Making History
12th January 2006
Big Picture Interactive have been chosen to create an educational site for The National Archives. The site will bring to life the subject of the English Civil War.
The Civil War exhibition, will be based on original documents from the National Archives’ collections, for a Key Stage 3, Year 8 audience (pupils aged around 13 years).
The subject is the 17th century Civil War in England, Scotland and Ireland. The site will cover the following themes:
- Sensational sources (how to use historical documents from the time)
- What kind of king was Charles I?
- Why did people go to war in 1642?
- Why did people want the king back in 1646?
- Why did Britain become a republic?
- What kind of ruler was Oliver Cromwell?
The exhibition will feature digital images of a range of sources from the National Archives that few people will have seen before. Teachers will be able to use these sources to bring alive the history of the period for their students, and explore how archival sources are used and interpreted by historians.
The aim is to combine material from the archival collections, historical information, and online learning activities in an innovative and attractive format.
Big Picture Interactive has taken on the challenge to use design and online technologies in creative ways to help students access, engage with and understand these documents and ideas from another time.
The website will be launched in the Spring of 2006.
The National Archives Learning Curve
Learning Curve is a free online teaching and learning resource, following the History National Curriculum from Key Stages 2 to 5. There are three central concepts to the Learning Curve:
- Sources: see documents, photos and film from the National Archives
- History: unlock the meaning of these records
- Education: enjoy games and activities for thinking and learning about our past
