In History, Year Two have been learning all about King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth II. They explored their family trees and identified the similarities and differences between the two monarchs.
To begin, the children learned about the family of Henry VIII. They were fascinated to learn that Henry was never meant to become king. His eldest brother, Arthur, died in battle which meant Henry succeeded his father, Henry VII, when he died. Next, Year Two completed a fact file all about Henry’s wives – all six of them! The children learned who they were, how many children they had and how their marriage to Henry ended. The boys and girls were given an insight into Henry’s temper when they found out he chopped off some of their heads. Linking to their termly topic, Happy Life, Healthy Life, the children explored Henry VIII’s diet and used this to decide whether he was a healthy man. They quickly realised that he ate foods that were high in fat and sugar, unlike his servants who were left with bread, ale and mutton.
The children then moved on to a more recent period of History and explored the life of Queen Elizabeth II. They completed a family tree which included her parents, sister and four children. Then, the boys and girls learned about the significant events that took place during the late Queen’s life. This included everything from her birth and coronation to her funeral. Did you know, Elizabeth didn’t expect to become queen either? Her uncle, Edward VIII, gave up the throne which led to her father’s accession.
The children then compared Henry and Elizabeth. First, they looked at their line of succession and explored the reasons behind it. Henry VIII was succeeded by his youngest child, Edward VI, because he was a boy. Whereas, Elizabeth II was succeeded King Charles III as he was her eldest child. Finally, the children compared the life of the monarchs, from their place of birth to the length of their reign. The children identified that although they were both born in London, they were very different rulers.
Article 28: We all have the right to a good quality education.
