Year 8 History Curriculum
Key topics to be taught this year: 1500-1900
| Topic | Further details about the topic |
|---|---|
| Autumn Term | |
|
Why did Henry VIII break from Rome? In what ways did the Reformation matter to ordinary people? Who were the Tudors? Why did people believe in witches? |
Students will build on their knowledge of the European Reformation from Year 7 and causation to explore Henry VIII’s break from Rome. Students will explore the impact of the Reformation on the lives of ordinary people, analysing the extent of life change and/or continued. Students will build on their understanding of similarities and differences by breaking down commonly held beliefs about Tudor England. Students will further develop their understanding of life for ordinary people and how they write about causation. |
| Spring Term | |
|
What can contemporary sources tell us about the English Civil War? How should we remember the Mughals? What can we learn from the story of the Benin Bronzes? Why did the British Empire grow? What can personal accounts reveal about the transatlantic slave trade? |
Students learn about the English Civil War whilst building on their understanding of how historians use historical sources. Students learn about the Mughal Empire and build on their understanding of its historical significance. Students use the Benin Bronzes to develop their understanding of life in Africa before European contact and the impact of European contact. Students improve how they write about causation whilst learning about the growth of the British Empire. Students use historical sources to learn about the transatlantic slave trade. |
| Summer Term | |
|
Why have historians disagreed about abolition? How close did Britain come to achieving true democracy by 1900? What can historians say about the Industrial Revolution? |
Students engage with different historical interpretations of the abolition of the slave trade. Students build on their understanding of power and democracy in this analysis of change and continuity. Students explore the Industrial Revolution, building on their understanding of how historians use historical sources to discover the past. |
Assessment
| Topic | Type of Assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| CAT 1 |
Topics studied to date |
Factual recall, chronology, extended writing |
| CAT 2 | Topics studied to date | Factual recall, chronology, extended writing |
Main Resources
| Resource | Details |
|---|---|
| Recommended Reading |
Main resources Black Tudors by Miranda Kaufmann Witches by Tracy Borman The Rise and Fall of the British Empire by Lawrence James Liberty’s Dawn by Emma Griffin |
| Websites |
Learning From Home | National Civil War Centre, Newark The Benin Bronzes at the British Museum: Benin Bronzes | British Museum |
Enrichment opportunities
| Activity or trip | Day and time or term |
|---|---|
|
Trip to the National Civil War Centre, Newark |
Summer term |
