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History (Early Modern)

Tudors (002)

Early History is a fascinating subject that will help you gain a better understanding of the world, and your place in it. It helps you develop arguments, to analyse and question the past and each other, as well as building an impressive body of knowledge.

Early Modern History students will study British and European History from 1400-1600. We will learn about tensions between the monarchy and the nobility, from Henry IV to Henry VII, military victories including the Battle of Agincourt and Battle of Bosworth, and the chaos and turbulence known as the ‘Wars of the Roses’, including fascinating mysteries such as the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’. The course will continue this look at England, with a study of Tudor England from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I, considering changes to the monarchy, religion, the economy, politics, society and culture throughout the period. Alongside studying the English Reformation, we will examine Martin Luther and the German Reformation, considering the relationships between the Holy Roman Emperor, the Church and the princes of central Europe, as well as the Ottoman threat.

Studying Tudor England will allow you to explore how Tudor kings and queens exerted control through religion, the economy and politics. The German Reformation shows us how Europe was torn apart by different ideas and the impact this had on ordinary people across the continent. For coursework students will be able to develop their own enquiry, based on a topic that historians disagree on. Exploring this period in-depth, students will investigate using a range of sources, historian’s interpretations and develop their own ideas, which they will be able to argue convincingly both verbally and in essays.

“History is all about people, about understanding why people did the things they did, about the complexity of life. That’s why I love it so much.”

Next Steps

Our students have gone on to an impressive range of destinations and courses. Many of our students progress on to university to study History, but History also facilitates the study of many other degree subjects, too many to list here. Some of our students have become medics, others architects, working in government and financial services, the list is almost limitless.

Many of our students also go into apprenticeships and employment straight from College. History will help build your communication skills and your confidence in talking with a range of people and audiences. Reading under pressure, handling varying forms of data, questioning and rationalising, defending or probing an argument all whilst having an open and enquiring mind will all help you in the workplace.