This is an introduction to working with original documents. The workshop aims to help students understand about the different types of sources that can be used to find out about the past, and learn how to use them as evidence for investigating the past. It is designed to build on work students have done at key stage 2, and prepare them for working with sources at key stage 3.
KS3 Unit 2: How did medieval monarchs keep control?
This gallery considers who was responsible for crime prevention in Medieval England through two case studies on crime prevention by the community and by Justices of the Peace. Click on 'Game' to play: Catch the Robber.
This gallery considers what were the purposes of punishments given by the courts in the Middle Ages through two case studies on medieval punishments and capital punishment.
This is an investigation of an extract from the Domesday book with a translation and background information. There are also suggested tasks and an online quiz
This exhibition is based around six online activities:
What was life like at the court of Henry VIII?
How did Tudor people have fun?
Was there freedom of religion in Tudor England?
What can you find out about Tudor life?
What countries did England trade with in Tudor times?
Joust!
To answer these questions and complete the activities, pupils must examine documents and objects from the Tudor period. In addition, there are supporting materials and suggestions for further activities - both online and in the classroom.
The Tudors has been created for key stage 2 pupils, but there is material here that could be used at key stage 3 (for example, a timeline on religious change in the period or an activity based around the portrait of Anne of Cleves).
To view the animation and see the objects in 3D, you will need Flash (free software that comes with most web browsers - for more information, see The Tudors help page). However, the resources are also available in a printable format.
Want to be a knight in shining armour riding into combat on your trusty steed? Choose your horse, select your armour and try your skills against 4 jousting champions from the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Plus find out about your opponents and get tips on the equipment from the information pages.
Sources used: animation
KS3 Unit 7: Images of an age: what can we learn from portraits 1500-1750?
This exhibition is based around six online activities:
What was life like at the court of Henry VIII?
How did Tudor people have fun?
Was there freedom of religion in Tudor England?
What can you find out about Tudor life?
What countries did England trade with in Tudor times?
Joust!
To answer these questions and complete the activities, pupils must examine documents and objects from the Tudor period. In addition, there are supporting materials and suggestions for further activities - both online and in the classroom.
The Tudors has been created for key stage 2 pupils, but there is material here that could be used at key stage 3 (for example, a timeline on religious change in the period or an activity based around the portrait of Anne of Cleves).
To view the animation and see the objects in 3D, you will need Flash (free software that comes with most web browsers - for more information, see The Tudors help page). However, the resources are also available in a printable format.
Want to be a knight in shining armour riding into combat on your trusty steed? Choose your horse, select your armour and try your skills against 4 jousting champions from the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Plus find out about your opponents and get tips on the equipment from the information pages.
Sources used: animation
KS3 Unit 8: The civil wars, was England 'turned upside down' in the seventeenth century?
The seventeenth century was an extraordinary time for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Find out more about the civil wars and the people who lived through them - in their own words. There are six galleries in this exhibition:
Sensational sources
What kind of king was Charles I?
Why did people go to war in 1642?
Why did people want the king back in 1646?
Why did Britain become a republic?
What kind of ruler was Oliver Cromwell?
In each gallery you will find case studies with sources and questions to help you investigate the material. To help, there is a glossary and background material on key people and events. There are also report writing activities and worksheets and a video reconstruction of civil war people. In order to help students face the challenge of 17th century language and expression, all sources have an audio version, transcripts and simplified transcripts. Key stage 5 students studying this topic will be able to make use of these original documents.
The aim of this videoconference workshop is for students to develop their understanding of the causes of the English Civil Wars through engaging in a debate with actors in role as Puritan Adam Wright and Royalist Bishop Richard Hyde. It is also an opportunity to consider how useful this type of historical interpretation is as a piece of evidence, is it pure entertainment or has it more value?
What was it like living in late 19th century Trimdon Grange (County Durham in the North of England)? This snapshot combines photos, maps and a census return.
Inspired by the life of a Victorian child prisoner, Prisoner 4099 was created in partnership with teachers, youth workers and young people from Worcester. It includes a radio play produced by students as well as numerous documents and images to allow other groups to create their own responses. The project has cross-curricular links to Citizenship and English.
This gallery is about the agricultural labourers and how they tried to protect their jobs in the 1830s. There are seven sources to investigate and a gallery worksheet.
This provides information about the census. It also shows how the census can be used to study local history. There is an activity based on a page of a census return that can be investigated by clicking on each of the columns. There are also two quizzes and an interactive investigation using material from the 1891 census.
