PEOPLE IN HISTORY: Archeologist

The archaeologist is the first person you're asked to write a People in History answer on (click the link for more information). So what are the main points you need to include to have a good answer?

Start out by explaining your job. What does an archaeologist do, and why?

Next, you can say you're on an excavation (dig). Start by explaining how you found the site you're working on. Was it aerial photography? A chance discovery? A story you heard?

You can mention that many sites are discovered by accident when construction work is going on.

Next, you can explain the steps of the excavation: surveying the site, removing the topsoil, and digging. Also explain what tools you use - the more details you have, the better!

Congratulations! You've found an artefact. Don't forget to explain what that word means. After that, talk about what happens to an artefact after it's found. Where does it go?

Once an artefact is found and catalogued, archaeologists use several methods to find out when it is from. Explain the methods you have studied to date an artefact. Dendrochronology, radiocarbon dating, stratigraphy... how do they work?

When all the studying and testing is finished, you might give the artefact to a museum so that people can see it. This is called conservation. Explaining why archaeologists do this is a good way to end this answer.

So, in short...

1. Explain your job.2. Explain how you found the site you're working on.3. Explain the steps of an excavation and the tools you're using.4. Explain what happens to an artefact once it's found.5. Explain how archaeologists date artefacts.6. Explain what conservation is and why we conserve artefacts.

PEOPLE IN HISTORY (HL and OL): A person living in an ancient civilisation in Ireland.

People from ancient civilisations are very common People in History options, but you must always take care to read the question carefully. If the question is asking you to talk about a person from an ancient civilisation in Ireland, then it can be anyone from the Mesolithic era up as far as the Celts. If the question asks about a person from ancient civilisation outside of Ireland, then you write about Rome or Egypt (depending on which one you do in First Year).

So, for a person living in an ancient civilisation in Ireland, what can you say? You have a choice of who to talk about: the Mesolithic era, the Neolithic era, the Bronze Age and the Celts are all part of Ancient Ireland. Let's look at the first two. The Mesolithic people are the first people you learn about, but there's also less to learn about them then the Neolithic people, who developed farms and tombs. You would have more to write about if you chose the Neolithic people, which means more marks.

So, writing about the Neolithic people, what would you say?

Start with an introduction. Explain that you are a Neolithic person, you are 13 years old, and you live on a farm with the rest of your family. How did the Neolithic people arrive in Ireland? Where did they settle? These all form your introduction.

Next talk about your house. Mention as many details as you can: the shape of the house, what it's built from, what's inside it, and how they're different from Mesolithic huts.

Once you've finished talking about your house, talk about the kind of work that you and your family do. The Neolithic people were farmers, so talk about the tools they used, the food they grew. How did they make clothes? If you can talk about all of these things you're writing an excellent People in History answer.

The Neolithic people didn't just grow their food, they also hunted. Talk about what they would hunt, and mention the weapons they would use. What's the difference between their weapons and the ones the Mesolithic people used?

Neolithic people also used pottery. A line or two explaining why they used it would gain you some more marks. The last feature of Neolithic life to talk about is their burial customs. You learn about three types of megalithic

tomb used by the Neolithic people: court cairns, portal dolmens and passage tombs. Explain what all three looked like. The most famous passage tomb is Newgrange, in Co. Meath. A few lines about Newgrange would be an excellent way to end your answer.

So, in short...

1. Introduce yourself and the Neolithic people.2. Tell the reader all about your Neolithic house.3. Talk about the work you do, the tools you use, the food you eat and the clothes you wear.4. Talk about the weapons you use when hunting for other food.5. Talk about pottery and why Neolithic people use it.6. Talk about the burial customs and explain the three types of tomb.7. Finish with Newgrange.

Don't talk about...

playing games with your brother and sister. the weather school or homework - the Neolithic people didn't have schools! the wrong types of tomb - make sure they're the three Neolithic tombs.

Making mistakes like those will cost you marks, as the information you write down must be relevant (important). You get 2 marks for every relevant point you make, so try to make sure you have at least 10 relevant points in each answer. The more you have, the less chance you have of losing too many marks if you get anything wrong or mix anything up.

