1. The Story of the Wars
2. Problems of Evidence

Free-Standing Activities:

3. Wallace - Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?
4. Sources and Bias
5. Reporting Bannockburn
6. Comparing Sources

Requirements

Programme-Specific Activities

Activity 1

Activity 1 requires very close analysis of the programme. The essence of this activity is the internalisation of the information in the video and its transference to another medium, thereby enhancing learning. One by- product is the requirement to work to specific guidelines and deadlines and to co-operate. This is a large exercise and could easily take up one to two hours depending on size of group and a double showing of the programme, but as a learning exercise to develop historical understanding and also organisational and personal skills, it is invaluable.

NB - students must have access to coloured marker pens and flip chart paper.

Activity 2

Activity 2 requires students to work as the Detective and stresses the importance of evaluative skills when using evidence. The activity requires close scrutiny of the programme and as a by-product makes students work to specific guidelines and deadlines and to co-operate.

Free-Standing Activities

Activities 3 and 4

These are free standing activities which use the programme as stimulus but require no other input. They are not based directly on the programme but reinforce key points made in the programme about the reliability of evidence and the issue of bias. The activities require students to assess critically a collection of primary sources and to demonstrate an understanding of bias. You will need three different coloured pencils (red, blue, green).

Activity 5

This requires students to plan and prepare the front page of TWO newspapers, each reporting the Battle of Bannockburn. One report should be for an English newspaper; the other must be Scottish.

To gather information, students should be directed to the appropriate web sites and search engines.

Activity 6

This activity will develop student skills in 'evaluating historical sources'. It is an essential part of the course.

Answers

Programme-Specific Activities

Activity 1

The successful achievement of this task is easily assessed by applying the observable behavioural outcomes listed in the instructions.

Activity 2

By applying the criteria provided for the students any reviewer should be able to decide if students have successfully achieved the outcome.

Mention should be made of at least five pieces of evidence used in the programme. These could include primary evidence such as the chronicles of monasteries or the Declaration of Arbroath, tangible hard evidence such as the Stone of Destiny, secondary sources such as the opinions of historians and then the work of Blind Harry and Barbour.

Free-Standing Activities

Activity 3

The colour exercise should be fairly clear and points of bias have been identified in the answers on activity 4. Only source C should be underlined in green.

Activity 4

Source A was written by a Scot. The credit to Blind Harry might be used to support, but also words like 'Scotland's greatest heroes'and 'He fought bravely against the horrible English armies.' So give credit for 'The cruel English'.

Source B was written by an English person. Wallace is described as 'a murdering bandit' and Wallace's influence is undermined by commenting 'Wallace forced the poor people of Scotland to help him' and 'The Scottish people did not support Wallace'. Credit also for 'he was a dirty fighter who murdered good English knights.'

Source C is the exception. It is not possible to identify the sympathies of the author since it is reporting facts and has no bias in it. If students say they 'can't do this one', that's the point of the exercise. Ask them why they can't easily 'pigeon hole' source C.

Source D is by a Scottish supporter of Wallace. Points to identify include 'Wallace had gained the respect of all honest Scots' and 'He was brave in battle'.

Activity 5

Once again the successful achievement of the activity can be seen by applying the criteria given to the students, e.g.:

• an appropriate newspaper name
• a headline that grabs the attention and shows how the paper feels about the battle and its result.
• at least three paragraphs that tells the story of the battle from the viewpoint of the reporter, a Scottish or English point of view. They can be as biased as they like!

Activity 6

Students should identify Source A as Treaty of Birgham, July 1290 in which Scotland and England would be linked by marriage. Its possible purpose was to assure Scots that, despite being linked by marriage, Scottish independence, its customs, laws and status would be respected and unchanged.

Students must make reference to some of the points in the source e.g.

• 'the rights, laws liberties and customs of the kingdom of Scotland... shall be wholly... preserved;'
• 'We promise.. that the kingdom of Scotland shall remain separate and divided from the Kingdom of England'

The source is an unambiguous statement that Scottish laws and customs shall be preserved and remain unchallenged. Also Scotland is recognised as a separate and independent nation.

Students should identify Source B as Edward I's Ordinance of Scotland establishing / asserting English control over Scotland. Its purpose was to establish English control over Scotland and to end a period of rebellion/resistance.

Students must make reference to some of the points in the source e.g.

• 'An ordinance made by the king for the good order of Scotland." - Scotland is now under the authority of Edward.
• 'the community of the land to assemble... should elect a certain number of persons to come... to the parliament at Westminster.' Scots must now attend a parliament in Westminster where decisions affecting Scotland will be taken.
• 'the land of Scotland,' Edward has by now asserted his overlordship and no longer recognises Scotland as a kingdom, but as a land under his authority.
• 'As for the laws and customs to be used...the kings officer shall reform and amend the laws and customs.' Again, contrary to the treaty of Birgham, Edward is now prepared to alter Scots laws and customs, despite his earlier promises.

Activities

Programme-Specific Activities

Activity 1 - The Story of the Wars

Either watch the video programme straight through to get a general feel for the programme, then do the following tasks before watching it again.

OR

Before you watch the video programme, do the following things.

Organise yourselves into groups of 3 or 4 or 5.

Before you watch the video programme, plan which group will have 'responsibility' for each of the following sections.

The programme deals with certain big topics in the story of the wars of independence These topics have been bundled into sections.

