The Dissolution of the Monasteries

The Dissolution of the Monasteries is a complex event with multiple causes and consequences. Active learning methodologies like Document Mystery and Philosophical Chairs allow students to grapple with historical evidence and competing viewpoints directly, fostering deeper understanding than passive reading.

• Year 8
• History
• 3 activities
• 40 min–50 min

Ready-to-Use Activities

Role Play

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Role Play: The King's Commissioners

Students take on roles of commissioners sent to inspect monasteries. They must gather evidence of corruption or inefficiency to justify closure, using provided 'evidence' cards. This activity encourages critical analysis of historical justifications.

Prepare & details

Justify Henry VIII's financial motivations for dissolving the monasteries.

Facilitation Tip: For the Document Mystery activity, guide students to identify the 'who, what, when, where, and why' of each document before asking them to synthesize findings.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Formal Debate

⏱ 45 min·Whole Class

Formal Debate: The Case For and Against Monasteries

Divide the class into two groups: one arguing for the preservation of monasteries (highlighting their social, spiritual, and economic contributions) and the other arguing for their dissolution (focusing on corruption, wealth, and the King's authority).

Prepare & details

Analyze the immediate and long-term social impact of the Dissolution.

Facilitation Tip: During Philosophical Chairs, circulate to ensure students are referencing specific arguments or evidence from the preceding activities when they change seats.

Setup: Two teams facing each other, audience seating for the rest

Materials: Debate proposition card, Research brief for each side, Judging rubric for audience, Timer

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Document Mystery

⏱ 40 min·Individual

Mapping Land Redistribution

Provide students with maps of England showing former monastic lands. They can research who acquired these lands and color-code the map accordingly, visualizing the significant shift in property ownership.

Prepare & details

Compare the religious arguments for and against the monastic system.

Facilitation Tip: In the Case Study Analysis, prompt students to consider the perspectives of different stakeholders—monks, the Crown, local communities—when evaluating Henry VIII's decisions.

Setup: Groups at tables with document sets

Materials: Document packet (5-8 sources), Analysis worksheet, Theory-building template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Teaching This Topic

When teaching the Dissolution, avoid presenting it as a simple story of royal greed or religious corruption. Instead, use historical thinking skills to explore the interplay of political ambition, financial necessity, and evolving religious ideas. Research suggests that engaging students with primary sources and opportunities for debate leads to a more nuanced understanding of this pivotal historical moment.

What to Expect

Students will move beyond memorizing dates and names to analyzing primary sources, debating historical claims, and evaluating the multifaceted motivations behind the Dissolution. Success looks like students articulating reasoned arguments supported by evidence from the activities.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Document Mystery, students might focus solely on financial documents, believing the Dissolution was only about Henry VIII's greed.

What to Teach Instead

Redirect students to analyze royal decrees and propaganda alongside financial records to explore the religious and political justifications presented at the time, broadening their understanding beyond personal avarice.

Common Misconception

When role-playing as King's Commissioners, students might assume all monks and nuns were corrupt and lazy.

What to Teach Instead

Prompt students to seek out evidence of monastic roles beyond corruption, such as their involvement in education or healthcare, to challenge simplistic stereotypes and encourage a balanced historical perspective.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Philosophical Chairs debate, use a prompt like: 'Based on the arguments presented, what do you believe was the most significant factor driving the Dissolution of the Monasteries?'

Quick Check

During the Document Mystery, ask students to write down one piece of evidence that supports the idea that Henry VIII had religious motivations and one that supports financial motivations.

Peer Assessment

After the Case Study Analysis, have students evaluate their peers' written responses based on the clarity of their analysis of Henry VIII's decisions and the evidence cited.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Students can research the long-term impact of land redistribution on local communities or the fate of specific monastic orders.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters or a graphic organizer for students struggling to formulate arguments during the Philosophical Chairs debate.
• Deeper Exploration: Assign students to research and present on the architectural or cultural legacy of a specific dissolved monastery.