PEOPLE IN HISTORY (HL and OL): A person living in an ancient civilisation in Ireland (Celts)

This is still the same kind of question that you could answer with the Mesolithic people, the Neolithic people, or the Bronze Age people, but maybe you want to talk about the Celts instead. How do you start?

Introduce yourself and your people. Where did you come from? Where have you settled? What makes you different from the people who lived here before? (e.g. Iron)

Talking about the Celts' houses and settlements takes a bit more detail than the others. While you don't need to learn about different kinds of Celtic tombs this time, you do need to learn about the four kind of settlements they had: ring-forts, hill-forts, crannógs and promontory forts. So in your answer you can pick one to be the settlement you live in, but also describe the others to get full marks.

Once you've finished talking about settlements, talk about Celtic society. Your family might be farmers or nobles, it's up to you, but describe the structure of that society: who's at the top? Who's at the bottom? Who's in between? Again the more you can say, the better.

Next talk about the food you eat, how you prepare it, and also talk about the feasts your tribe might have.

Once that's done, describe the tools and weapons you would use. What are they made from? What do you use them for?

Finally, you can mention a bit about Celtic art, part of which involves Ogham, which also relates to burial customs.

So, in short...

1. Introduce yourself and your people.2. Talk about houses and settlements.3. Describe Celtic society.4. Talk about the food you eat, and describe feasts.5. Describe the tools and weapons you use.6. Describe Celtic art.7. Explain the burial customs and talk about Ogham stones.

Don't talk about...

playing games with your brother and sister. the weather. school or homework - the Celts didn't have schools! any of the tombs that the Neolithic and Bronze Age people used.

Making mistakes like those will cost you marks, as the information you write down must be relevant (important). You get 2 marks for every relevant point you make, so try to make sure you have at least 10 relevant points in each answer. The more you have, the less chance you have of losing too many marks if you get anything wrong or mix anything up.

PEOPLE IN HISTORY (HL and OL): A monk in an early Christian monastery in Ireland

There are two types of monk you could be asked to write about in a People in History question. The first is a monk from early Christian Ireland, the second is a monk from the Middle Ages. Always read the question carefully to make sure which one you're supposed to write about.

Early Christian Irish monks came up as a People in History option in the 2011, 2009, and 2007 Higher Level papers. They haven't appeared as an option in the Ordinary Level papers for some time, but that could always change.

So, what do you need to talk about?

Start by explaining how Christianity was introduced to Ireland. Who built the first monasteries? What is a monastery? Where are they?

Explain that you are a monk, and talk about your monastery. Who's in charge? What buildings does it have? What do you use those buildings for? You might focus here on the round tower.

What jobs do the monks do? You'll talk about praying, of course, but you also farm. Don't forget to mention that.

When you're not praying or farming, you might be writing manuscripts. Describe what it is you write down and how you write it. Give some examples of famous manuscripts.

Once you've finished talking about manuscripts, describe the kind of art that monks create. Metalworking, stone crosses... the more you can talk about, the better.

Finally, you could say that some of the monks in your monastery - maybe even yourself - are going abroad to found new monasteries in Europe. Some famous monks have done this before you, so be sure to mention them!

So, in short...

1. Explain how Christianity came to Ireland and what a monastery is.2. Describe your monastery, the abbot's job and the buildings.3. Talk about the jobs monks do in the monastery.4. Talk about manuscripts.5. Describe the different kinds of art and craft produced by monks.6. Mention the work of monks going abroad.

Don't...

spend too long talking about how long prayers take

talk about being bored!

include too much irrelevant (unimportant) information. Keep to the points, and keep aiming for marks.

People in History: A person living in a NAMED civilisation OUTSIDE of Ireland.

The first thing to be careful of with this question is to make sure what it is asking. Check to see if it says "outside of Ireland" or "in Ireland". If you're supposed to write about Rome but write about Neolithic Ireland instead (or the other way around), you'll get no marks, no matter how many good, correct points you include.

This came up as a People in History most recently in 2014, 2011, 2009 and 2006 in Higher Level and 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010 and 2008 in Ordinary Level. It is a popular option.

