Choosing Sides in the British Civil Wars

Source-based activity aimed at Key Stage 3 History students who are studying the British Civil Wars. Ideal for students who are following the National Curriculum in England Key Stage 3 History Programme of Study and are learning about the development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745.

This activity requires students to read an extract from a speech made at the start of the Civil Wars by Henry Pierrepont, Lord Newark, and to decide whether or not this speech would convince them to take up arms for the King. Students can also listen to a recording of this speech and pick out some of the key features of a rousing speech before having a go at writing their own rousing speech to persuade people to fight for either the King or Parliament.

This resource was developed for the website britishcivilwars.ncl.ac.uk, a collaborative project between Newcastle University Library Education Outreach Team and the Learning Team at the National Civil War Centre.