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A2 Module: The Tudors 1C

Unit: The early Tudors (Henry VII and Henry VIII)

Year group: 12

When taught: September to May

AQA syllabus link: click here

What are we learning?

Unit 1: Political context of 1485, the War of the Roses and Henry VII’s consolidation of power

Unit 2: Henry VII: government and finance/ extending control over the nobility

Unit 3: Henry VII’s foreign policy

Unit 4: Economic and social change under Henry VII

Unit 5: Henry VIII’s early years and Wolsey

Unit 6: Henry’s Great Matter and the Break with Rome

Unit 7: The impact of the Break with Rome

Unit 8: Changes to central, local and regional government including Ireland

Unit 9: Henry VIII’s foreign policy

Unit 10: Social and economic change under Henry VIII

How will we be assessed on this topic?

  • There are 10 knowledge tests throughout the year which correspond to the 10 units above.
  • Regular essays and interpretation questions set as homework and timed essays in class.
  • Mock exam at the end of January
  • AS exam in May

What makes a strong piece of work in this topic?  What are teachers hoping to see?  

  • A very good contextual understanding of the period;
  • Use of a wide range of specific factual evidence relevant to the question asked;
  • A wide range of appropriate key terms used in written responses;
  • Highly developed explanation and evaluation;
  • Balanced writing which as a clear thread of argument from beginning to end.
  • Sustained judgements made throughout essays and especially in overall conclusions.
  • The ability to understanding complex academic text and summarise arguments in your own language.
  • Ability to analyse interpretations, coming to sustained judgements.

What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?

  • Learn more about the Tudors by using the school’s Historical Association account where you will find lots of information/ podcasts about the topic. Ask Mrs Wahlen for the username and password;
  • Listen to some podcasts. There are some excellent pods on The Rest is History: click here
  • Or Not Just the Tudors: Click here 
  • Watch some relevant films and documentaries about Elizabethan England or the Tudors (remember A LOT of the films are not historically accurate – but fun nonetheless!)
    • Elizabeth
    • Elizabeth -the Golden Age
    • Shakespeare in Love
    • The Other Boleyn Girl
    • Mary Queen of Scots (historically dreadful!)
    • Wolf Hall : BBC series
    • A History of Britain by Simon Sharma episode 7: click here 

Read some historical fiction or non fiction – see the ideas below!

What wider reading can be done on this topic?

There is a whole range of historical fiction on Tudor and Elizabethan England Below are a few ideas – some are available from the library:

  • Dissolution: The Shardlake Series by CJ Sansom
  • The Wolf Hall Trilogy by Hilary Mantel: click here

Recommended non-fiction:

Supporting document/links:

  • Students will be given a knowledge organiser at the end of the topic to revise for the end of topic assessment.
  • Students will also have access to revision booklets for each topic available via the resources drive