Writing a People in History answer about Ancient Rome is similar to how you'd write one for the ancient Irish civilisations.

Introduce yourself. You might be living in Rome, Londinium (hopefully not Pompeii!), or another part of the empire. Are you a patrician or a plebeian? It's up to you, but remember which one you pick! Don't pick plebeian and then say you live in a domus!

So, once you've that done, talk about your house. If you're a patrician you live in a domus. If you're a plebeian you live in an insulae. Whichever one it is, write about it. Describe it to the reader. The more things you can say about it, the better.

Talk about your family. Who is in charge? What do your parents do? What kind of clothes do you wear? Do you go to school? If you do, talk about that. There's a lot to talk about in this part alone, especially work.

What kind of food do you eat? Again, this depends on whether you're a patrician or a plebeian.

What do you do for fun? This is easy to talk about, as you can talk about going to the Colosseum, going to see a chariot race, and going to see a play.

What are your religious beliefs? What gods do you pray to? Maybe you've converted to Christianity, so you have to pray in secret. Describe both religions.

You can finish up by saying you went to a Roman funeral service last week. Describe what happens at one.

So, in short...

1. Introduce yourself - a plebeian or a patrician.2. Talk about your house (domus or insulae).3. Talk about your family: clothes, school, your parents' work, and food.4. Talk about what you do for fun: gladiator contests, chariot races and plays.5. Talk about your religious beliefs - both the Roman religion and Christianity.6. Talk about being at a Roman funeral service.

Don't talk about...

playing games with your brother and sister. the weather. any of the other ancient civilisations you've studied. "Neolithic Britain" does not count as an ancient

civilisation outside Ireland. This section is about civilisations that were never in Ireland.

People in History: Middle Ages; The lord or lady of a medieval castle.

The lord and lady are the first two people you learn about when you study the Middle Ages. They're near the top in the feudal system in which medieval society was organised, coming under the King. The King would grant the lord land, which the lord would take charge of for the King. The lord would also help the King to defend the land.

When a lord got married, his wife became the lady of the castle or manor (depending on which the lord lived in). Marriage between lords and ladies was arranged by their parents.

The Lord or Lady option has come up twice in recent years, and will very likely do so again in the next few years. So now that you're moving on from describing a whole civilisation to describing the lives of certain people, how do you do it?

First of all you must decide if you are a lord or a lady! Then explain your place in the feudal system. Who are you under? Who are you above? Talk about how you met your husband/wife. Who arranged the marriage? What is a dowry?

Next, talk about your castle. In this chapter you learn about two different types of castle, the wooden motte and bailey, and the stronger stone castles. In order to mention both, you could say that you used to live in a motte and bailey, but that was burned down and now you live in a stone castle. Explain the different parts of the castle, and describe how you (or your husband) and your knights would defend it if it was attacked or put under siege.

Once you've finished talking about your castle, go on to talk about your roles and duties. What are your jobs? What does the king expect you to do for him? This part will have different answers depending on whether you choose to be a lord or a lady.

Next, talk about life inside the castle - especially feasts. What food do you eat? What kind of entertainment is provided?

You can finish by talking about how you (or your husband) organise tournaments and jousts for the knights, and why this is important.

So, in short...

1. Are you a lord or a lady? Explain your part in the feudal system.2. How you met your husband/wife and who arranged the marriage.3. Your castle: the parts of it, how it can be defended, how attackers might try to capture it.4. Your roles and duties as either a lord or a lady.5. Talk about feasts.6. Talk about organising tournaments and jousts for the knights.

Don't....

Talk about anything that isn't based around a solid fact like you learn in class. No small talk!

People in History: Medieval Peasants (Serfs and Freemen)

At the bottom of the feudal system are the peasants. In this chapter, you learn that there were two types of peasant in the Middle Ages: serfs and freemen. Serfs could only leave the land with their lord's permission, but freemen (as the name suggests) were free to come and go as they pleased. A serf could become a freeman if he escaped for a year and a day without being caught.

