Year 9 - History
Jewish life in Europe before WW2
The Holocaust: what was the Holocaust?
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils investigate what the Holocaust was. They place this significant event in context, examine Jewish life in Europe before WW2 and analyse Nazi persecution of the Jewish people. They also reflect on Jewish resistance and the role of various perpetrators in this event.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain the diversity of Europe's Jewish population by the 1930s.
Key Notes
- Jewish communities had existed in Europe since the Classical age.
- Most European Jews lived in Central and Eastern Europe.
- Levels of assimilation differed across Jewish communities.
- Factors other than religion, including family, age and wealth, also had a significant influence on Jewish lives.
Vocabulary To Learn
- persecution: to treat someone unfairly or cruelly because of their race, religion or beliefs
- pogrom: an act of organised cruel behaviour or killing that is done to a large group because of their race or religion
- emancipation: to give people more freedom or rights by removing social, legal or political controls that limit them
- assimilate: to become part of a group, country or society
- Mosaic faith: an alternative way of referring to Judaism
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Shared Jewish heritage meant that all European Jews lived similar lives.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Jewish communities had existed in Europe since the Classical age. Most European Jews lived in Central and Eastern Europe.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'persecution'
to treat someone unfairly or cruelly because of their race, religion or beliefs.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Shared Jewish heritage meant that all European Jews lived similar lives. Correction: Jews made individuals choices and were affected by factors such as wealth which led to the Jewish population living many different types of lives.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 9 History guide library.