AQA A Level History: The Tudors – Edward VI & Mary I Complete Lesson Bundle

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603

This comprehensive bundle has been designed to help A Level History students confidently access the challenging themes, interpretations and concepts of the AQA Tudors course while developing strong analytical and exam skills.

Covering the reigns of both Edward VI and Mary I, these lessons move beyond traditional interpretations and encourage students to engage critically with historical debate, historiography and Tudor government.

Edward VI is often presented as a passive figure overshadowed by Somerset and Northumberland. This enquiry-based bundle challenges that interpretation and encourages students to reconsider Edward’s role within his own reign.

Students will investigate:

How far Edward VI was fit to rule
Edward’s personality, beliefs and political influence
The significance of Somerset and Northumberland
The causes of rebellion and instability
Religious change and the Edwardian Reformation
The impact of leading reformers including Cranmer and Hooper
Why both Somerset and Northumberland ultimately fell from power

Mary I’s reign has traditionally been viewed negatively. These lessons challenge simplistic interpretations and encourage students to assess Mary as a determined, politically capable and significant Tudor monarch, whilst also evaluating the limitations and failures of her reign.

Key areas covered include:

Was a woman considered fit to rule England?
Mary’s accession and priorities as queen
Government, Parliament and royal authority
Philip II, Wyatt’s Rebellion and foreign policy
The Counter-Reformation and Marian persecution
The influence of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
Economic challenges and Mary’s long-term legacy
Comparisons between Edwardian and Marian religious reform

Students develop evaluative skills through interpretation work, source analysis and debate-based activities.

The lessons are as follows:
L1 Introduction to Edward
L2 The rise of Somerset (free resource)
L3 Rule of Somerset
L4 Rise of Northumberland
L5 Rule of Northumberland
L6 The Edwardian Reformation
L7 Introduction to Mary I
L8 Aims of Mary I
L9 Mary I and her government
L10 Mary I marriage and Wyatt’s Rebellion
L11 The Counter Reformation
L12 Marian Martyrs
L13 Mary’s Foreign Policy
L14 Mary I and the economy

This Bundle includes:

Fully resourced PowerPoints and activities
Enquiry-based learning throughout
Retrieval practice and knowledge development
Exam practice for both AQA question types
Model structures, scaffolds and writing support
Mark schemes and examiner-style guidance
Interpretation and historiography tasks
Differentiated activities to support all learners
Help for students to achieve top grades

If you are interested in the full Tudor A Level Bundle 1485-1603, please click here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13151989.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via my TES shop.

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