The Tudors: Mary I's Problems

PowerPoint and worksheet that considers the problems faced by Queen Mary I and how she dealt with them.

Activities include

• Starter activity in which students discuss why religion, gender and legitimacy all posed problems for Mary Tudor.
• Decision making exercise in which pupils take the role of Mary and consider how she should tackle problems like the Lady Jane Grey Plot, whether to marry, Wyatt’s Revolt, whether to join King Philip II’s war with France, and who her successor should be. Pupils complete a table to justify their decisions.
• Plenary source analysis exercise. Students analyse the advice offered by her relative Emperor Charles V at the start of Mary’s reign and judge whether she followed it.

Designed for teaching an academically able Key Stage 3 class covering the Tudors.
Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.