This resource contains a fully-resourced enquiry planned for with Year 8 or 9 in mind which considers the nature of revolution as a substantive concept.

The concept of the 'revolutionary' was forged during this period: while Washington and Jefferson were engaged in 'politic-building', they did not conceive of themselves as revolutionaries in the way that we understand it (e.g. Lenin, Che). However, revolutions during this period were not happening independently and players were watching each other, so that by the time of the Haitian Revolution, Toussaint L’Ouverture actually started to identify himself with a collection of habits and roles fulfilled by a 'revolutionary' – such as with the image and propaganda, soundbites and cause. This enquiry aims to give teachers time and space within the Key Stage 3 curriculum to allow pupils to explore the fertility, fluidity and flexibility of a substantive concept within a short, highly volatile period of time. 

This resource was written by William Bailey-Watson, subject lead for PGCE History at the University of Reading and Teacher Fellow of the Historical Association.