Access to History for the IB Diploma: The Americas during the Cold War (1945 - 1991) (NYP May 2026)

Access to History for the IB Diploma: The Americas During the Cold War (1945–1991)

Fully updated for first assessment in 2028

Access to History for the IB Diploma: The Americas During the Cold War (1945–1991) provides authoritative, engaging, and curriculum-aligned coverage of the political, economic, and ideological forces that shaped the Americas in the Cold War era. Revised for the updated IB DP History curriculum (first teaching 2026), this edition helps students develop a deep understanding of the region’s complex involvement in global tensions, superpower rivalry, and internal struggles for stability and reform.

Written by expert historians and IB educators, this volume blends clear narrative, diverse perspectives, and rigorous skill-building activities to prepare students for the analytical and comparative demands of the 2028 IB History assessments.

Key Features

Comprehensive analysis of the Cold War in the Americas

Students explore major developments across North, Central, and South America, including:

• U.S. containment policies and intervention

• The Cuban Revolution and Cuba’s Cold War foreign policy

• Military dictatorships and anti-communist movements in Latin America

• Social, economic, and political impacts across the region

• The shifting balance of power and the path toward democratization

This broad coverage supports strong comparative understanding across multiple countries.

Mapped to the 2026 IB History curriculum updates

The book integrates the IB’s four required historical concepts throughout:

• Cause and consequence

• Continuity and change

• Perspectives

• Significance

These concepts guide students as they analyze regional dynamics and global relationships essential for Paper 2, Paper 3 (The Americas), and the Internal Assessment.

Clear, engaging narrative from expert authors

Complex ideological conflicts and geopolitical strategies are explained with clarity, helping students understand the motivations of governments, revolutionary movements, and global actors across the period.

Rich source material and inquiry-driven skill development

Primary and secondary sources immerse students in key debates and perspectives from across the Americas. Skills-based activities strengthen:

• Source analysis and contextualization

• Comparative and evaluative writing

• Argument construction

• Evidence synthesis

• Critical interpretation of Cold War historiography

Integrated TOK and ATL support

Theory of Knowledge prompts encourage students to explore questions about ideology, propaganda, evidence reliability, and the nature of historical interpretation. ATL tasks build research, communication, and higher-order thinking skills aligned with IB expectations.

Assessment support for the 2028 IB History exams

To ensure strong preparation, the book includes:

• Exam-style questions for Paper 2 and Paper 3

• Annotated sample responses

• Revision summaries

• Study-skills guidance aligned with the updated assessment criteria

Why This Book Is Ideal for IB DP History Students

• Fully aligned to the new IB DP History curriculum model

• Supports HL regional study (The Americas) and deepens SL thematic understanding

• Offers diverse national perspectives on Cold War involvement

• Builds the conceptual and analytical skills needed for top-level exam performance

• Suitable for classroom use, revision, and independent study

A Trusted and Essential Resource for IB History Classrooms

Access to History for the IB Diploma: The Americas During the Cold War (1945–1991) continues the series’ tradition of providing clear, rigorous, and student-friendly historical analysis. It equips learners with the depth of knowledge and historical thinking skills needed to understand the Cold War’s profound influence on the Americas—and to excel in the 2028 IB History assessments.