Castles

William the Conqueror built castles to control his new kingdom of England after defeating Harold at the Battle of Hastings. Over the next 500 years castles evolved from the simple Motte and Bailey into highly complex, and impressive, fortresses equipped with a vast array of defensive features. Take a look at the excellent Woodland School website for more information on how castles changed and developed during this period. Look at this link for information on castle features.

The League of Nations - the 1920s

The League of Nations was established after the First World War with the aim of preventing armed conflict, bringing about disarmament, encouraging international co-operation and improving living and working conditions. Have a look at the following video for a interesting introduction to the work of the organisation.



Evaluating the success of the League of Nations is one of the most popular questions at GCSE level. Have a look at this video for some clear, concise and very valuable advice on how to answer part c) questions at IGCSE.

Domesday Book

The Domesday Book is the name given to the Great Survey carried out on the orders of William the Conqueror after he became King of England. The survey contained a vast array of information on who owned what throughout the country and helped him raise money through taxation of his new subjects. The Domesday Book is one of the earliest public records in English history.

Take a look at the national archive site for extra information, games and videos on the Domesday Book.

Remembrance Day

The First World War came to an end 91 years ago. Traditionally the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of each year is the time we remember all those who died in wars. Have a look at this video in memory of the soldiers who died in the conflict. it is accompanied by the Last Post.



For more information look at these links to previous posts on the Blog and a new article on the BBC.
Remembrance Day
Harry Patch
Special Remembrance Day Service

Life in Tudor England

To find out about life in Tudor England why not begin with a look at Woodland’s Junior School’s outstanding website on the Tudors. Use the menu on their home page to find out about Tudor houses, children, clothes, entertainment and daily life.

Nettlesworth school also has some interesting information on life in Tudor times, while this interactive site even gives you a chance to listen to some Tudor-style music. The History Learning site has a good page about Tudor entertainments, while if you want to go into more depth try the activities on the National Archives webpage.

If you fancy testing out your knowledge of Tudor England try this quiz on the Channel Four website.

The Bayeux Tapestry

The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most famous sources of information about the Norman Conquest. Probably ordered by William's half-brother Bishop Odo, many historians believe the tapestry was likely to have been made by English women in the 1070s. This great video really brings the tapestry to life.

Industrial Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs such as Josiah Wedgwood (pictured left), Abraham Darby and Richard Arkwright played an important part in the Industrial Revolution, harnessing the new technologies, sources of power and demand for materials to set up factories and profitable businesses.

For a profile of Wedgwood, take a look at the BBC History website. Also check out the Wedgwood museum for more information and a virtual tour of Etruria.

For information on the Darbys at Coalbrookdale try looking at the website for all the museums at Ironbridge, while for textile entrepreneur and inventor Richard Arkwright try another informative site at Cromford Mill.

Hyperinflation

As you know we have been looking at the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on Germany and the events surrounding the occupation of the Ruhr in 1923. Here is an informative video that does a good job in explaining the causes of Hyperinflation.



Now have a look at the second part of the Make Germany Pay video which also covers this topic:

The Treaty of Versailles

You can look back at this post to get an overview of the Treaty of Versailles, but it is also worth checking out John Clare's webpage and having a listen to this podcast if you want to become an expert on the Treaty and its effects.
Cast your eye over this powerpoint to revise the key terms of the Treaty:

Huge haul of Anglo-Saxon gold found in Staffordshire

A huge haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure has been found by a man with a metal detector in a field in the county of Staffordshire in England. Around 1,500 gold and silver pieces, including helmets, decorations, jewellery, coins and crossed which date from the 7th century were found by Tony Herbert.

For more on the find check out the BBC and the Guardian websites.

Harry Patch (1898-2009) - The last surviving soldier from the Western Front

Harry Patch was the last surviving soldier living in Europe to have fought in the trenches of the First World War. He died in July this year. At the time of his death, aged 111. He fought at Battle of Passchendaele (also known as the Third Battle of Ypres) and was injured by a shell explosion on 22 September 1917 in an incident in which three of his comrades were killed.

Patch had refused to discuss his war experiences, but the realisation that he was part of a fast dwindling group of veterans of the Great War persuaded him to speak.

A fierce critic of war, Patch once said "...if any man tells you he went over the top and he wasn't scared, he's a damn liar."

The group Radiohead marked his death by releasing a song about Patch.


Here are the lyrics and Thom from Radiohead's comments about the song:

Harry Patch (In Memory Of)
"I am the only one that got through
the others died where ever they fell
it was an ambush
they came up from all sides
give your leaders each a gun and then let them fight it out themselves
I've seen devils coming up from the ground
I've seen hell upon this earth
the next will be chemical but they will never learn"

Recently the last remaining UK veteran of the 1st world war Harry Patch died at the age of 111.

I had heard a very emotional interview with him a few years ago on the Today programme on Radio 4. The way he talked about war had a profound effect on me.

