Screen legends Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe, boxer Muhammad Ali, rock singer John Lennon and broadcaster Gay Byrne are among "key personalities" of the 20th century to be studied by students in the new Leaving Certificate history syllabus.
Their inclusion is part of a major attempt to broaden and modernise the syllabus which is unchanged for many years. Historians hope it will reignite interest in the subject following a sharp decline in the numbers doing it at Leaving Cert level.
Last year the chief examiner in the subject said there was a perception it was harder than others, and this year almost 25 per cent of ordinary level students failed.
Many historians believe the modernisation and broader appeal of the new syllabus may deal with these difficulties.
While a large portion of the new syllabus still revolves around the political history of Ireland and Britain, significant attention is also given to feminism, religion, the mass media, science, globalisation and cultural diversity.
For the first time, the Irish Diaspora becomes a topic on its own in the modern Ireland section. This deals with anti-Irish sentiment in the US and Britain and also the role of the church and the GAA in "sustaining a sense of Irishness".
It also looks at the creation of Irish images through film and music and among key personalities identified is actress Maureen O'Hara.
In the section on the Republic of Ireland between 1949 and 1989, the "key personalities" identified include broadcaster Gay Byrne, former Archbishop of Dublin Dr John Charles McQuaid, and former president Mrs Mary Robinson. Also to be studied is the impact of RTE between 1962 and 1972.
The section on Northern Ireland runs from 1949 to 1992 and consequently does not deal with the first IRA ceasefire or the Belfast Agreement. Among the figures students are advised to study are Gerry Adams, Seamus Heaney, the Rev Ian Paisley and John Hume.
In a section on culture and religion, the Apprentice Boys of Derry are used as a case study.
A change in assessment is also included in the syllabus. Some 80 per cent of marks will now be for the written examination with the rest for the preparation of a "research study" where students focus on one subject in detail.
This study is prepared during the year and marked by examiners from the Department of Education. In line with the moves towards modernising the subject, students are permitted to use material from the Internet, although they have to cite the Internet address where they obtained it.
In addition, in the written exam students will be asked to answer a question based on a "documents-based study" they carried out using historical source material.
The old syllabus simply required higher-level students to prepare a "special topic" which did not necessarily involve using primary source material.