A series of quizzes designed to be used as end-of-year history revision: Manic Miner: Medieval Realms Wordshoot: Medieval Realms Cannonball Fun: Medieval Realms Matching Pairs: Medieval Realms
Category: Historical Periods
Everyday Vocabulary – What does it tell us?
A new worksheet for Year 7 History. Why does the English language have so many German, French, Celtic and Scandinavian words within it? An original way of looking at the waves of immigration that have characterised British history in the past 1000 years.
Starter Activity: Arguments of the Anti-Abolitionists
Students read an extract from the “Gentleman’s Magazine” of 1789 and underline all the arguments the writer puts forward in defence of the slave trade, the considers how these arguments could feasibly be challenged.
Medieval Realms: Play Your Dates Right Revision Quiz
A new interactive challenge in the “Play your cards right” format designed to develop chronological understanding.
The Slave Trade – Test
Students are provided with a selection of possible questions in the GCSE Paper 1 format (a. Describe, b. Explain, c. Assess). They are told that one of these three-part questions will be set as the end of unit assessment – it is up to the teacher which to choose!
Medieval Realms: Interactive Revision Newsfeed
A new interactive newsfeed exercise for use with students at the end of year 7 history – a great way of revising the key dates, personalities and themes!
Conclusion: How was the Slave Trade Abolished?
Students are presented with a detailed timeline of the process of abolition, and then provided with four different tasks to choose from which will enable them to make sense of the information. Students can choose one or a combination of these tasks to complete.
The Balloon Debate – Who was the most important abolitionist?
Each student is allocated a different character to research and to produce a wiki about. The class then has a balloon debate over several rounds to determine the overall winner. The debate from students at the International School of Toulouse can be seen here.
Stalin and Collectivisation
A new running dictation exercise providing students with thorough details about Stalin’s policies for agriculture, including the Ukrainian Famine of 1932. Designed to accompany the full IB / A-Level unit on Stalin’s USSR.
Starter Activity: Methods of the Abolitionists
This PowerPoint provides students with an overview of the actual methods used by the real abolitionists. How do they compare with the campaigns the students came up with for Alan Sugartrader?
The Rise of Stalin
A new interactive running dictation exercise which outlines the main events in the final years of Lenin’s life which led to the Rise of Stalin as dictator of the USSR.
The Apprentice – A Campaign to Abolish the Slave Trade!
Alan Sugartrader of the good ship Amistrad leads the abolitionist movement in your local town. He has invited ambitious young businesspeople to come up with a brand new national campaign designed to generate support for the anti-slavery cause. Using a range of sources and a structured framework for preparation, groups of students have to produce…
Why Appeasement? (GCSE History)
A new diamond 9 diagram for GCSE Historians studying the causes of World War Two. Get students to elaborate on each factor and rearrange them in an order that makes sense to them. They can then use it to answer the question “Why did Britain pursue a policy of appeasement?” Click here for full screen…
Head2Head Worksheets
I have uploaded two worksheets to accompany the Head2Head Virtual Interviews. These are designed to work “off the shelf” and provide focus and direction to students conducting their virutal interviews with Hitler, Henry VIII, Martin Luther King, Dr. Fox and Stalin. 1. Newspaper Interview Task 2. Truth or Fiction Task
Causes of World War One
A one-sided summary sheet for GCSE History Revision.
Life on the Slave Plantations [2] – Images and Explanations
Students are presented with a series of images and explanations and placed into teams for a competition over several rounds to test knowledge and understanding of life on the slave plantations. Instructions for the game can be found here.
Life on the Slave Plantations [1] – Slave Narratives
Students are placed in role as a real-life slave and read a first-person narrative from this sourcepack. They are then interviewed by the class, who records their findings in an attempt to determine the sorts of punishments inflicted for different types of “crimes” on the slave plantations.
Causes of Spanish Civil War: Conclusion
Students use this worksheet to summarise – and then crucially to connect – the various factors relating to the Origins of the Spanish Civil War. They are then given advice on how to structure an essay.
Runaway Slave Advertisements
This PowerPoint displays a series of advertisements for runaway slaves. Students are encouraged to read through each to deduce the sorts of conditions that slaves had to endure
The Spanish Second Republic
A worksheet in which students are given detailed information about The Spanish Second Republic and then asked to analyse it in various ways.
Fling the Teacher Challenge: The Rule of Primo de Rivera
An interactive computer game to test factual knowledge. The first student to finish should be given 20 points; the second student 18; and so on. I build up a “Fling the Teacher Leaderboard” over the whole course to build up a bit of competition…!
