In 2008, the Eric Williams Memorial Collection joined with CXC to offer an award in the memory of the late Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and Historian, Dr Eric Williams. The award is for the most outstanding candidate in CAPE History.
The first recipient of the award was Yanque Amoy Henry of the Hampton School in Jamaica.

1. Overview of the CAPE History syllabus

The CAPE History syllabus is a two-Unit subject which is designed to enable candidates to develop the skills of a historian and to prepare them for participation in the life of their community.

The syllabus emphasizes the historical experiences of the peoples of the Caribbean in the context of the Atlantic region. It takes account of the diverse roles played by indigenous peoples, Africans, Europeans, Asians and other nineteenth century immigrants, and the contributions of persons of both genders to the development of Caribbean societies.

CAPE History offerings comprise two Units as follows:

Unit 1: The Caribbean in the Atlantic World

Module 1: Indigenous Societies

Module 2: Slave Systems: Character and Dismantlement

Module 3: Freedom in Action



Unit 2: The Atlantic World and Global Transformations

Module 1: Atlantic World: Interactions

Module 2: Atlantic Development: Identity and Industry

Module 3: International Relations: Conflict and Liberation

Each Unit of the syllabus is assessed separately. For each Unit, candidates are required to write two externally-assessed examination papers which contribute eighty percent to their overall grade.

Candidates are also required to conduct research on a topic of historical interest and submit a written research paper for the Internal Assessment component of the examination. The research paper is marked by the teacher and moderated by CXC.

Candidates at the CAPE Proficiency are graded on a seven-point scale from Grade I to Grade VII in which Grades I to VII denote performance on a continuum from excellence at Grade I to unsatisfactory performance at Grade VII. Candidates’ performance is reported by an overall numerical grade for the Unit and a letter grade on each Module (A to G).

2. Eligibility and Ranking Criteria for Award for Outstanding Performance

Part 1: Eligibility criteria

In order to be eligible for this award, a candidate must attain Grade I in

CAPE History Unit 1 AND CAPE History Unit 2.

If a candidate has written any of the Units on more than one occasion, the repeated Unit with the higher grade will be used in the ranking.

Part 2: Ranking criteria

Ranking of candidates who meet the criteria in Part I above would be based on the Ranking criterion (a) listed below. If a tie-breaker is required, then Ranking criterion (b) will be considered.

(a) Module performance: The best performance over the six Modules in the two selected History Units (Grade A - 7 points; Grade G - 1 point).

(b) Average T-score: The highest average T-score over the two History Units selected.