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The Historian 159: Out now
The magazine of the Historical Association
Read The Historian 159: Branches
Welcome to this Branches edition of The Historian, a regular version of the magazine where many of the articles are based on talks and activities from Historical Association branches across the country. The last Branches edition came out in November 2021 and at that time...
The Historian 159: Out now
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"Is it the Tuarts and then the Studors or the other way round?" The importance of developing a usable big picture of the past
Teaching History article
What should pupils know and understand as a result of their historical studies? This question is much in the news currently and too often quickly posed and glibly answered. In this article, Jonathan Howson poses this problem in the light of an ongoing research tradition that has sought complex answers...
"Is it the Tuarts and then the Studors or the other way round?" The importance of developing a usable big picture of the past
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Pupils as apprentice historians (4)
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
The Historical Association [HA] supports effective, stimulating and rewarding history teaching through its website, publications and in-service programme, particularly Primary History and its HITT [History in Initial Teacher Training Programme]. HITT provides extensive guidance on a...
Pupils as apprentice historians (4)
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Triumphs Show: Recovering the queer history of Weimar Germany in GCSE history
Teaching History feature
Berlin staged its first Christopher Street Day celebration in 1979. This queer pride event commemorated the Stonewall riots that took place a decade earlier in New York City, and it has continued to be a popular annual event in Germany. Its celebration of a landmark moment in American history, however,...
Triumphs Show: Recovering the queer history of Weimar Germany in GCSE history
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Coherence in primary history
Primary History article
This article looks at what coherence is, how it can be mapped and ways in which classroom activities can enhance pupils’ awareness of the past in a more coherent way.
What is it?
The term ‘coherence’ has been around a fair time now. Most reincarnations of the National Curriculum have referred to the need for...
Coherence in primary history
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Stories, sources and new formats: Digitising Archives
Historian article
In the last two decades or so there has been a movement towards digitising large collections of original sources. These projects have had a range of purposes, approaches and target audiences but there can be little doubt that they have had a profound impact on the practice of history in...
Stories, sources and new formats: Digitising Archives
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A European dimension to local history
Historian article
Trevor James raises the prospect of broadening our approaches to local history to take a wider European perspective.
When Professor W. G. Hoskins published his The Making of the English Landscape in 1955, he taught us how to observe and understand the topography of our landscapes, urban and rural, and...
A European dimension to local history
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On-demand webinar: Supporting pupils in reaching independent conclusions in primary history
Avoiding confusion and challenging misconceptions in primary history
Avoiding confusion and challenging misconceptions in primary history
Session 5: Supporting pupils in reaching independent conclusions in primary history
This practical webinar will demonstrate how people can be supported in, reaching their own independent conclusions about the history, they are studying. It will suggest a number of careful ways of...
On-demand webinar: Supporting pupils in reaching independent conclusions in primary history
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Past Forward: Introduction
Article
The Historical Association held a major conference on history education, at the Cherwell School, Oxford on Saturday 28th September 2002. Entitled ‘Past Forward: A Vision for School History 2002-2012’, it was a celebration of recent trends in history teaching and a chance to reflect critically on where history education needs...
Past Forward: Introduction
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The Historian 14
The magazine of the Historical Association
3 Feature: Child Labour in the Industrial Revolution, Hugh Cunningham
10 Anniversary: 200 — Not Out! Bicentenary of Lord's Cricket Ground
12 Education Forum: History from 14 to 16, Martin Roberts
13 Local History: The Countryside: History and Pseudo-History, Oliver Rackham
19 Interpretation: How Wicked were Irish Landlords? David-Paterson
23 Personalia: Profile...
The Historian 14
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The Historian 45
The magazine of the Historical Association
Featured articles
3 Assessing British India - P.J. Marshall
9 Local History: W.G. Hoskins and the Local Springs of English History - Charles Phythian-Adams
25 Education Forum: Current Challenges and Developments in the Teaching of History in Northern Ireland: To teach the history of Northern Ireland or not? - Carmel Gallagher
The Historian 45
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Britain: the regional battlefields that helped to create a nation
Historian article
In this article Geoffrey Carter will be taking a look at battlefields as key elements in British history and how these can be incorporated into the study of history at various levels and in various periods. The regional nature of many historic conflicts is sometimes forgotten but this is an...
Britain: the regional battlefields that helped to create a nation
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Limited lessons from the Holocaust?
Teaching History article
Limited lessons from the Holocaust? Critically considering the ‘anti-racist' and citizenship potential
Previous issues of Teaching History have seen extensive debate about the appropriateness of approaching Holocaust education with explicitly social or moral - as opposed to historical - aims. Rather than taking sides, Alice Pettigrew first acknowledges the range...
