Try Tim Wright’s creative approach to the analysis of written sources with your students, and see their understanding of the English Civil War blossom...
Pupils will be familiar with the idea of civil war from the news. However, it can be hard to equate those images with the more distant English Civil War, with its jaunty tales of dashing Cavaliers clashing with dour Roundheads.
Yet it was, of course, a traumatic time for the British Isles. This activity tries to bring the realities of the English Civil War to life.
It was a war of skirmishes, sackings and sieges as much as the famous set-piece battles. By looking at a range of sources in one lesson, pupils can begin to develop this ‘big picture’ understanding of the English Civil War.
Pictures and film clips are invaluable in bringing history to life. However, we would be doing our pupils a disservice if we did not try to encourage them to see how written sources can be even more revealing, shocking and dramatic.
The sources can be adapted to make them appropriately challenging to different students. There is plenty of scope to be flexible with the focus of the lesson and the questions you ask of them.
Why teach this?
How do you get pupils to read sources carefully? Analysing written sources of evidence effectively is a key historical skill. However, it does require pupils to engage with the detail and nuance of a source.
This activity encourages them to use their artistic skills and historical imagination to focus more intently on written sources.
English Civil War starter activity
Start by putting the William F. Yeames’ picture ‘And when did you last see your father?’ up onto the screen. Ask students to come up with a caption or title.
This can be used to introduce the idea of how the impact of war extends beyond the battlefield. It can also set them up for drawing their own picture by reflecting on the power of images. The picture also offers scope for teasing out prior knowledge of the English Civil War.
Tim Wright is head of history at All Saints Catholic School, Dagenham.
