This guide is aimed at students to help them study, revise and be prepared for the AQA Elizabethan Historic Environment question for 2025. I have broken down the main details into manageable chunks using the 5 w’s of what, where, when, why and who , This guide has been revised from my 2018 version and focuses on the main concepts of location, function, structure, design, people connected to it, the culture, values and fashions of the time and how the site links to important events of the period. I have also included all the key information needed such as Bess’s background and status, the latest in fashions and the designing of Hardwick Hall as well as its furnishings and garden layout. Please note that many of the pictures from the AQA guidance on Hardwick Hall are not included due to copyright. Please feel free to therefore adapt the guide and include them. Any reviews on this resource would be greatly appreciated

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the reasons behind the systematic persecution of minority groups in German society. Whilst the Nazis aimed to create a unified and homogeneous national community by promoting a sense of collective identity among “racially pure” Germans, students will find that this idea was based on the exclusion of those deemed “racially inferior” or politically undesirable. Students are introduced to the theory of eugenics and the significance of this theory when applied to this persecution. Students learn about the policies towards different minorities including Roma and Sinti peoples, disabled, homosexuals, religious groups and the Euthanasia programme set up in Berlin. There are tasks to complete throughout including prioritisation exercises, key questions and source analysis. The lesson is quite literacy heavy and may have to be delivered over two lessons. There is some exam practice to be completed at the end, with a focused markscheme provided if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess the growing discrimination and persecution of Jewish people in Nazi Germany between 1933-7. Students begin by evaluating some Nazi propaganda posters and a source from an eye witness account to gain an understanding of the changing Nazi policy towards Jewish people. They will also learn about the different laws and measures introduced and how these impacted upon the Jewish community living in Germany. There is also a focus on the Nuremberg Laws and their impending impact. I have also included who was classed as a Jewish person in Germany and how this applied through their ancestry, rather than heritage. There is some exam practice to be completed at the end, with a focused markscheme provided if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess the short and long term impacts of key events upon the Jewish community between 1938-40 such as the Anschluss, Kristallnacht, emigration and the invasion and Poland. Students begin the lesson by analysing the events of the Anschluss and the impact upon the Jewish community living in Austria. They are also required to match up a number of statements on the significance of decrees passed in Germany leading up to Kristallnacht and discuss why this event was pivotal for the Jewish people in Germany and Europe. Further analysis of voluntary and forced emigration within Germany and the key figures of Heydrich and Eichmann will give the students an in-depth and rounded study of the period, together with details of the flawed Madagascar plan. The lesson will culminate with a final assessment of the invasion of Poland will require them to prioritise the most important reasons for a change in policy towards the Jewish question in Europe. There is a thinking hats plenary to finish with some exam question practice, complete with markscheme finishes the lesson. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the reasons behind the radicalisation of Nazi policies towards Jewish people in the years 1940-41. The scene is set with the outbreak of war, the invasion of the Soviet Union and further restrictions placed on Jewish people in Germany. Students follow a flow diagram of events with questions posed throughout. There is also a case study of the Warsaw Ghetto and its uprising. They are then introduced to the Einsatzgruppen, what their key aims were and the possible actions they carried out in a true or false quiz. Further information, including whether the group were ‘ordinary men’ or ‘willing executioners’ is examined before students complete a quiz to check their understanding and consolidate their learning. There is some exam practice to be completed at the end, with a focused markscheme provided if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess the impact of Albert Speer in armaments production. The lesson begins with a recap of the policies previously mentioned of Hjalmar Schacht and Goering in his Four Year Plan. Students will assess how much of an impact their policies had preparing Germany for war and if the German economy was on the verge of collapse before from 1942. Students will learn about the background of Speer and how he implemented reforms and efficiency to turn the economy around with his appointment as Armaments Minister and War production. There is some source analysis to complete together with a true or false quiz at the end of the lesson. The exam practice will allow students to evaluate the successes of Speer’s policies as well as questioning deep rooted divisions and problems within the economy, which were unreconcilable and ultimately led to its collapse with the defeat of Nazi Germany. The lesson is quite literacy heavy and may have to be delivered over two lessons. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to judge how rebellious the youth of the Weimar Republic really was. Students are required to complete some source scholarship and evaluate a range of information to make up their minds before tackling an exam practice question. They analyse how they were educated and the provision of schooling along class lines as well as there affinity to youth groups and youth gangs. The plenary however challenges this negativity and gets students to think of positive aspects of youth culture. Some exam question practice concludes the lesson, complete with planning sheet, hints and tip and a generic markscheme. There is a enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to judge how far Jewish people assimilated themselves into German society. Students learn about how many Jewish people became important figure in Weimar society from producers and directors in the film industry, political editors, journalists as well as being successful in finance, banking and cabinet ministers. They will also assess how events such as the Barnat scandal turned some Germans against the Jewish community and finally judge for themselves how assimilated they had become by 1929. The plenary is a flash card activity where the students link people and events to themes throughout the lesson. There is a enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to analyse the appeal of Communism to German voters. The lesson begins with students evaluating the significance and inferences of a 1919 communist propaganda poster. Students will engage in differentiated questioning linked to statements about the tactics of the Communist KPD Party. The lesson will compare the support for Communism with the rapid rise of the Nazi Party, examining the reasons behind the disparity in their electoral success. Students will also assess and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Communism, providing reasons for their evaluations. The plenary activity will be a hangman game using key terms from the lesson to reinforce learning. To conclude, students can complete some exam question practice, with structured support provided to help them effectively answer the question. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the success of Stresemann’s policy of fulfilment. Was his commitment to fulfilment just a devious policy to cover up his nationalist agenda or is this too harsh a judgement and Stresemann remains one of the outstanding political figure of the Weimar era? Students begin by learning what fulfilment was and how the Allied powers viewed Germany by 1924. They will then analyse what Stresemann achieved such as the Locarno Pact, Kellogg-Briand and Berlin Treaty. However further analysis reveals some secret dealings with Russia and rearmament; in some exam question practice students will be required to make a judgement as said above. He plenary asks students to unscramble some key words from the lesson and explain their context. There is a enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess the stability and strength of coalition governments during the ‘Golden Age’ of Germany. Students begin by assessing why this time has been called a period of political stability, with extremist group and anti-Republican parties losing support. They hava a number of statistics to analyse as well as making a judgement as to how stable the Republic really was. The election of Paul von Hindenburg will give them ammunition as well as information about the political parties to attempt some GCE question practice at the end. The plenary gives some humour to the political machinations of the Weimar Republic where students have to answer questions by splatting bubbles. There is a enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is evaluate the consequences of the collapse of the Grand Coalition for the Weimar Republic. Students begin the lesson with some differentiated questioning on the reasons for the collapse of the coalition and its immediate impact on Government as well as analysing the opposition to the Young Plan and the effects on law and order. They are also required to evaluate the impact of the decrees passed and the result of Bruning’s disastrous economic policies. The plenary Is an odd one out activity to consolidate the learning from the lesson. Some exam practice can be completed at the end, with help and structure given to answer the question if needed. There is a enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess whether the war in the East was the main reason for the implementation of the Final Solution. This lesson can be delivered over two, with the breath and depth of information covered. Students begin with a recap of some key dates in their implementation of anti-Semitic policies. The significance of the Wannsee Conference is explained, with a comprehension task and timeline guide to examine in the move towards the Final Solution. There are some key multiple choice questions to answer as well as some map analysis of the concentration and extermination camps in Europe. Case Studies on Auschwitz and Ceija’s Story give context to the horrific crimes committed by the Nazis in this period. The final parts of the lesson focus on Jewish resistance (with a colour coding activity to complete) as well as a note on the death marches and questions over who bears responsibility for the holocaust. The lesson is quite literacy heavy and may have to be delivered over two lessons. There is some exam practice to be completed at the end, with a focused markscheme provided if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate to what extent were the elites, workers women and young people affected by war between 1939-45 in Germany. The students analyse and evaluate the roles played by these different groups in turn during the war and assess how each group were impacted. Key questions are asked throughout and students are required at the end to prioritise which group was the most affected and why. The lesson may be delivered over two lessons. There is some exam practice to be completed at the end, with a focused markscheme provided if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to challenge the view that Mary’s foreign policy was a disaster. Students are given the context to Europe at Mary’s accession to the throne and how she was brought into the Habsburg-Valois conflict as a result of her marriage to Philip II of Spain. There are some differentiated questions to answer using some extended comprehension, as well a discussion on the pros and cons of her foreign policy. This is a case study of the capture of Calais from a recent BBC magazine article which sets up an extract practice question to answer, complete with a detailed markscheme to help if required. The plenary challenges what students have learnt in the lesson and some assumptions made by historians. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate if Mary’s religious changes helped or hindered the return to Catholicism in England. Students begin by recapping on Mary’s key people and her possible thought processes on a return to Roman Catholicism. They will also learn her views on religion and discuss to what extent Mary was prepared to go to reassert the Pope’s authority over the Church. Students are also given a number of scenarios from which they have to assess the consequences to possible actions taken by Mary and her government such as the repatriation of monastic lands. The final learning task requires some decisions to be made over if Mary used a successful carrot or stick policy and the obstacles facing her for a full return to Rome. There is some exam question practice to finish, complete with a writing frame and markscheme to help if required. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the success of the religious settlement. Students begin by analysing the various intricacies of the Settlement, from the Royal Injunctions, the 39 Articles to the Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity. Using this information, they then have to decide which historian’s viewpoint appears the more accurate on the settlement and explain why. Moreover students have to discover which parts of the settlement are from Elizabeth’s own personal beliefs and which parts did she have to compromise on. There is some exam practice to complete if required with help and prompts given. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to assess how much of a threat Catholicism posed to Elizabeth during her reign. The lesson begins with an analysis of the Northern Rebellion. Was it a direct consequence of the Religious Settlement or simply a Catholic uprising against Elizabeth? Further analysis focuses on the role played by seminary and Jesuits priests who came to England to spread the word of Catholicism and reconvert the masses; students have to decide if they had little influence or posed a direct threat to Elizabeth. Furthermore students judge how significant the measures put in place to tackle these threats were. Some exam practice is included with help given if required. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to judge the success of Elizabethan exploration and colonisation. Students are first introduced to the most influential seafarers of the age; Drake, Hawkins and Raleigh Students are required to evaluate the significance of their activities, such as slave trading, the colonisation of Virginia and attacks on Spanish shipping as a result of the attack on San Juan de Ulua. They also analyse the reasons why exploration increased with new ship design and navigational techniques. As well as focusing on Drake’s epic circumnavigation of the globe and the enormous revenue he generated for the crown, some misconceptions are also clarified such as what colonisation meant to the Elizabethans and how much overseas trade expanded as a result of voyages to the New World. There is some exam practice to complete if required, which questions if Drake’s exploits were the main cause of hostilities with Spain. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of Elizabeth’s government. Students will analyse a number of key institutions of Government ranging from Parliament, the Royal Court and the Privy Council on a national level to Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs and Lord Lieutenants on a local level. There are a number of slides within this PowerPoint and it is therefore recommended to deliver it over two lessons. Students will also learn details of conflicts Elizabeth had with Parliament and her Privy Council, the factions which developed in her reign and how she was able to overcome these through her diplomacy and strength of character. A 20 question quiz concludes the lesson as well as some exam question practice if required with some guidance and a mark scheme provided. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.