Free 12th Grade English Civil War Lesson Plan

Topic: History of English Civil War

Objectives & Outcomes

• To understand the reasons behind the outbreak of the English Civil War and its major events and turning points.
• To be able to explain the key features and consequences of the major constitutional arrangements imposed by the victors at the end of the war.

Materials

• Maps of England and Ireland in the 16th century
• Diagrams showing the different constitutional arrangements in place at the start of the war
• Handouts with information on the major characters and events of the civil war
• Copies of the Declaration of Breda and the Solemn League and Covenant for students to reference during the lesson

Warm-up

• Begin the lesson by asking students if they know what the English Civil War was and why it occurred. Allow them to take turns to share their ideas.
• Next, display the maps of England and Ireland and briefly explain that in the 16th century, England was a composite kingdom with its northern part ruled by a set of Protestant monarchs and its southern part ruled by a Catholic monarch. Ask students if they can think of any reasons why these two parts might have disagreed with each other and why this might have led to a civil war.

Direct Instruction

• Next, give a brief overview of the political and religious tensions in England in the 16th century, including the conflicts between the Protestant and Catholic factions and the struggle for power between the monarchy and Parliament.
• Emphasize that the English Civil War was a series of conflicts that lasted for nearly a decade (1642-1651) and resulted in the establishment of a new form of government in England, with Parliament becoming the supreme power and the monarch having limited powers.
• Use the documents and maps to provide examples and details of the events that took place during the English Civil War, including the initial uprising against the monarch in 1642, the Battle of Naseby in 1645, and the defeat of the royalist forces in 1646.

Guided Practice

• Divide the class into small groups and give each group a set of primary sources, including letters, poems, and propaganda posters written during the English Civil War.
• Have the groups work together to analyze the texts and identify the main ideas and themes presented in the sources.
• As a class, discuss the themes and ideas identified by the groups and how they help us to understand the events and experience of the English Civil War.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose one event or person from the English Civil War that they are interested in learning more about.
• Have them write a research report on their chosen topic, including information on the main events and experiences of their chosen person or event, as well as any important themes and ideas.

Closure

• Review the main points and key ideas of the English Civil War as a class.
• Ask students to share something they learned or found interesting about the English Civil War.

Assessment

• Assess student understanding through a test or quiz on the key facts and events of the English Civil War.