Moving Here explores, records and illustrates why people came to England over the last 200 years and what their experiences were and continue to be. It includes an online archive of original material related to migration history from local, regional and national archives, libraries and museums and gives visitors to the site the opportunity to publish stories of their own experience of migration. The site features numerous resources designed specifically for schools.
This gallery looks at why the British became empire builders. There are four case studies on the development of the British Empire in the following regions: North America; Africa; India; Australia.
Focus On Film is a jointly funded project by The National Archives and the South East Grid for Learning. This site presents film as a historical source and considers its advantages and disadvantages as evidence for the past.
Introduction: This article outlines with film clips, some of the issues relating to film as evidence.
Activities: These investigate different aspects of film evidence with clips. The activities can be accessed either for individual use on a pc or for whole-class teaching using an interactive whiteboard.
Film Archive: The archive contains a range of original footage from the twentieth century as well as some reconstructions of earlier periods of history. All clips have full background information and can either be viewed online or downloaded for free.
Editor′s Room: You can understand the power of the film editor by working with our film archive and online editing tool.
Sources used: film, typed document, photo, hand written document
KS3 Unit 15: Black Peoples of America: from slavery to equality
This gallery looks at how should we remember the British Empire. The first case study looks at how the British viewed their empire. The next four case studies look at North America, Africa, India and Australia. There is also a case study on migration that considers people who moved to other parts of the empire. In addition to all the usual gallery activities, there is an opportunity to create your own online exhibition.
What happened at Little Rock Central High School? What were the results of the civil rights campaign in Birmingham? What was the March on Washington? How did people view Martin Luther King after his death? There are two activities on the following: the March on Washington and Martin Luther King's contribution to civil rights.
This gallery considers why the government changed the political system in 1832. There are 3 sources to investigate and a role-play activity on 'was reform needed', plus a gallery worksheet.
This gallery contains a collection of five sources, a gallery worksheet on the suffragette movement and a link to our exhibition on Britain 1906-1918 where pupils can look at additional sources.
Who should have pride of place in the women´s suffrage hall of fame? There are four case studies on: militants; moderates; suffragist and suffragette; women, work and war.
The aim of this videoconference workshop is for students to develop their understanding of the type of women who became Suffragettes and how the WSPU used militancy to promote their cause.
Sources used: Newspapers, typed document
KS3 Unit 17: Divided Ireland: why has it been so hard to achieve peace in Ireland?
This gallery looks at what factors caused the end of the empire. There are four case studies on the end of the British rule in these regions: the Dominions; Ghana (West Africa); India; Ireland.
Focus On Film is a jointly funded project by The National Archives and the South East Grid for Learning. This site presents film as a historical source and considers its advantages and disadvantages as evidence for the past.
Introduction: This article outlines with film clips, some of the issues relating to film as evidence.
Activities: These investigate different aspects of film evidence with clips. The activities can be accessed either for individual use on a pc or for whole-class teaching using an interactive whiteboard.
Film Archive: The archive contains a range of original footage from the twentieth century as well as some reconstructions of earlier periods of history. All clips have full background information and can either be viewed online or downloaded for free.
Editor′s Room: You can understand the power of the film editor by working with our film archive and online editing tool.
Sources used: film, typed document, photo, hand written document
What can you tell from this record? This snapshot focuses on Donald Campbell, a young Scottish man who joined the army in 1903. Find out what happened to him.
The aim of this videoconference workshop is for students to develop their understanding of life in the trenches, through engaging with an actor in role as a soldier from a Pal’s Battalion. It is also an opportunity to consider how useful this type of historical interpretation is as a piece of evidence, is it pure entertainment or has it more value?
This exhibition investigates the tragedy of the First World War, 1914-1918. It explores the causes of war the experiences of those who fought on its battlefields and how the Great War has been commemorated. There are six galleries:
The Great War: conflict and controversy
Why did Britain go to war in 1914?
The trench experience
Lions led by donkeys?
How has the Great War been remembered?
Why was it so hard to make peace?
In each gallery you will find a key question based on the sources within each case study and there is background material to help you study the sources.
Learn about World War Two by using our animated maps and investigations containing original documents, film, photographs and audio.
Within each of the theatres of war listed below, you will find a number of investigations based on a different key question to be examined using primary sources. Worksheets and a glossary are available to support these activities. There are twenty investigations in total that can be seen at a glance in the World War Two exhibition's Index of Resources.