In a People in History question, you might be asked to write as a "peasant", in which case you can choose to be a serf or a freeman, or you'll be asked to write as one or the other (usually a serf). So let's go with the question title above.

Start by explaining your place in the feudal system. Who's above you? Talk about being a serf. What's the difference between you and a freeman? How do you

become a freeman? Then, go on to talk about the house you live in. It might not be much, but you can talk about

what the house the is made of, how many rooms it has , what they're used for, and how much furniture you don't have.

Then, describe the food you eat. What is it? How do you prepare it? Next, talk about your work.What does the lord expect you to do? You work on the farms, so

describe them. Make sure to explain the open field system and crop rotation. What happens to you if you break any rules, or if you're caught trying to escape? The bailiff

can be a scary man, he might lock you up if you don't mention him. Finally, talk about the tithes you have to pay, and why you have to pay them. Finish off with a plan to escape for a year and a day, if you like!

So, in short...

1. Your place in the feudal system.2. The difference between you and a freeman, and how to become one.3. Your house and living conditions.4. The food you eat.5. The work you do. Open field system and crop rotation.6. What happens when you break rules.7. The tithes you must pay.

Don't....

Talk about anything that isn't based around a solid fact like you learn in class. No small talk

People in History: Medieval Knights

Out of all the People in History you study in the Middle Ages, the knight is probably the one you knew the most apart beforehand. Knights defended the castle and their king, fought in jousts, and took vows of chivalry. In First Year, you learn about the stages of becoming a knight (starting at age 7!), and you learn more about their role in the Middle Ages.

So, you're a knight in a medieval castle... Where do you fit in the feudal system? Explain your roles and duties. What do the king

and lord expect you to do? Then, start talking about how you train to become a knight. Start off with the Page. What

age were you? What does a page do? The next step is a Squire. What age were you? What does a squire do? Then, you finally became a Knight. What age were you? How did you officially become

one? When you became a knight you took vows of chivalry. Explain these vows and what they

mean. Finally, talk about tournaments and jousts. What are they? What do you do at them? Who

organises them? What do they give you practice for?

So, in short...

1. Explain your place in the feudal system.2. .03. Training to become a knight. Name the steps.4. Being a Page.5. Being a Squire.6. Finally becoming a Knight.7. Your vows of chivalry.8. What you do at tournaments and jousts.

Don't....

Talk about anything that isn't based around a solid fact like you learn in class. No small talk!

A monk in a medieval monastery.

Learning about monks in the Middle Ages can seem a bit familiar. You already studied early Christian Irish monks, but even though they had some things in common with medieval monks, there were differences too. Luckily, what you learned about the early Irish monks will help you when you're studying medieval monks.The medieval monks still copied manuscripts and prayed (of course), but they had different buildings in their monasteries, and other jobs to do. Unlike earlier monks, these monks would be members of Orders, such as the Dominicans or the Franciscans. Many of these orders still exist today. Sometimes you might even see a monk walking about town.So, if you wanted to be a monk in the Middle Ages, how would you talk about yourself? Ignore the fact that you have a vow of silence!

Introduce yourself. You can say you are a novice. Why did you want to become a monk? What order are you a member of? Why are monasteries important to people in the Middle Ages?

Once that's done, talk about your monastery. What services does it provide to people? What buildings does it have, and what are they for? Who's in charge?

Be sure to mention the different types of architecture that were being used for churches in the Middle Ages.

Next, your roles and duties. So, when you move on from being a novice to becoming a monk, what vows do you take?

What is your role? What other roles are there? (e.g. infirmarian, sacristan, etc.)

What do you do every day? Talk about life in the monastery, and the work you do.

Before you finish, talk about meals and the kind of food you eat.

Then wrap up by talking about the new orders that are being set up. Why is this happening?

So, in short...

1. You're a novice. Introduce yourself and your order.2. Talk about your monastery.3. Talk about religious architecture during the Middle Ages.4. Talk about the vows you must take to become a monk.5. Talk about your roles and the roles of the other monks.6. Talk about everyday life in the monastery.7. Talk about the meals.8. Talk about the new orders that are being set up.