The Art of JMW Turner: PowerPoint Starter
This powerpoint presentation encourages students to analyse two of Turner’s greatest paintings: The Slave Ship and The Fighting Temeraire. Each painting is a great comment on the British Empire and its Slave Trade. A good cross-curricular link!
Primo de Rivera
Interactive Jigsaw Table Exercise: The Rule of Primo de Rivera [interactive]: Students have to read each key event, then decide whether it represents success or failure and in what particular policy area. The computer gives a score at the end, writes up the information in the correct order, and provides follow-up questions.
IB History, new syllabus resources
A new page outlining how I plan to teach the new International Baccalaureate syllabus as from September 2008, complete with links and resources.
Spanish Civil War: Map Task
Spain in 1923: Mapwork Task (Recommended as a homework at any point so far in this unit): Students are provided with essential information about the main locations relating to the economic, military, political, regional and social issues within Spain in the years immediately prior to the Spanish Civil War. This information is used to construct…
Hitler, Nazi Germany and the Spanish Civil War – Quiz
An end of unit interactive test designed to accompany the IGCSE Sourcework scheme of work unit at www.activehistory.co.uk.
What were the consequences of the Spanish Civil War for Spain, Hitler and Nazi Germany?
Students are provided with a list of essential points relating to the international consequences of the Spanish Civil War. These are analysed in terms of what Hitler’s objectives were, and what the actual results were – thereby keeping a close focus on the subject of the sourcework paper for 2009 (Germany Involvement in the Spanish…
What were the main events of the Spanish Civil War?
Students should be provided with this interactive newsfeed covering the main events of the Spanish Civil War and then divide these into “Good news for the Republic” and “Bad news for the Republic”. They then have to use their own knowledge of international events in the 1930s to add a final column in the timeline…
Germany and the Spanish Civil War: Guernica
The most notorious example of German involvement in the Spanish Civil War was when the Nazi Condor Legion bombed the Basque city of Guernica. This lesson investigates the event through a detailed analysis of Picasso’s painting provided by Simon Schama’s excellent documentary (available here).
What did Nazi Germany contribute to the Spanish Civil War?
A decision-making exercise. Students are asked a series of questions about how they think Hitler should have organised his help to Franco’s Nationalists. The teacher then tells the students what actually happened in each case so that the class can discuss the merits and drawbacks of each policy. Sourcework questions round the exercise off.
Origins of the British Empire
Students have to copy and paste key details into the appropriate cells of a table which outlines who, why, where and how the British Empire developed. A great way of providing an overview of the growth of the British Empire.
Why did Germany get involved in the Spanish Civil War?
Students analyse a series of written sources – primary and secondary – to develop an understanding of why Germany got involved in the Spanish Civil War. By comparing, contrasting, organising points under key headings and summarising their findings, students will end this lesson with a sound grasp of Germany’s motives. Sourcework questions invite students to…
German involvement in the Spanish Civil War: Quiz
A mid-unit test to accompany the complete scheme of work at activehistory.
Causes of the Spanish Civil War: Sourcework for IGCSE History
A series of pictorial and written sources with questions about the causes of the Spanish Civil War designed to familiarise students with the format of the IGCSE Sourcework examination.
IGCSE History: Causes of the Spanish Civil War
In this worksheet, students use this interactive newsfeed to develop an understanding of the main events leading up to the Spanish Civil War, which they then categorise into social, economic, military and political factors. They produce a biased account from either a Republican or a Nationalist perspective, then consolidate their knowledge by producing a learning…
What was the International Significance of the Spanish Civil War?
This worksheet outlines why the Spanish Civil War was so important in an international sense. The roles of the major powers are outlined and compared and cartoons relating to the non-intervention committee are analysed.
Stalin historiography: Montefiore, Figes, Applebaum, Conquest
A worksheet which provides an overview of the most recent historiography by Montefiore, Applebaum, Figes and others and sets a series of questions about the most popular themes that seem to be arising.
German Involvement in the Spanish Civil War
A complete scheme of work with interactive exercises and worksheets for IGCSE History. Nazi involvement in the Spanish Civil War is the sourcework paper for examinations in 2009!
Who was Responsible for the Holocaust?
A thorny subject, but an important one: were the German people “Hitler’s Willing Executioners”? GCSE History Students consider the evidence for both sides to reach their own judgement.
The Spanish Civil War: IB History
A new study guide for IB History students outlining the relevance of the topic, its causes and consequences.
Nazi Policies for Jews, 1939-4
The development of the Final Solution in the Third Reich is examined and students produce their own classroom presentation.
