Readable syllabus overview and practice questions
Cambridge International AS & A Level History 9489
Examinations 2026. Readable text and equivalent practice questions. Practice scores are not Cambridge grades.
1 · History 9489
Cambridge International AS & A Level
History 9489
Explore the topics you will study and the skills you will develop.
Examinations 2026 · Syllabus Overview
2 · How the course is organised
AS: choose one option for Papers 1 and 2. Each option has four topics; the prescribed Paper 1 topic rotates by examination year and is not used for Paper 2 in that year. A Level adds one Paper 3 topic and one Paper 4 depth study. The full option menus below are alternatives, not a compulsory combined list.
Use the syllabus for examinations 2026. Confirm your examination year and any options with your centre.
3 · AS · European option: Modern Europe, 1750–1921 · 1
Choose one AS option. For 2026, Paper 1: The Russian Revolution, 1894–1921; Paper 2: the other three topics. E1–E4 are presentation sequence labels, not Cambridge topic numbers.
E1 France, 1774–1814
Explore revolution and political change in France.
E2 The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750–1850
Investigate industrialisation and social and economic change.
4 · AS · European option: Modern Europe, 1750–1921 · 2
Choose one AS option. For 2026, Paper 1: The Russian Revolution, 1894–1921; Paper 2: the other three topics. E1–E4 are presentation sequence labels, not Cambridge topic numbers.
E3 Liberalism and nationalism in Germany, 1815–71
Explore movements and German unification.
5 · AS · European option: Modern Europe, 1750–1921
Choose one AS option. For 2026, Paper 1: The Russian Revolution, 1894–1921; Paper 2: the other three topics. E1–E4 are presentation sequence labels, not Cambridge topic numbers.
E4 The Russian Revolution, 1894–1921
Explain the causes, course and consequences of revolution.
6 · AS · American option: The history of the USA, 1820–1941 · 1
Choose one AS option. For 2026, Paper 1: Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–77; Paper 2: the other three topics. A1–A4 are presentation sequence labels, not Cambridge topic numbers.
A1 The origins of the Civil War, 1820–61
Investigate divisions and developments leading to civil war.
A2 Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–77
Explore the war and the reconstruction of the United States.
7 · AS · American option: The history of the USA, 1820–1941 · 2
Choose one AS option. For 2026, Paper 1: Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–77; Paper 2: the other three topics. A1–A4 are presentation sequence labels, not Cambridge topic numbers.
A3 The Gilded Age and Progressive Era, 1870s to 1920
Investigate economic and political change and reform.
8 · AS · American option: The history of the USA, 1820–1941
Choose one AS option. For 2026, Paper 1: Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–77; Paper 2: the other three topics. A1–A4 are presentation sequence labels, not Cambridge topic numbers.
A4 The Great Crash, The Great Depression and the New Deal policies, 1920–41
Explore crisis, depression and policy responses.
9 · AS · International option: International history, 1870–1945 · 1
Choose one AS option. For 2026, Paper 1: China and Japan, 1912–45; Paper 2: the other three topics. I1–I4 are presentation sequence labels, not Cambridge topic numbers.
I1 Empire and the emergence of world powers, 1870–1919
Explore imperial expansion and changing international power.
I2 The League of Nations and international relations in the 1920s
Investigate cooperation and conflict after the First World War.
10 · AS · International option: International history, 1870–1945 · 2
Choose one AS option. For 2026, Paper 1: China and Japan, 1912–45; Paper 2: the other three topics. I1–I4 are presentation sequence labels, not Cambridge topic numbers.
I3 The League of Nations and international relations in the 1930s
Explore challenges to collective security and peace.
11 · AS · International option: International history, 1870–1945
Choose one AS option. For 2026, Paper 1: China and Japan, 1912–45; Paper 2: the other three topics. I1–I4 are presentation sequence labels, not Cambridge topic numbers.
I4 China and Japan, 1912–45
Investigate political change and conflict in East Asia.
12 · A Level · Paper 3 — interpretations · 1
Choose one Paper 3 topic; these are the official topic labels.
Topic 1 The origins of the First World War
Evaluate interpretations of the origins of the war.
Topic 2 The Holocaust
Evaluate historical interpretations of the Holocaust.
13 · A Level · Paper 3 — interpretations · 2
Choose one Paper 3 topic; these are the official topic labels.
Topic 3 The origins and development of the Cold War
Evaluate interpretations of the origins and development of the Cold War.
14 · A Level · Paper 4 — European history in the interwar years, 1919–41 · 1
Choose one Paper 4 depth study. DS1 is a presentation label for the European option; Theme 1–4 are official labels.
DS1 Theme 1 Mussolini’s Italy, 1919–41
Investigate fascism, government and society in Italy.
DS1 Theme 2 Stalin’s Russia, 1924–41
Explore Stalin’s rule and political, economic and social change.
15 · A Level · Paper 4 — European history in the interwar years, 1919–41 · 2
Choose one Paper 4 depth study. DS1 is a presentation label for the European option; Theme 1–4 are official labels.
DS1 Theme 3 Hitler’s Germany, 1929–41
Explore Nazi rule and its policies and effects.
16 · A Level · Paper 4 — European history in the interwar years, 1919–41
Choose one Paper 4 depth study. DS1 is a presentation label for the European option; Theme 1–4 are official labels.
DS1 Theme 4 Britain, 1919–39
Investigate British political, economic and social developments.
17 · A Level · Paper 4 — The USA, 1944–92 · 1
Choose one Paper 4 depth study. DS2 is a presentation label for the American option; Theme 1–4 are official labels.
DS2 Theme 1 The late 1940s and 1950s
Investigate post-war politics, economy and society.
DS2 Theme 2 The 1960s and the 1970s
Explore reform, conflict and change in the United States.
