Bonnie Prince Charlie: interpretations task using completion exercises

Study the following school-based tasks. At what point do you think the pupils are considering ‘historical interpretations'? They involve relatively simple tasks for Year 8 pupils studying ‘The Making of the United Kingdom '. The approach is to present the pupils with a comparison which requires them to make a series of decisions. Having done this, they have to try to give reasons for their choice. The later questions reflect an incline of difficulty represented in the chart at the beginning of this section.

Read carefully the following two passages about ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie' and answer the questions which follow.

Source A

Charles was an idle spectator of the Battle of Culloden at a safe distance. He took the first opportunity to flee and to preserve his life - a life perhaps more worthless and miserable than that of the most wretched of fellows.

Source B

At the Battle of Falkirk, the presence of Charles encouraged the Highlanders. He praised their courage. He made them pick up their musket (guns), which lay thick on the ground and, ordering them to follow him, led them to the brow of the hill.

1. In the right-hand column of the following table, mark either ‘A' (for Source A) or ‘B' (for Source B) against those words which agree with that source.

2. Using the words in the table, complete the following sentences.

Source A says Charles was_______________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Source B says Charles was_______________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. One of the sources was a statement by a Highland officer, who fought with Charles and the other comes from a newspaper, which was published in London in 1746. The newspaper was called the ‘True Patriot'. Read the sources again and complete the following:

A Highland Officer wrote Source____________

The True Patriot published Source___________

4. Try to give reasons for your choice to the previous question.

5. Why do you think these sources give such a different description of of ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie'?

6. Do you think Source A or Source B gives the more accurate description of Charles? Explain your choice.

Back to Interpretations home

Back to History PGCE