These sections are:

• The death of Alexander, the Maid of Norway and the problem of who would rule Scotland when she died.
• The competition for the throne. Edward I and his ambitions to control Scotland, his choice of John Balliol as king and the war between Scotland and England up to the defeat of the Scots and 'Toom Tabard'.
• William Wallace, and the resistance of the Scots up to his death and trial.
• Bruce - as a murderer, a new king king, the victor at Bannockburn and up to the Declaration of Arbroath.

The final product for the class will be at least four large graphic presentations dealing with the main points from the video.

Each group must follow certain rules:

• You have 20 minutes to plan, organise and produce your presentation.
• The graphic designed must use various colours.
• It can be a strip cartoon or a series of images that link together to tell the story of their section.
• At the end of the time allowed for planning and production, each group must present and explain their work to the rest of the class.
• Each person in the group must participate in some way in the presentation.

After the presentation, each of the other groups has one minute to plan their response and then 30 seconds to make their positive and negative comments on the presentation witnessed.

Each group in the class participates in this learning process.

(20 minutes)

Activity 2 - Problems of Evidence

In this programme the detective has used several pieces of evidence, but not all of them have been useful or reliable.

Preparation

Before you watch the programme make sure that everyone in your group knows what they must do. Read the instructions!

• In your groups of 3 or 4 or 5, prepare to note as many pieces of evidence used in the programme as you can spot.
• Help each other by comparing lists at the end of the programme.
• Each member of the group must write down the names of the expert witnesses. Decide who will do the first name, who will note the second and so on. (Programme time + 5 minutes )

Task

Prepare and deliver a two minute talk dealing with the problems faced by historians trying to find out the truth behind the legends of Wallace and Bruce.

• Each member of your group must participate in the presentation in some way.
• You should start your talk by outlining what the purpose of your talk is.
• Continue by listing (perhaps on the blackboard) at least 5 pieces of primary evidence used in the programme.
• Take each one in turn and explain its good points and bad points.
• Go on to mention how useful the opinions of the expert witnesses were.
• Finish your talk by explaining why historians or detectives should be careful about reaching conclusions based on limited primary evidence.

(25 minutes)

Free-Standing Activities

Activity 3 - Wallace - Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?

Read the following primary sources extracts about William Wallace.

Source A is adapted from the writing of Blind Harry:

William Wallace was one of Scotland's greatest heroes. He fought bravely against the horrible English armies. Eventually brave Wallace was captured and taken to London. The cruel English tortured Wallace and then killed him.

Source B was written by a monk reporting the events of the year:

There was a murdering bandit called William Wallace who forced the poor people of Scotland to help him. The Scottish people did not support Wallace because he was a dirty fighter who murdered good English knights.

Source C is from a recent school text book:

In 1297 William Wallace led the Scots to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge but by 1305 Wallace was dead. His body was cut into four different pieces.

Source D was written in a report written in the early 1300s:

By March 1298 Wallace had gained the respect of all honest Scots. He was brave in battle and he fought for Scotland.

When you have read the sources do the following things (you will need three different coloured pencils):

• Underline in RED the things in each source that you think are FACT.
• Underline in BLUE the things that you think are OPINION.
• Underline in GREEN any source that you think is all fact with no bias in it at all.

(10 minutes)

Activity 4 - Sources and Bias

Decide whether an English person or a Scottish person wrote each of sources A - D in Activity 3 and give a reason for your choice.

Write your answer like this: 'I think source A was written by a ... person because ...'

(20 minutes)

Activity 5 - Reporting Bannockburn

'Bannockburn - A magnificent victory!' AND 'Bannockburn - a lucky break but we'll be back!'

Your task is to plan and prepare the front page of TWO newspapers, each reporting the Battle of Bannockburn. One report should be for an English newspaper, the other must be Scottish.

Collect information from any relevant books in your school, classroom or library. You should also access various websites. Some of the more useful are listed for you.

Your finished product must have:

• an appropriate newspaper name.
• a headline that grabs the attention and shows how the paper feels about the battle and its result.
• at least three paragraphs that tells the story of the battle from the viewpoint of the reporter - a Scottish or English point of view. Remember to be as biased as you like!

(25 minutes)

Activity 6 - Comparing Sources

This activity will develop your skills in 'evaluating historical sources'. It is an essential part of your course.

Read sources A and B fairly quickly to get a general 'feel' for them.

Now read the question about the sources.

Make sure you understand what the question means. If not, ask for help or discuss what you think it means with other students around you.

Now read the sources much more carefully keeping the mind what the question wants you to do.

Source A: Treaty of Birgham, July 1290

Having due consideration to the peace of both kingdoms and so that mutual friendship should continue between their people for all time, we have granted in the name and on behalf of our lord, Edward 1, that the rights, laws liberties and customs of the kingdom of Scotland shall be wholly preserved.

We promise that the kingdom of Scotland shall remain separate and divided from the Kingdom of England

Source B: Edward I's Ordinance of Scotland, (his plan for ruling Scotland) 1305

An ordinance made by the king for the good order of Scotland.

Note that our lord and King made it known to the good people of Scotland that they should elect a certain number of persons to come, on behalf of the community, to the parliament at Westminster, London.

The king's officer may at his discretion remove Scottish sheriffs and replace them with others, whether English or Scots by birth, who, in the view of the King, are more satisfactory. As for the laws and customs to be used in the government of the land of Scotland, it is ordained (ordered) that the custom of the Scots... be henceforth forbidden, so that it is never used. The king's officer shall reform and amend the laws and customs.

Question

Explain the differences between Sources A and B concerning their attitudes towards the independence of Scotland.

(10 minutes)