18 · A Level · Paper 4 — The USA, 1944–92 · 2
Choose one Paper 4 depth study. DS2 is a presentation label for the American option; Theme 1–4 are official labels.
DS2 Theme 3 The 1980s and early 1990s
Investigate political and economic developments.
19 · A Level · Paper 4 — The USA, 1944–92
Choose one Paper 4 depth study. DS2 is a presentation label for the American option; Theme 1–4 are official labels.
DS2 Theme 4 Foreign policy, 1944–92
Explore US foreign policy and its effects.
20 · A Level · Paper 4 — International history, 1945–92 · 1
Choose one Paper 4 depth study. DS3 is a presentation label for the International option; Theme 1–4 are official labels.
DS3 Theme 1 US–Soviet relations during the Cold War, 1950–91
Investigate superpower relations and conflict.
DS3 Theme 2 The spread of communism in East and Southeast Asia, 1945–91
Explore communist movements and their consequences.
21 · A Level · Paper 4 — International history, 1945–92 · 2
Choose one Paper 4 depth study. DS3 is a presentation label for the International option; Theme 1–4 are official labels.
DS3 Theme 3 Decolonisation, the Cold War and the UN in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1950–92
Connect independence, international rivalry and UN involvement.
22 · A Level · Paper 4 — International history, 1945–92
Choose one Paper 4 depth study. DS3 is a presentation label for the International option; Theme 1–4 are official labels.
DS3 Theme 4 Conflict in the Middle East, 1948–91
Investigate conflicts and international involvement.
23 · Skills you will develop
Analyse sources, evaluate interpretations and build explanations supported by evidence. Confirm the prescribed Paper 1 topic for the examination year with your centre; this overview does not choose the centre’s options.
24 · Keep the syllabus beside you
– Use the official syllabus for 2026.
– Find each numbered topic or labelled option in the subject-content section.
– Use its detailed requirements to plan study and review progress.
[Open the official Cambridge syllabus](https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/697368-2026-syllabus.pdf)
The next five questions check your understanding of this topic map. They are optional practice with feedback and retries, not Cambridge grades.
Topic check 1 · Find the right area
Which AS topic concerns industrialisation in Britain?
– A2 Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–77
– E2 The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750–1850
– I2 The League of Nations and international relations in the 1920s
Show answer and feedback
Correct: E2 The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750–1850
Correct feedback: E2 The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750–1850: Investigate industrialisation and social and economic change. Review slide 03 and 04.
If A2 Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–77 is selected: A2 Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–77: Explore the war and the reconstruction of the United States. Review slide 06 and 07. The best match to this question is E2 The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750–1850.
If I2 The League of Nations and international relations in the 1920s is selected: I2 The League of Nations and international relations in the 1920s: Investigate cooperation and conflict after the First World War. Review slide 09 and 10. The best match to this question is E2 The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750–1850.
Topic check 2 · Understand the course structure
True or false: Every learner must study all three AS option menus.
Show answer and feedback
Correct: False
Correct feedback: Correct. Choose one AS option. Its prescribed Paper 1 topic rotates by examination year.
Incorrect feedback: Revisit slide 02. Choose one AS option. Its prescribed Paper 1 topic rotates by examination year.
Topic check 3 · Complete the topic title
Explain the causes, course and consequences of revolution.
Complete the missing word in this topic title: E4 The ____ Revolution, 1894–1921
Show answer and feedback
Accepted answer: Russian. Ignore case and surrounding whitespace; do not require the topic number.
Correct feedback: E4 The Russian Revolution, 1894–1921: Explain the causes, course and consequences of revolution. Review slide 05.
Incorrect feedback: Use the description to identify the topic. The missing word is “Russian”; the complete title is E4 The Russian Revolution, 1894–1921. Review slide 05.
Topic check 4 · Match topics to their focus
Match each description with its topic label. Use each label once.
Draggable labels: E1 France, 1774–1814; A1 The origins of the Civil War, 1820–61; I4 China and Japan, 1912–45
– Explore revolution and political change in France. → [drop zone]
– Investigate divisions and developments leading to civil war. → [drop zone]
– Investigate political change and conflict in East Asia. → [drop zone]
Show answer and feedback
– Row 1: E1 France, 1774–1814. Review slide 03 and 04.
– Row 2: A1 The origins of the Civil War, 1820–61. Review slide 06 and 07.
– Row 3: I4 China and Japan, 1912–45. Review slide 11.
Correct feedback: Each label now matches its study focus.
Incorrect/partial feedback: Keep correct matches and revisit the topic descriptions above; use the solution to compare each pair.
Topic check 5 · Identify the study areas
Select the two topic labels that match these descriptions:
– Explore movements and German unification.
– Investigate economic and political change and reform.
Selectable text:
E3 Liberalism and nationalism in Germany, 1815–71 / E1 France, 1774–1814 / A3 The Gilded Age and Progressive Era, 1870s to 1920 / E2 The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750–1850
Show answer and feedback
Correct labels: E3 Liberalism and nationalism in Germany, 1815–71; A3 The Gilded Age and Progressive Era, 1870s to 1920.
Incorrect labels: E1 France, 1774–1814; E2 The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750–1850.
Correct feedback: E3 Liberalism and nationalism in Germany, 1815–71: Explore movements and German unification. Review slide 03 and 04. A3 The Gilded Age and Progressive Era, 1870s to 1920: Investigate economic and political change and reform. Review slide 06 and 07.
Incorrect/partial feedback: Match the meaning of each description, not just a familiar word. E1 France, 1774–1814: Explore revolution and political change in France. Review slide 03 and 04. E2 The Industrial Revolution in Britain, 1750–1850: Investigate industrialisation and social and economic change. Review slide 03 and 04.