The Causes of the Cold War: History Study Guide
A new study guide for IB History outlining the relevance of the Cold War, its causes and the key questions.
Nazi Policies for Jews, 1933-39
Students consider whether each antisemitic policy in Hitler’s Third Reich was designed to threaten, humiliate or physically weaken the Jewish people. They consider how the international community responded to Nazi policies. They then consider what the law should really be regarding the treatment of immigrants and national minorities.
GCSE: Manchuria / Abyssinia Quiz
A new Fling the Teacher Quiz designed for GCSE History Revision.
Nazi Propaganda
An analysis of a whole range of Nazi propaganda techniques from Hitler’s Third Reich including sport, posters and cinema. For each, students have to assess evidence of success and failure.
IGCSE / GCSE History Paper 1 Sample Answers
Paper 1 Structured Questions focus – Interactive Cartoon Analysis A large range of cartoons covering the 1919-39 period. For each one, students are asked a sourcework question focusing on the message of the source, and then a three-part Paper 1 style question. When they have written their answer in timed conditions, the computer provides model…
Chatshow Challenge: the Arab-Israeli Conflict
An end-of-unit activity which tests sourcework skills as well as factual knowledge. Students take on the role of either a Palestinian or an Israeli and go “Head to Head” with an opponent to answer key questions from their own biased perspective. The computer produces two scores for each student for teachers to record in the…
Nazi Policies towards Women
In this worksheet GCSE history students analyse one of Hitler’s speeches to determine how the Third Reich justified the Nazi policy of “Kinder, Kirche, Kuche”. They then categorise his actions according to whether they encouraged women to stay at home or have more babies.
The Renaissance – End of Unit Test / Assessment
Following directly on from the classroom debate, students then write an essay. This worksheet contains detailed instructions on how to link the characters together rather than simply focusing on what each one individually contributed. A clear markscheme is also provided; I get each student to mark 4 different essays, then we collate all the marks…
Youth Policies: [2] Youth Organisations in Hitler’s Third Reich
GCSE history students compare the Hitler Youth and the League of German Maidens by constructing a dialogue designed to highlight the positive and negative features about each.
The Renaissance – Who was the most important person of the Renaissance?
A detailed lesson plan for year 8 history students. A class list is put into the Fruit Machine Name Picker at www.classtools.net to choose the Renaissance character each student should produce a research project on. This Renaissance project will be written in the first person to ensure that the student reads the information, under three…
Nazi Youth Policies: [1] Schools in the Third Reich
Youth Policies: [1] Schools Students match entries from Nazi School Textbooks to the subjects they describe, then each student in the class has a “Napola” school report written for them by several people in the class.
1453 Siege of Constantinople
An introductory worksheet. Perhaps the main reason why the Renaissance took off in Italy – this activity gets the narrative across in an engaging way. Students are given an interactive “news feed” of events, then can choose to produce EITHER a biased news report in Publisher OR a radio broadcast using their microphone OR a…
Nazi Germany – Social Policies [3]: The Moral Maze
Social Policies [3]: The Moral Maze: Students are presented with a logical defence of the principles of Eugenics and Social Darwinism as they existed in the Third Reich. They are then asked how they would nevertheless challenge some of its assertions both on rational and on moral grounds. One to get them thinking and debating!
Bayeux Tapestry Slideshow
View a series of Flash animations from the Bayeux Tapestry with analysis of their meaning. Designed to accompany the Year 7 History worksheet that comes with the Battle of Hastings Decision Making Simulation.
Nazi Social Policies [2]: The European Dimension of Social Darwinism
A stimulating worksheet in which students are shown how many of Hitler’s ideas stemmed from social darwinism theories and practices in Europe and America which were popular at the time (and since). A crucial worksheet which helps students get away from the idea that Hitler was a peculiarly “German” problem.
Cathars – Quiz
A new quiz for Year 8 history students.
GCSE History – Nazi Germany Social Policies: Overview
Students are divided into groups to investigate Nazi social policies towards undesirables and untermenschen. They are instructed how to organise a PowerPoint show to give to the rest of the class and the findings are recorded in a grid.
Reformation Historiography [3]: What was the state of the Catholic Church on the eve of the Reformation?
What was the state of the Catholic Church on the eve of the Reformation? – Historians bitterly argue as to whether the Catholic Church was corrupt and unpopular on the eve of the Reformation. This worksheet allows students to compare the different viewpoints and consider the evidence for each.
The Kronstadt Uprising, 1921: Lenin’s Year of Crisis
A new interactive exercise for A-Level / IB History students in which students are presented with a series of news feeds about the Kronstadt Rebellion of 1921 which spelt the end of War Communism and the introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP).
