History · Year 2 · The Great Fire of London · Autumn Term

The Aftermath: A City in Ruins

Examining the immediate consequences of the fire, including homelessness and the destruction of landmarks.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: History - Events beyond living memory
• KS1: History - Cause and consequence

About This Topic

The aftermath of the Great Fire of London in 1666 transformed the city into a landscape of rubble and ash. Year 2 students investigate how 13,000 houses, 87 churches, and landmarks like Old St. Paul's Cathedral were destroyed, leaving 70,000 people homeless. They use primary sources, such as Samuel Pepys' diary and pictures by Wenceslaus Hollar, to understand lost belongings, crowded emergency camps, and the challenge of finding food and shelter.

This topic aligns with KS1 History standards on significant events beyond living memory and cause and consequence. Children trace how the fire's rapid spread led to profound changes in daily lives, building skills in source analysis, empathy, and sequencing events. It encourages discussions on resilience, as people rebuilt over years with new stone buildings and wider streets.

Active learning brings this history alive for young learners. Sorting 'before and after' images, role-playing as affected families, or constructing model ruins from recyclables helps children grasp the emotional and physical scale of loss. These hands-on methods make distant events relatable, spark thoughtful conversations, and strengthen retention through personal connection.

Key Questions

1. What happened to people's homes and belongings after the Great Fire?
2. How did the fire change the lives of people living in London?
3. What do you think was the hardest thing for people to deal with after the fire?

Learning Objectives

• Classify objects as either destroyed or salvaged based on historical accounts of the Great Fire of London.
• Explain the immediate challenges faced by Londoners who lost their homes and belongings after the fire.
• Compare the living conditions in London before and immediately after the Great Fire using visual and written evidence.
• Identify key landmarks in London that were significantly damaged or destroyed by the Great Fire.

Before You Start

Daily Life in 17th Century London

Why: Students need a basic understanding of what homes and streets were like before the fire to comprehend the extent of the destruction.

Causes of the Great Fire of London

Why: A foundational understanding of how the fire started is necessary to grasp the context of its immediate aftermath.

Key Vocabulary

Homelessness	The state of having no home or place to live, often caused by disaster or displacement.
Rubble	Waste or fragments of stone, brick, and other building material, typically from a demolished or collapsed structure.
Evacuee	A person who has been evacuated or removed from a place of danger, such as a fire or war zone.
Landmark	A recognizable natural or man-made feature used for navigation or that holds historical significance, such as a famous building.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The fire only destroyed poor people's homes.

What to Teach Instead

Rich and poor alike lost homes, businesses, and churches across the city. Sorting activities with mixed images of landmarks and houses reveal the widespread impact. Peer discussions during role-play build empathy for all affected Londoners.

Common Misconception

People rebuilt the city right away.

What to Teach Instead

Rebuilding took years, with temporary camps first. Timeline constructions from sources show the slow process. Hands-on model rebuilding helps children sequence stages and appreciate long-term consequences.

Common Misconception

No one suffered much after the fire.

What to Teach Instead

Homelessness caused hunger, cold, and fear for thousands. Reading diary excerpts in pairs uncovers personal stories. Drama activities let children express emotions, correcting views of quick recovery.

Active Learning Ideas

Sorting Stations: Before and After

Prepare stations with images and descriptions of London landmarks, homes, and streets before and after the fire. In small groups, children sort items into 'destroyed' or 'survived' piles, then label changes. Groups share one key loss with the class.

30 min·Small Groups

Role-Play: Homeless in 1666

Assign roles like families, bakers, or churchgoers who lost everything. In pairs, children improvise dialogues about missing homes and plans for tents by the river. Debrief with drawings of their feelings.

25 min·Pairs

Model City: Ruins and Recovery

Provide blocks or boxes for groups to build a mini-London, then 'fire' it by knocking parts down. Discuss hardest losses and sketch rebuild ideas. Display models for a class walk-through.

40 min·Small Groups

Empathy Discussion: What Was Hardest?

In a whole class circle, show source extracts on homelessness. Each child shares one hardest thing using a talking stick, then votes on top challenges. Record on a class chart.

20 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Disaster relief organizations, like the Red Cross, provide immediate shelter and aid to people who have lost their homes in natural disasters such as wildfires or hurricanes.
• Urban planners and architects today consider fire safety regulations and building materials when rebuilding cities after major fires, aiming to prevent future destruction and create safer environments.
• Historians use primary sources, such as diaries and official reports, to reconstruct events and understand the human impact of historical disasters like the Great Fire of London.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with two images: one of a London street before the fire and one depicting ruins after. Ask them to write one sentence describing what happened to the buildings and one sentence about how people might have felt.

Quick Check

Ask students to hold up a green card if they think a person would have had a home after the fire, and a red card if they think they would have been homeless. Discuss their choices, focusing on the scale of destruction.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'What do you think was the hardest thing for people to deal with after the Great Fire?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to share their ideas and justify them with reference to the loss of homes, belongings, and familiar places.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to teach the aftermath of the Great Fire to Year 2?

Use simple sources like pictures and short diary quotes to show destroyed homes and homeless camps. Build empathy through role-play and models of ruins. Link to cause and consequence by tracing fire spread to life changes, with class timelines for sequencing. Keep sessions active to match short attention spans.

What were the main consequences of the Great Fire of London?

Over 13,000 houses burned, leaving 70,000 homeless in tents by the Thames. Landmarks like Old St. Paul's collapsed, and daily life halted with lost belongings and jobs. King Charles II organized aid, but recovery took years, leading to safer brick buildings and fire hooks.

How can active learning help teach the aftermath of the Great Fire?

Activities like sorting before-and-after images or role-playing displaced families make abstract loss tangible for Year 2. Building model ruins helps visualise scale, while discussions reveal emotions. These methods boost engagement, aid source interpretation, and connect history to personal feelings, improving recall and empathy skills.

Common misconceptions about the Great Fire aftermath?

Children often think only poor areas burned or rebuilding was instant. Sources show city-wide ruin and years of camps. Address with paired source matching and timelines. Hands-on drama corrects by letting pupils voice struggles, fostering accurate historical understanding.