History is just memorising facts and dates, isn't it?

No, absolutely not, especially not in IB. IB History is almost a debate class - they present you with a historical event and you need to make an argument for or against something. The way you write and the quality of the argument will make up the majority of your points. A historian wants you to be convinced that this specific argument about history is the way it should be interpreted, not the way another historian presents it. Think about it this way: History is written by the victors, but what did the losers have to say? Facts only help support your argument, e.g. show that what you are trying to argue is not just random gibberish, but factually supported policy. If you only memorise facts and dates, you will not do well in your history exams. We will take a look at mark schemes to show you how facts and arguments combine to form quality answers.