It became the inspiration for a song that we happened to record a few weeks before his death. It was done live in an abbey. The strings were arranged by Jonny.
I very much hope the song does justice to his memory as the last survivor.

It would be very easy for our generation to forget the true horror of war, without the likes of Harry to remind us. I hope we do not forget.

As Harry himself said:
"Irrespective of the uniforms we wore, we were all victims".

Thom

The impact of the First World War

In order to understand the atmosphere at the Paris Peace Conference after the First World War you need to be aware of the way the war had affected the continent.

Have a look at these three sites to help you do this:
BBC World War One site
Channel Four site
First World War.com

The 70th Anniversary of the start of the Second World War

Germany invaded Poland 70 years ago, an event that is usually seen as marking the start of the Second World War. Check out the BBC and the Guardian websites for a stack of information on these events.


British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain responded to Hitler's decision to invade Poland by declaring war on Germany on September 3rd, 1939. Here is an extract of the broadcast he made at the time:

Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles has been much criticised. Was it a brave attempt to remodel Europe after the First World War or was it a short-sighted and vengeful document designed to punish Germany. Take a look at the History Learning site for some good background and information on the treaty.

The old BBC History video "Make Germany Pay" gives a neat summary of the terms of the treaty.


Here is a more opinionated judgement on the peace treaties which is also worth examining.

Elizabeth I

For some biographical information on Elizabeth I for your obituary, try out the BBC website and the History Learning site.

The Spanish Armada

The Spanish Armada remains one of the most dramatic and memorable events in British history, but how much truth is there in the traditional English version that sees it as a victory for the heroic underdogs. Take a look at the Channel 4 website for some of the latest research and check back on the blog to see an earlier post on the subject which might help you make up your own mind.

Elizabethan Portraits

As you know we are looking at how Elizabeth I used portraits as a means of propaganda. Here is a challenging and informative online lesson which you will be asked to do for homework. You will need to do some research to do the first section.

The Battle of the Somme

Here is a powerpoint on the Battle of the Somme that took place during the First World War. It looks at the plans for the battle and what went wrong:

The Battle of the Somme

View more presentations from russeltarr.

You can find some interesting background information on Haig on the History Learning site and on the excellent firstworldwar.com

The Trial of Charles I

Charles I was the first English king to put on trial. He was accused of being a
"tyrant, traitor and murderer to the Commonwealth." Here is a link to one of the original documents from the trial. You can also find a concise biography of Charles I on the BBC History site, while the History on the Net has a useful timeline of events in the Civil War.

First World War propaganda posters

All participants in the First World War made use of propaganda posters to encourage recruitment to the armed forces, boost morale and attack their opponents.

At First World War.com they have a great collection of posters from many of the countries that were involved.

Medieval Towns

To get a good idea of what a Medieval town looked like and how it was laid out, take a look at this site, while if you want to understand how the sites for new towns were chosen, try this page.

The Peasants' Revolt

Almost half a century after the Black Death, the Peasants' Revolt took place. There are arguments about what precisely happened, but the History Learning Site gives a clear outline of the main events.

And here is a description, from a chronicle of the time, of the final meeting between king Richard II and the leader of the Revolt, Wat Tyler.

World War One - The Schlieffen Plan

As all you Year 9 students should know by now, the Schlieffen Plan - designed by General Von Schlieffen in 1905 - formed the basis of German military plans at the start of the First World War. The School History site gives a concise overview of the plan.

The Spartacus Web and the History Learning site have similar information on its site and here is a handy revision quiz to test your understanding.

Here is a video on the reality of the plan when it was put into action at the start of the First World War.

The Black Death

The Black Death killed between a third and a half of the population of Europe in the 14th century. This website provides a host of information on the Black Death including the low-down on the oriental flea that transmitted the deadly disease.

The Eyewitness to History site has a nice summary of the disease, as has this general site on the Middle Ages, while the BBC site has got plenty of in-depth information including a nice section on the impact.

The History Learning web has got good links with other aspects of Medieval life and a handy section on treatments used at the time. You can also find some really good background on Medieval medicine on the same site.

For an entertaining take on Plague cures have a look at the Terry Deary (of Horrible History fame) video below:

The Tudor and Stuart Family trees

As you know in Year 8 we are studying the 16th and 17th centuries. A quick look at the Tudor and Stuart Family trees might help you get a clear idea of who's who during this period.

The Causes of the First World War

If you want to recap or revise the Causes of the First World War go to the BBC Website and follow the Road to War.

For a short film on the spark that set off the war take a look at the following video on the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.

Medieval Farming glossary

Some Medieval Farming terms for your glossary:

Bailiff – The bailiff helped oversee the villeins’ work, the profits and expenses of the manor and farm.

Villein – a peasant who was not free. They worked on the lord’s land and did certain jobs for him in return for the use of some land for himself. A villein was bound to work on a certain manor.

Manor – all the land owned by the lord in a medieval village which included the fields, the common land and the woodland.

The Manor house – the main house owned by the lord of the manor

Demesne (pronounced “domain”) – the best land in the manor for the Lord to farm.