Limited lessons from the Holocaust?
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Join and explore all you love about history
Information
HA membership starts from as little as £39.50 at concessionary rate, and £59.50 at individual rate. You can also get two extra months for free by quoting the code OL19 over the phone.Call us on 0300 100 0223 or join online today
Discover local branch talks and visits
With over 45 vibrant local branches across the...
Join and explore all you love about history
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Facing History
Article
Facing History is an American organisation and website that provides CPD materials and resources on identity, memory and forgiveness. They have a series of case studies and video materials for teachers. There are materials on Civil Rights and, for example, the Armenian Genocide, on their website.
Facing History Website>>>
Holocaust...
Facing History
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Liaising with Others - Quick Links
List of Articles
Liasing with Others (Links)
Liaising with an historian:
‘Miss, did this really happen here?' Exploring big overviews through local depthLiaising with the community:
Teaching the very recent past: ‘Miriam's Vision' and the London bombingsLiaising with the academy:
Using time-lines in assessmentLiaising with an historian:
Taking new historical research into the...
Liaising with Others - Quick Links
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Disembarking the religious rollercoaster
Teaching History article
Sarah Jackson-Buckley and Jessie Phillips found themselves perennially dissatisfied with the outcomes of their teaching of the Protestant Reformation. Determined that students should take away a sense of the momentous political and social consequences of the Reformation, they turned to historical scholarship, and to the work of other history teachers on...
Disembarking the religious rollercoaster
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The Black Leveller
Historian Article
History is rarely far removed from today's concerns. What is true of history in general is true of biography; specifically. Darcus Howe: a political biography is no exception. In writing it, we were consciously intervening in current debates about Britain and ‘race'.
The impetus to write emerged in 2008 during...
The Black Leveller
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On-demand webinar series: Direct history teaching
HA webinar series for history teachers at KS3 and KS4
What does this series cover?
In this webinar series, explore a direct approach to teaching history. Presenters Jacob Olivey and Mike Hill will advocate for ‘lean lessons’ that focus on reading, explanation, and discussion to build pupils’ historical knowledge and understanding – with no worksheets, activities, or group work in...
On-demand webinar series: Direct history teaching
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Why essay-writing remains central to learning history at AS level
Teaching History article
Richard Harris challenges those who play down the essay in their teaching of the new AS Level. He argues that essay-writing embodies historical thinking and that it is therefore an essential tool for developing students’ understanding of history as an opinion-forming, judgement making process. Students need to practise developed, evidential...
Why essay-writing remains central to learning history at AS level
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Computers don't bite! Your first tentative steps in using ICT in the classroom.
Article
This article is for beginners. It will also provide perspectives and ideas for those training history teachers in the use of ICT for improving pupils’ learning. Drawing upon his experience in managing the HA’s NOF training programme, Alf Wilkinson outlines some practical activities that are ideal for getting the novice...
Computers don't bite! Your first tentative steps in using ICT in the classroom.
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On-demand webinar: Helping the past take shape with historical enquiry
Embracing messiness: teaching disciplinary thinking in history
Embracing messiness: teaching disciplinary thinking in history
Session 5: Helping the past take shape with historical enquiry
This session focuses into enquiry and on second order concepts. It offers practical advice to how second order concepts can be introduced in a way that is historically rigorous. We will explicitly address...
On-demand webinar: Helping the past take shape with historical enquiry
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Filmed Lecture: Medlicott Lecture 2025 - Dr Christine Counsell
Dr Christine Counsell
The Historical Association's Medlicott Medal 2025 was awarded to Dr Christine Counsell. The award seeks to recognise individuals from a diversity of backgrounds in their service to history. Read more about Christine, her work and her award here.
As is the custom, Dr Christine Counsell received her award and presented her...
Filmed Lecture: Medlicott Lecture 2025 - Dr Christine Counsell
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Riots, railways and a Hampshire hill fort: Exploiting local history for rigorous evidential enquiry
Teaching History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Rigorous historical enquiry is integral to effective history teaching. The 2008 National Curriculum has recognised its importance by giving it a broader definition as a key process to include not only the use of historical...
Riots, railways and a Hampshire hill fort: Exploiting local history for rigorous evidential enquiry
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Significance - Powerpoint Presentation - Changes in the KS3 Curriculum
Article
What is historical significance?The starting quote is taken from the address of Michael Spinney to the Independent Association of Prep Schools. His comments are typical of those that have been made in national political and education fora ever since the introduction of a history National Curriculum. At their heart is...
Significance - Powerpoint Presentation - Changes in the KS3 Curriculum