Reformation Historiography [2]: Was the Reformation an example of a German Nationalist revolution?
Students compare the views of Ranke, Steinmetz and Reinhard in this worksheet – both in terms of the geographical area which each said the Reformation should cover, and also in terms of whether they regarded the Reformation as being motivated by religious or social factors.
Reformation Historiography [1]: What time period should be used in a study of the German Reformation?
What time period should be used in a study of the German Reformation? – This worksheet encourages students to compare the views of Bainton, Oberman and Schilling through the means of a classroom debate.
Causes of World War Two
Causes of World War Two: Past Exam Questions and Research Task This GCSE History handout outlines the main causes of World War Two: The Peace Treaties, the Weaknesses of the League, the Depression, Hitler’s Foreign Policy, Manchuria and Abyssinia, Appeasement, the Nazi-Soviet Pact. It also provides a list of past history examination questions. Students have…
GCSE History Source Work
Sourcework Exercise: The Causes of World War One Six important sources, each one looking at a different cause of the World War One, with GCSE History questions and suggested approaches.
Causes of World War One: History Revision
Causes of World War One: Connecting the Factors: A diagram which helps students to connect the various causes together rather than simply list them.
Hegel, Marx and Dialectics
For IB / A-Level historians. An accessible introduction to the concepts of Hegelian and Marxist Dialectic which will stand students in good stead for 20th Century Soviet history.
Causes of the First World War
This handout provides a breakdown of the most recent questions from the IGCSE History examination focusing on the Causes of the First World War. It then provides advice about how to prepare history revision notes for each area using this template.
Causes of the Spanish Civil War Simulation
A brand new history game for students of the Spanish Civil War. After reading about each of the problems facing Spain on the eve of the civil war, students rank them according to urgency and then have to decide which policy seems the most appropriate response to each problem. At the end of the simulation…
Social Conditions in the Countryside in Tsarist Russia
For IB / A-Level historians. A series of sources and questions outlining the state of agriculture at the time that Peter Stolypin became prime minister.
Historiography of the October Revolution of 1917
Students consider the main questions which divide historians and form their own judgement on which answers they find the most convincing.
The Reign of Nicholas II (to 1905) [interactive]
For IB / A-Level historians. A “Fling the Teacher” quiz designed to test how much students have learned. Give 10 marks for the first person to finish, 9 for second place, and so on.
Historiography of the February Revolution of 1917
Students consider the main questions which divide historians and form their own judgement on which answers they find the most convincing.
The Events of 1904-1905: The Russo-Japanese War, Bloody Sunday and the 1905 Revolution [computer activity]
For IB / A-Level historians. In this exercise, students are presented with a wide range of primary source material which “tells the story” of 1904-1905 from a variety of perspectives covering the main topics. Students “cut and paste” the information into the appropriate cells of a table which breaks each event into its causes, events…
Jack the Ripper Quiz
A new quiz on Jack the Ripper, created using www.classtools.net.
Jack the Ripper: Mini-Sourcework Exercise
Mini-Sourcework exercise on Jack the Ripper. Complete with markscheme to test knowledge and understanding (30 minutes).
Why did Germany lose World War One?
Essay Project: Interactive Essay-Planning Tool [interactive] Students then use this interactive essay planning tool to submit a suggested way of linking the four factors, and get – at the simple click of a button – a very detailed model essay plan suggesting not only the content of each paragraph but also – crucially – how…
Social Effects of Industrialisation in Tsarist Russia
For IB / A-Level historians. The success or failure of the industrialisation programme can be measured in social as well as in economic terms. This worksheet contains a series of primary sources relating to the living conditions in the towns which allow students to decide whether the economic benefits outweighed the social disadvantages.
Jack the Ripper Source Work
Maxi-sourcework assessment Complete with markscheme to test knowledge and understanding about the Jack the Ripper murders of 1888 (1 hour).
Economic Effects of Industrialisation in Tsarist Russia
For IB / A-Level historians. Students are provided with some raw economic data relating to the results of industrialisation in Imperial Russia. They have to draw conclusions regarding success and failure, and try to guess what missing figures in the tables would have been (this is a great way to get students spotting trends in…
Consequences of the Jack the Ripper Murders
A consolidating lesson which looks at the social outcomes of the Ripper murders. Students are given a sourcework test, complete with a markscheme.
GCSE History Revision
A newly updated section, designed for my KS4 IGCSE history class. Complete with history games, worksheets and lesson plans, these history revision pages will keep students engaged in the run-up to the summer history exams.
