Year 8 Independent Learning Assessment (Foundation)

What makes a successful King or Queen?

In this assessment you are being asked to choose a monarch (king/queen) and to explain whether you think they were successful or not.

Chooseone of these monarchs:

  • Henry VII
  • Henry VIII
  • Edward VI
  • Mary I
  • Elizabeth I
  • James I
  • Charles I

You will need to give reasons why you have chosen this person.

Week One - Planning

First you will need to think about what makes a monarch successful.You may have work in your exercise books to help you with this.

Week Two - Planning

Read about the monarch you have chosen and make notes on or highlight what things they did that succeeded (worked) and what things failed.

  • Were they successful in dealing with the problem of having an heir?
  • Were they successful in coping with religion, war, controlling the country?
  • Were they successful overall or not?

Week three - Planning

Write examples of things they succeeded in and things that failedon the spider diagramson Page 8 of this pack.

Now fill in the success gridon Page 6 of this pack. Remember to give facts and dates to say what succeeded and what failed.

This will tell you what your chosenmonarch’s successes and failures were.

Week Four – Writing up

Now you have looked at the evidence, it is time to decide why you think they were successful or a failure. What did they do that was not successful?

Start writing your long answer now. This what your teacher will mark.

The spider diagram and grid will help you.

You can copy and complete the writing frame below to help if you wish to, but do not write on the sheets.

Week five:

Finish your answer. Reread it and make any corrections. Make sure it has your name on it. Could the presentation be better?

Writing Frame

Section One: “I think that a King or Queen is successful if …………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………………..(Should they think of themselves or their country first?)

They should try to avoid a war because ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

But if they have to fight then they must ……………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

If they really cared about their people they would not force them to believe ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..…

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

A good monarch would not spend ………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I also think ………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Section Two: “The monarch I have chosen to write about is …......

My chosen monarch ...... had many problems such as ......

...... and ......

......

...... was successful in one main area such as ......

......

Other problems they solved were (you must say what they did)......

......

......

......

......

......

......

He/she was successful because......

......

......

One area they were not successful in was ......

......

......

......

......

SectionThree: He/she was unsuccessful because…......

......

......

......

Section Five: In conclusion, he/she was successful/unsuccessful so ......

......

......

......

What makes a successful monarch?

Issue / success / failure / neither / Evidence
Winning wars
Keeping control of the country
Producing an heir
Making money
Religious changes
Other

ImportantEvents in Three Monarchs’ Reigns

Henry VIII / Elizabeth I / Charles I
War / Scotland and France / Spanish Armada / Civil Wars
Marriage / 6 wives / None / 1 wife, Henrietta Maria from France
Heir / 3; Mary, Elizabeth and Edward / None / Son, Charles
Religion / Split from Roman Catholic Church / Made England Protestant / Made some changes
control / Forced people to obey / Forced people to obey / Lost control
Money / Made from dissolution of the monasteries / Made from robbing Spanish ships and the colonies / Made from tax

Key Words that should be in your assessment

Useful phrases to use

But

However,

This meant that,

and so