Why did Henry VIII break with Rome?

Henry VIII is another of England’s most famous kings. He led England from being a Catholic country to a Protestant state with no links to the Pope in Rome. The impact and consequences of Henry’s actions would be enormous, and affect almost everything else you study in Year 8. In this enquiry you’ll find out what led Henry to make his decision to break with Rome.

Does Bloody Mary deserve her nickname?

Mary Tudor, Henry’s daughter, has a bad reputation, a bit like Richard III. She is often called “Bloody Mary” on account of the number of people she had executed for disagreeing with her Catholic religion. In this enquiry you’ll decide for yourselves whether or not she deservers that nickname.

How well did Elizabeth I solve the problems of her reign?

Elizabeth I ruled longer than any king or queen before her, but as Queen she faced a whole range of problems. You will study those problems and how successful she was in overcoming them.

Why do we remember the fifth of November?

Every year, you probably go to visit a firework display on the 5th November: why? That is the big question you’ll be answering as you uncover the infamous Gunpowder Plot and how it has been remembered.

Why did Civil War break out in 1642?

Like Elizabeth I, Charles I faced many problems, but, unlike Elizabeth, his reign ended with his execution at the end of a long and bloody Civil War. In this enquiry you’ll be studying the reasons for the start of this conflict, looking at how tensions between king and parliament reached breaking point.

How did people choose sides in the English Civil War?

Civil War is possibly the worst type of conflict, where people from the same country – and even the same family – find themselves as bitter enemies. Between 1642 and 1647 the people of England had to decide whether to support King Charles I or parliament: you’ll find out how they made that complicated decision.

Why did parliament win the Civil War?

In January 1649 Charles I became the only English king to be executed by the state. This came as a result of parliament winning two Civil Wars, and Charles facing trial for treason against his own country. In this enquiry you’ll find out how each side fared in the Civil War, and why parliament eventually gained the upper hand.

What makes witchcraft so spellbinding?

Just like the Gunpowder Plot, witches capture people’s attention in the present day. Yet the reasons that led societies across the western world – including Britain – to search for and kill witches are many and complicated, and you’ll be looking at how this story has been remembered and how it has captured the popular imagination.

Why was the British Slave Trade abolished in 1807?

Prior to the 19th century, Britain took black slaves from Africa and sold them to sugar farmers in the West Indies. In 1807, after many years of campaigning, this practice was brought to an end. Yet historians and the public often disagree over what led to this. Was it to do with people in parliament? Was it the changing economy? Perhaps the French Revolution had an impact? Or the actions of black people? You’ll be working out why you think the slave trade was abolished.

What makes a revolution so revolutionary?

The late 18th and early 19th centuries are often referred to as the “Age of Revolutions”. You’ll be studying the French Revolution in some detail, working out what happened and why, before going on to work out just what it is that makes a revolution “revolutionary”.