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Use this lesson to find out why children were sent abroad in the period 1869-1913. What was the justification for doing this? Suitable for: Key stage 2, Key stage 3, Key stage 4 Old Bailey records reveal that thousands of children were transported to Australia as criminals between 1787 and 1868. However, from 1869-1930, 80,000 children were forced to migrate to Canada. Behind this forced migration were individuals such as Maria Rye, Annie Macpherson, and Thomas Barnardo, and institutions such as the poor law unions, local government board, and the Home Office.

This lesson can be used with key stage 3 pupils in year 9. It looks at the story of the Bussa rebellion on Barbados based on evidence relating to the reaction of the British authorities.

This starter lesson will introduce you to Kenilworth Castle using visual sources from more recent times. There is a postcard from 1903, a modern aerial photograph, a Victorian photograph and some modern plans of the castle which show change over time to its buildings. Once you have finished this activity, attempt our lesson on Kenilworth Castle which is based on original medieval documents. Suitable for: Key stage 4

Compare the accounts as well as other evidence of Captain Cook’s death, to work out what happened when Cook died. Why is it important to consider a range of sources? What things influence how the historical narrative is set out? On 14 February 1779, Captain James Cook – the British navigator and explorer – was killed in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii in a confrontation with the indigenous Hawaiians (Kānaka Maoli). The story of his death, and his legacy, has been much explored and debated. Your job in this lesson is simple: use original sources to find out what really happened. Or maybe it’s not so simple? In this lesson, students will explore different accounts of Cook’s final moments. These accounts are based on the logs from different members of Cook’s crew. Students will then look at depictions of Cook’s death in art. None of these accounts come from the Hawaiian perspective – this is important to keep in mind as you go through the lesson.

Use the original documents in this lesson to find out about the Corn Laws: how the British public reacted to them, and their eventual repeal in 1846. Suitable for: Key stage 4, Key stage 5 The Corn Laws were passed by the Conservative Prime Minister, Lord Liverpool, in 1815. These were measures brought in by the British government to protect landowners and farmers. They controlled the price of all grain crops, including wheat, barley and oats. After the Napoleonic Wars, food prices were predicted to fall as Britain resumed its trade with Europe, and goods could once again be imported to Britain. However, further imports of cheaper foreign grain harmed the interests of British landowners and farmers. The Corn Laws were aimed to prevent this harm. The laws placed tariffs on grain imported from other countries. The price of grain at home had to reach extremely high levels before duty-free grain from overseas was permitted. Harsh import duties made buying grain from abroad unaffordable. Therefore, the Corn Laws made it expensive to import grain, even when domestic grain was in very short supply. The laws were met by fierce opposition from the public and there were frequent riots against them. The Anti-Corn Law League, founded in 1839, campaigned to repeal the laws. The Corn Laws remained in place until 1846; despite strong opposition from his own political party, Conservative Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel repealed them in 1846. Peel gives his reasons for doing so in a document here.