If KS3 pupils are struggling to understand the fervour and enthusiasm of the French revolutionaries, let them examine metrication! It is a perfect example of the way in which the leaders of the French Revolution sought to restate the world in terms of science and measurement rather than tradition, religion or status.
The second angle here is the power of historical myth. In the article we have the example of the selective memory of those supporting imperial measures instead of metrication. We see similar use of historical facts brought in to support or oppose the introduction of the euro.
Why is history so often invoked in these arguments, and why do we choose to remember certain aspects of history and play down others? This could be a profitable theme running from the Tudors in KS2 to the post-1945 world at the end of KS3.
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