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Cambridge O Level World History

World History for Cambridge O Level (syllabus 2147) — what the qualification covers, and the study material Marlbridge publishes for it.

Syllabus
2147
Board
Cambridge
Qualification
O Level

At a glance

Qualification
Cambridge O Level World History
Spec code
2147
Does Marlbridge teach it?
Yes
Are resources available?
Yes — 9 published
Is enrolment open?
Enquire to join — no online enrolment yet
Where was this verified?
2026-08-19, official Cambridge specification

Compiled and maintained by the Marlbridge Academic Team, checked against the official Cambridge specification on 2026-08-19.

Spotted something wrong on this page? Report an error — see the corrections policy.

The qualification

Cambridge O Level History (2147)

Cambridge O Level History looks at some of the major international issues of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as covering the history of particular regions in more depth. — Cambridge, official syllabus page

Independently confirmed against 2147’s own specification PDF: identical Core content options (A: nineteenth-century nation states; B: twentieth-century international relations) and identical five named Depth studies (A-E) to Cambridge IGCSE History (0470). Assessed via Paper 1 (Structured Questions, drawing on Core content and one Depth study) and Paper 2 (Document Questions, based on one Depth study) — no coursework or Paper 4 alternative at this level.

Specifications change between examination series. Always confirm the current syllabus and assessment structure on the Cambridge syllabus page for your examination year.

Assessment structure

Linear qualification

Assessment components for Cambridge World History 2147
Component Duration Marks Weighting Type
Paper 1: Structured Questions 2h 60 55% Written exam
Paper 2: Document Questions 1h 45m 40 45% Written exam

Source: official Cambridge specification, verified 2026-08-27. Directly confirmed against the official PDF (Assessment overview, p.9): Paper 1 Structured Questions (2h, 60 marks, 55%, two Core-content questions plus one Depth-study question) and Paper 2 Document Questions (1h45, 40 marks, 45%), both externally assessed. No coursework option at O Level, unlike the IGCSE variant (0470) -- structurally simpler, two compulsory papers only, and a different weighting split (55/45 rather than 40/30/30). A later 2027-2028 edition (721455) has also been published, not modeled here. Examination-series window 2024-2026 (June and November series); no separate first-teaching date published.

Assessment FAQs

How is Cambridge World History (2147) assessed?

Cambridge World History (2147) is assessed through: Paper 1 (Structured Questions) — 2h, 60 marks, 55% of the qualification; Paper 2 (Document Questions) — 1h 45m, 40 marks, 45% of the qualification. It is a linear qualification. Source: official Cambridge specification, verified 2026-08-27.

The subject

World History teaching and study resources, organised by level and topic.

All World History at Marlbridge

Syllabus topics

The 3 topics below are the official subject content of Cambridge O Level History (2147), for the 2024-2026 examination series, reproduced from the Cambridge syllabus document.

A topic listed here is part of the syllabus. It does not mean Marlbridge has published material for it — topics with resources are marked. Marlbridge currently has resources for 3 of 3 topics.

  1. 1 Core Content – Option A: The Nineteenth Century, 1848–1914

    3 Marlbridge resources

    Were the Revolutions of 1848 Important? · How Was Italy Unified? · How Was Germany Unified? · Why Was There a Civil War in the United States and What Were Its Results? · Why, and With What Effects, Did Nations Gain and Expand Their Overseas Empires? · What Caused the First World War?

  2. 2 Core Content – Option B: The Twentieth Century, 1919–1989

    3 Marlbridge resources

    Was the Treaty of Versailles Fair? · To What Extent Was the League of Nations a Success? · How Far Was Hitler’s Foreign Policy to Blame for the Outbreak of War in 1939? · Who Was to Blame for the Cold War? · How Effectively Did the United States Contain the Spread of Communism? · How Secure Was the USSR’s Control Over Eastern Europe, 1948–c.1989?

  3. 3 Depth Studies

    3 Marlbridge resources

    Depth Study A: The First World War, 1914–18 · Depth Study B: Germany, 1918–45 · Depth Study C: Russia, 1905–41 · Depth Study D: The United States, 1919–41 · Depth Study E: The Second World War in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, 1939–c.1945

Source: Cambridge Assessment International Education — official syllabus PDF — 2024-2026 series. Verified 2026-08-19. Always check the current syllabus for your examination year.

Study resources

Revision material

Exam preparation

World History at other qualifications

These are separate qualifications with different syllabuses and assessments — not different names for the same course. Check which one your school enters you for.

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