11.2Practices and impact on outcome

11.3Effects of conflicts

Unit 12

12.1Origins and causes of industrialization

12.2Development of industrialization

12.3Impact of industrialization

12.4Case studies: industrialisers

Unit 13

13.1Origins and rise of independence movements

13.2Methods and the achievement of independence

13.3Challenges after independence

Unit 14

14.1Emergence of democratic states

14.2Development of democratic states

14.3The struggle for rights and equality

Unit 15

15.1Emergence of authoritarian states

15.2Consolidation and maintenance of power

15.3Aims and results of policies

15.4Case studies

Unit 16

16.1Causes of war

16.2Practices of war and their impact on outcome

16.3Effects of war

16.4Non-European wars case bank

Unit 17

17.1Rivalry, mistrust and accord

17.2Leaders and nations

17.3Cold War crises

Unit 18

18.1Monarchies in England and France (1066–1223)

18.2Muslims and Jews in medieval Europe (1095–1492)

18.3Late medieval political crises (1300–1487)

18.4The Renaissance (c1400–1600)

18.5The Age of Exploration and its impact (1400–1550)

18.6Aspects of the Reformation (c1500–1563)

18.7Absolutism and Enlightenment (1650–1800)

18.8The French Revolution and Napoleon I (1774–1815)

18.9France (1815–1914)

18.10Society, politics and economy in Britain and Ireland (1815–1914)

18.11Italy (1815–1871) and Germany (1815–1890)

18.12Imperial Russia, revolution and the establishment of the Soviet Union (1855–1924)

18.13Europe and the First World War (1871–1918)

18.14Inter-war domestic developments in European states (1918–1939)

18.15Diplomacy in Europe (1919–1945)

18.16The Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia (1924–2000)

18.17Post-war western and northern Europe (1945–2000)

18.18Post-war central and eastern Europe (1945–2000)

Unit 19

19.1Indigenous societies and cultures in the Americas (c750–1500)

19.2European explorations and conquests in the Americas (c1492–c1600)

19.3Colonial government in the New World (1500–1800)

19.4Religion in the New World (1500–1800)

19.5Slavery and the New World (1500–1800)

19.6Independence movements (1763–1830)

19.7Nation-building and challenges (c1780–c1870)

19.8US Civil War: causes, course and effects (1840–1877)

19.9The development of modern nations (1865–1929)

19.10Emergence of the Americas in global affairs (1880–1929)

19.11The Mexican Revolution (1884–1940)

19.12The Great Depression and the Americas (mid 1920s–1939)

19.13The Second World War and the Americas (1933–1945)

19.14Political developments in Latin America (1945–1980)

19.15Political developments in the United States (1945–1980) and Canada (1945–1982)

19.16The Cold War and the Americas (1945–1981)

19.17Civil rights and social movements in the Americas post-1945

19.18The Americas (1980–2005)

Unit 20

20.1Trade and exchange: The Silk Road in the medieval world (750–1500)

20.2Japan in the Age of the Samurai (1180–1333)

20.3Exploration, trade and interaction in East Asia and South-East Asia (1405–1700)

20.4The rise and fall of the Mughal Empire (1526–1712)

20.5Colonialism and the development of nationalism in South-East Asia (c1750–1914)

20.6India, Afghanistan and Burma (1750–1919)

20.7Challenges to traditional East Asian societies (1700–1868)

20.8British colonialism and emerging national identities in Oceania (1788-1919)

20.9Early modernization and imperial decline in East Asia (1860–1912)

20.10Nationalism and independence in India (1919–1964)

20.11Japan (1912–1990)

20.12China and Korea (1910–1950)

20.13Impact of the Second World War on South-East Asia

20.14The People's Republic of China (1949–2005)

20.15Cold War conflicts in Asia

20.16Developments and challenges in South Asia after 1947

20.17Developments in Oceania after the Second World War (1945–2005)

20.18Social, cultural and economic developments in Asia (excluding China, Japan and India) (1980–2005)

Unit 21

21.1The 'Abbasid dynasty (750–1258)

21.2The Fatimids (909–1171)

21.3The Crusades (1095–1291)

21.4The Ottomans (1281–1566)

21.5Trade and the rise and decline of African states and empires (800–1600)

21.6Pre-colonial African states (1800–1900)

21.7The slave trade in Africa and the Middle East (1500-1900)

21.8European imperialism and the partition of Africa (1850–1900)

21.9Response to European imperialism (1870–1920)

21.10Africa under colonialism (1890–1980)

21.1120th-century nationalist and independence movements in Africa

21.12The Ottoman Empire (c1800–1923)

21.13War and change in the Middle East and North Africa 1914–1945

21.14Africa, international organizations and the international community (20th century)

21.15Developments in South Africa 1880–1994

21.16Social and cultural developments in Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries

21.17Post-war developments in the Middle East (1945–2000)

21.18Post-independence politics in Africa to 2005

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