Freeman – Those peasants who paid the lord to farm their land. They did not have to work for the lord every week like the villains, but did have to help out at busy times of the year and pay to use the lord’s oven and his mill.

Reeve – The reeve made sure the villeins worked for the lord, started their work on time and did not cheat the lord out of any money.

The Hayward – The peasant who looked after the cows

The Shepherd – The peasant who looked after the sheep

The swineherd – The peasant who looked after the pigs

Crops – the plants grown by the farmers which commonly included wheat and barley

Harvest – Gathering in the crops from the fields when they are ready. Reaping is the cutting of the grain for harvest, using a scythe or sickle.

Ploughing – This is when the top layers of soil are cut open, and turned over to bring nutrients to the surface and to allow air to enter.

Harrowing – Used to break up the earth even more than ploughing and also used to cover the seeds after sowing.

Sowing – The process of planting the seeds in the fields

Fallow - the land that is left to rest and not farmed for a year so the nutrients can be replaced.

Furrow – long lines made in the fields after ploughing.

Open field system – the system by which the manor was split into three or four big unfenced fields which were in turn divided up into strips farmed by the peasants

The Spanish Armada

Was it, as old-fashioned British textbooks would have you believe, the story of heroism against the odds as the plucky English underdogs beat off the mighty Spanish thanks to their superior sailing skills and daring tactics? Was it, as many Spanish textbooks - and King Philip II - claimed, merely a question of some freakish weather coming to the aid of the fortunate English? Or was the failure of the Armada due to a more complicated combination of military, climatological and political factors?

Try and shake off your national bias and take a look at some of the following websites so that you can make up your own mind.

The History Learning Site offers a pretty objective analysis of events. Spot the interesting differences in the versions given on the Spanish and English versions of Wikipedia. Or take a look at this very detailed webpage and its sister site that attempt to destroy some of the myths surrounding one of the most famous events in English and Spanish history.

Take a look at this David Starkey video for his take on events and decide if you think it gives a fair verdict. Use your own research to decide if Spain really was weakened by the defeat of the Armada.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Tuesday is Holocaust memorial day, a time to reflect on the horrific events that led to the deaths of over 6 million Jews and other minorities as a result of the Nazi extermination campaign during the Second World War. Unfortunately similar atrocities have continued to occur. This hard-hitting video looks at the issue and provides us with plenty of food for thought.

Elizabeth I portraits

In Year 8 we will be looking at some portraits of Elizabeth I. Here is a short presentation showing some of the most famous representations of the Tudor monarch.

Martin Luther King

Monday 19 Jan was Martin Luther King day. He was one of the most important figures in the fight for equal civil rights for black people in the United States in the 1950s and 60s. King, a baptist minister, led a famous march on the capital Washington DC in 1963 where he made his “I Have a Dream” speech - an impassioned call for human justice that helped earn him a reputation as one of the greatest orators of modern times.

You can take a look at this video of the whole speech here.



King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. This was the last speech he made shortly before dying.



King's work is particularly relevant given that this week Barack Obama was inaugurated as the first black president of the United States.

The Middle Ages

Here are a selection of websites that contain a host of interesting information on the Middle Ages.

This interactive site has a stack of information on all aspects of medieval life. Here is the British Library site on the period and it has a great section on the role of women.

As you know, we looked at some images from the Luttrell Psalter in class. Click here and you can see the book itself. Click on the section entitled "glimpses of medieval life".

Here is an atmospheric video on peasant food.



And finally another video showing a 13th century harp dance.

Greensleeves

Legend has it that Henry VIII composed Greensleeves for his lover and future wife Anne Boleyn, but the song was probably written towards the end of the 16th Century in the Elizabethan era. The video below gives a taste of what the original would have sounded like.



You can find the lyrics of the song on this webpage.

Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I reigned for 45 years between 1558 and 1603, becoming one of the most famous of all British monarchs. She is renowned for her moderate religious policy, her refusal to marry, her carefully measured foreign policy, her order to execute her cousin and rival Mary Queen of Scots and for rallying her troops in the face of the threat of Spanish invasion at the time of the Armada.

She was also an expert at propaganda and carefully cultivated her image as the "virgin queen" prepared to sacrifice everything for the good of her country. Look at this website for a comprehensive selection of portraits of Elizabeth and check out this video which has a slide show of some of the most famous ones.

For an explanation of the reasons behind her refusal to marry take a look at this short extract from a documentary series on the Tudors.

For a re-enactment of her famous speech to the troops at Tilbury at the time of the Spanish Armada watch this video:



For more on the Armada take a look at the BBC website and this section on the British Library website.

The Slave trade

The slave trade was a highly lucrative trade for Britain and other European nations during the 18th and 19th centuries. Slaves were taken from Africa across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas in appalling conditions in a journey known as "the middle passage".

The slave triangle involving Britain, Africa and the American colonies is explained in this website. If you want to know more about the battle to abolish the slave trade there is plenty more information on the same site.