History

The study of History endows its students with empathy, tolerance, critical thinking and cultural awareness; arguably some of the most desirable qualities for a 21st Century thinker. As the world becomes saturated with information, the need to filter for quality and accurate information increases. History students have the skills to weigh up validity, consider bias, know where to find accurate information, and to question the world they live in.

Historians at Cashmere will cover a range of topics from the Reformation of the Catholic Church in the 16th Century, to Captain Cook’s Arrival in NZ, to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and the Cambodian Genocide in the 20th Century. From Year 11, students gain a range of skills such as examining historical events from different perspectives, writing with concision and clarity regarding the causes and consequences of events and interpreting historical sources to form sound arguments and evidence-based opinions. On the 12th of September 2019, the Government announced that the teaching of New Zealand History will be compulsory at all schools in NZ.

At Cashmere, we see this as a vital skill of any New Zealand historian, and indeed any New Zealander. We know that NZ is unique in this regard, and recognise that this will become a real asset to New Zealand learners in their own country and around the world in the coming years.