The Irish History Junior Certificate Examination is an achievement test on world history that is offered to students in Ireland.
It is one of a suite of Junior Certificate Examinations the country uses to assess students. It has two difficulty levels, Higher and Ordinary. This subject is not required at a national level. However, many schools make it compulsory. Most students choose to complete the Higher Level exam.
Ordinary level
The Ordinary Level exam lasts 90 minutes. It includes four questions. The maximum score is 180.
| Number | Type | Mark | Recommended time to spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Sources: Pictures | 35 marks | 15 minutes |
| Question 2 | Sources: Documents | 35 marks | 15 minutes |
| Question 3 | Short Questions | 60 marks | 20 minutes |
| Question 4 | People in History | 50 marks | 30 minutes |
Higher level
The exam lasts 150 minutes. It includes six questions. The maximum score is 270.
| Number | Type | Mark | Recommended time to spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Picture Questions | 35 marks | 10 minutes |
| Question 2 | Document Questions | 35 marks | 10 minutes |
| Question 3 | Short Questions | 60 marks | 20 minutes |
| Question 4 | People in History | 50 marks | 25 minutes |
| Question 5 | Long Document Question | 30 marks | 15 minutes |
| Question 6 | One of four options (see below) | 60 marks | 20 minutes |
Questions 1, 2 and 5 are mandatory. Only 10 of the 20 sub-questions in Question 3 are required. Question 4 includes two sections. One sub-question from each section must be answered. In Question 6, only two of four possible sub-questions need to be completed. The four sub-question topics are:
- Question A: Unknown until exam
- Question B: Social Life
- Question C: Political History
- Question D: World War I & World War II
Topics
Topics include:
- Historians, Archaeologists, Sources
- Ancient Rome
- Ancient Ireland
- Early Christian Ireland
- The Middle Ages/Medieval times
- Monks and Friars
- The Renaissance
- Exploration and Discovery
- The Reformation
- Plantations in Ireland
- The American Revolution: 1775-1881
- The French Revolution: 1789-1799
- The Revolution in Ireland:1798
- The Agricultural Revolution
- The Industrial Revolution
- The Transport Revolution
- Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century
- The Home Rule Crisis in Ireland:1910-1914
- The Easter Rising and After:1916-1918
- War of independence and Civil War:1919-1923
- Cumann nan Gaedheal in power:1923-1932
- Fianna Fáil in Government:1932-1948
- The Inter-Party Government:1948-1951
- From 1950 onward (Different Governments)
- Northern Ireland:1920-2000
- Dictatorship (knowledge of characteristics)
- Fascist Italy
- The Nazis take power in Germany
- Hitler's Five Steps to War
- World War II:1939-1945
- The Super-powers & the Cold War:1945-1991
- Social Changes in 20th Century Ireland