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What was Henry VIII really like and do we trust the evidence?

Subject area: History

Lesson number: 1

Suitable age range: 9–11 years

Resources needed: Copies of four against Henry VIII secondary sources (Machiavelli, the Pope, Cardinal Wolsey, Anne of Cleves remark) and for Henry VIII secondary sources (Lord Mountjoy, party observer, hunting companions). 

Expected timings: 1 hour

Expected outcomes of the activity: Pupils will: a) be able to interpret secondary sources and from these to create a description of a historical figure; and b) appreciate the term ‘bias’ and how this can influence our historical understanding.

Details of the activity:

Introduction: (maximum 15 minutes) Pupils walk in with several descriptions on the board of a ‘character’ (Harry Potter). Pupils read each one aloud and in talk partners discuss what this tells us about the character – their physical looks and their personality. On whiteboards, in pairs, pupils draw a picture of what they are beginning to ‘see’. After this, introduce the term of secondary sources and deduce what this means (teacher to give examples of what are and what are not). Explained that they are using secondary sources.

Task 1: (20 minutes) Subtly split pupils into two groups (positive and negative sources) but to their knowledge they are all doing the same task. Pupils go to tables of six and in pairs look through the sources they have and draw the figure being described, annotated with personality traits/words to describe. Pupils might begin to guess that it is Henry VIII and encourage them to use what they are reading but to consider some things that they may already know.

Task 2: (15 minutes) Put pupils into groups with ‘opposing arguments’ under the premise of sharing ideas and to add to their own depictions using secondary sources. In discussion, pupils will begin to see they have very different ideas and potentially come to the conclusion that it is a different person. Draw the class back together and confirm that the person that all the sources refer to is Henry VIII but how are they so different?

Plenary: (10 minutes) Show the picture highlighting the relationship between the source writers and Henry VIII – to question why they might have said what they said and why. To assist, use the example of why you might say something different about your friend than someone you don’t know or have a history with. Introduce the word ‘bias’ and ensure it is used by the pupils correctly. Pupils to understand that historical sources need to be used with sensible caution and with knowledge of when and why they were written.