December Blog: Anniversary of Locarno Treaties
100th Anniversary of the Locarno Treaties
December sees the 100th year anniversary of the signing of the Locarno Treaties which is relevant for students doing Option B as they represent a key moment in the period post war era, being regarded as a high point of international reconciliation during the interwar period.
This anniversary would be a good time for students to review this topic and to discuss why they were so significant, the role of Stresseman, what the Treaties revealed about the League of Nations and why the Treaties were also flawed.
This is a nice ‘short’ YouTube video based in Locarno giving an overview of the significance of the Treaties for the anniversary.
And this is an excellent article reviewing the events surrounding the Treaty as well as its significance:
The Spirit of Locarno (The National WWII Museum | New Orleans)
The treaty that Hitler hated even more than the Treaty of Versailles and one of the most important treaties you have probably never heard of.
Rosa Parks: 70th Anniversary of Montgomery Bus Boycott
This week saw the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ historical refusal to give up a seat on a bus in the US in Montgomery. This action started the Montgomery Bus Boycott when, on Dec. 5, 1955, about 40,000 Black bus riders — representing the majority of the city’s bus commuters —boycotted the city transit system. After 381 days the Montgomery federal court ruled that any law requiring racially segregated seating on buses violated the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees all citizens—regardless of race—equal rights under state and federal laws. This set the stage for future non-violent campaigns across the country which would result in the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The US civil rights movement is not covered as part of the IGCSE History course but would be relevant for students covering Option A and the American Civil War with its legacy of segregation in the South. Howver, it is also worth discussing with all students to help them understand the fight for civil rights that has gone on over the past 70 years; and to understand the role of Rosa Parks - a key civil rights campaigner - as well as the concept of non-violent protest.
Heading into 2026
Well done to students and teachers who have just finished the November examination session - we hope you have a restful break!
For those of you heading towards the June exams, we will upload some sample Paper 2 papers to help you with the prescribed topics in the New Year.