Other evidence about Jack the Riper
Students are presented with other key facts about Jack and use this to make their own deductions about the killer. These ideas can then serve as the basis for a lively discussion in class.
What was Jack’s personality like? – the “Dear Boss” letter
Students analyse the gruesome “Dear Boss” letter to make deductions about Jack’s character. Was he educated? Was he an egomaniac? Can we trust this evidence?
Video Worksheet [1]: An overview of the Jack the Ripper murders and the investigation
This worksheet accompanies the first 40 minutes of the video available from Amazon. It provides a good overview of the East End, the victims and the problems faced by the police.
The Personality of Tsar Nicholas II
For IB / A-Level historians. Students should have a good understanding of the main issues and personalities relevant to the topic. This worksheet pushes things forward by considering the particular contribution of Tsar Nicholas II’s personality to the situation by looking at some primary source accounts and inviting students to form their own judgement.
What did Jack the Ripper look like?
In this worksheet, using witness reports from the crime scenes, students build up their own profile of the killer. How old was he? What social background? What witnesses can be trusted? Why are there such discrepancies between the witness reports?
The Geography of Imperial Russia [interactive]
For IB / A-Level historians. This task, which is best set as a homework exercise, involves getting students producing a map of Imperial Russia which highlights the range and location of nationalities, climates, time zones and natural resources. In this way they can reflect on the idea that maybe the problems of Imperial Russia were…
History Shop
It’s with a great sense of relief that I’ve finally launched the ActiveHistory History Store – a massive repository of history books, history CDs and history DVDs available from Amazon, organised by date period and by genre (historical fiction, popular history, history study books, history dvds). There are hundreds of resources available here which I…
Jack the Ripper – The Police Investigation
This worksheet introduces Charles Warren and Sir Robert Anderson, the policemen in charge of the investigation. Students consider a detailed list of the measures that could have been taken and try to deduce which ones were simply not possible at the time; which ones were possible but which were vetoed by the Home Office and…
An Overview of the Issues Facing Nicholas II in 1894
For IB / A-Level historians. This pack can be used by students following their completion of the simulation to produce a mindmap and / or a powerpoint presentation about the state of Russia when Tsar Nicholas II came to the throne.
Study Guide: Tsarist and Revolutionary Russia, c.1890-1917
Why is this period so important to know about? A brief introductory handout outlining the historical significance of the topic and the main questions for investigation.
Who were Jack the Ripper’s victims?
Students investigate the sad lives of each of Jack’s victims: Polly Nicholls, Annie Chapman, Lizzie Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly – and compare similarities and differences between them by construcing parallel timelines. Were these women to blame for the condition they found themselves in by 1888, or were they victims of the system?
The Renaissance – Quiz
A new Keyword Challenge Quiz for Year 8 history students.
The Reformation – Quiz
A new quiz for Year 8 history students.
Long-Term Causes of the French Revolution: The Three Estates System
A worksheet designed to be used as a ‘back to back’ exercise in the classroom. The teacher copy should also be downloaded.
What was the East End like in 1888?
In this worksheet, students are introduced to the terrible social conditions that prevailed in East End of London and make deductions about how these could have helped “Jack”. They are presented with a list of the problems and deprivations in the East End and consider how each would have helped the killer. They also analyse…
Lutheran Reformation Historiography – Online Quiz!
A new quiz which tests knowledge of every major Reformation historian worth knowing about: Roland Bainton, Heiko Oberman, Heinz Schilling, Von Ranke, Max Steinmetz, Schilling / Reinhard, AG Dickens, Christopher Haigh, Joseph Lortz, Gunther Vogler, Friedrich Engels, Peter Blickle, Scott and Scribner, Martin Luther, Harold Bender, George H. Williams, M.M. Smirin, Claus-Peter Clasen, James M….
Reformation Historiography [6]: Why did the Imperial Cities adopt the Reformation?
Why did the Imperial Cities adopt the Reformation? – In the 1960s Bernd Moeller called for historians to get away from theological debate and back to historical issues. This was the question he posed to himself, and it generated a great deal of debate.
Reformation Historiography [5]:Were the Radicals a ‘lunatic fringe’?
Were the Radicals a ‘lunatic fringe’? – Some historians have argued that the Radicals were insane and insignificant; others that they were the most enlightened, and also the most significant, part of the Reformation movement. Which side makes the most sense?
Reformation Historiography [4]: What were the causes of the Peasants’ War of 1524-25?
What were the causes of the Peasants’ War of 1524-25? – Marxist historians in the East, and liberal historians in the West, were at odds over the motives of the Peasants’ War. Why did their interpretions differ so strongly, and how?