Don't....

get confused between medieval monks and early Christian Irish monks. It can happen easily to take care

A craftsman in a medieval town.The craftsman very rarely appears as a People in History option, but he is a possibility. In class you learn about the different types of craftsmen, the services they provided, and the stages involved in becoming a craftsman in a medieval town. You also learn about markets and fairs, and the punishments that can befall a craftsman who does not work well enough!

People still work as craftsmen today (stonemasons, blacksmiths, designers, engineers, etc.), though the types of craft have increased, and they have computers to help them. Maybe you'll work in of those jobs when you're older! But for now, let's pretend you're a medieval craftsman. How would you answer this People in History question?

As usual, introduce yourself first. Where do you live? What do you do?

What kind of craftsman are you? A blacksmith? A carpenter? Talk about that and mention how people would know what work you do (signs outside your shop).

How did you become a craftsman? What are the stages? What did you have to do to become a master craftsman? Make sure you can describe the stages very well.

Next, talk about the markets and fairs that are held in your town. Why are they held? What do you do at these fairs?

End your answer by talking about crime and punishment in your town. What happens to you if you make bad goods? 

So, in short... 

1. Introduce yourself and what you do.2. Talk about the kind of craftsman you are. 3. Talk about the stages of becoming a craftsman.4. Talk about markets and fairs.5. Finish up with crime and punishment.

A named Renaissance artist from outside Italy 

The Renaissance might have began in Italy, but it spread elsewhere in Europe as well. After you've studied Michelangelo or Leonardo, you'll study an artist from outside Italy (also called a northern European artist). The artist you study depends on your textbook and on your teacher. Some textbooks focus on one, others offer a choice, and your teacher might have a preference for a particular artist. My preference is for Albrecht Dürer, so this page will use him as an example, but the advice should be helpful no matter who you're studying.

Dürer (doo-rer) was a German artist, most famous for his engravings and the incredible detail in his paintings.

As usual, name your artist and give a bit about his background. Where was he born? When?

How did your artist train? In Dürer's case he showed his talents by age 13 and was apprenticed at age 15.

What kind of art did your artist make? Paintings? Sculptures? Engravings? If he painted, what did he paint, and why?

Give examples of each, and try to give three examples at least. Describe the examples. What's in them? What techniques are used?

Wrap up by explaining what your artist did in his later years until his death.

So, in short...

1. Name and introduce your artist.2. Explain how he trained.3. Describe the kind of art he made.4. Give examples.5. Talk about the artist's later years and death.

Don't...

get confused between different artists. It can happen, so be careful! say "Hi, I'm Albrecht Dürer..." Like I said, this has to be in the third-person

(describing other people). name a term (like engraving or perspective) and then not explain it. You always get

marks for explaining terms. write anything irrelevant (unimportant). It is important that Durer painted the Young

Hare. It is not important that he had long hair.

A named Renaissance artist from Italy.

The first thing to be careful of with Renaissance People in History questions (and a lot of them in Second and Third Year) is whether they ask you to write about a named person or not. Until now you've been writing in the first-person (e.g. I am a knight from the Middle Ages, I am a farmer in Neolithic Ireland, etc.) If you're writing about a named person, such as Michelangelo, you're not pretending to be him, you're just writing about him (e.g. Michelangelo was a Renaissance artist from Italy. He was born in...etc.)

You study two different types of artist in this chapter: artists from Italy, and artists from outside Italy. The paper always makes it clear which it's asking for, but always be careful, because everyone makes mistakes sometimes. Most of the time, you have a choice between two Italian artists, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The advice on this page can apply to both.

First, name your artist. Who is he? When was he born? Where was he born?

Next talk about his training. Where did he train? Who was his patron?

What did he do after his training? Did he travel? Who did he work for?

This is a good point to describe some of that artist's works. It's best to have three examples, so for Leonardo you could describe the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper and the Virgin on the Rocks. For Michelangelo, you'd talk about David, the Pieta and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Don't forget to explain everything about these works, such as the terms fresco and sculpture.

Once that's done, talk about other things the artist did. In Leonardo's case, you'd talk about his inventions. Michelangelo answers would have his work on the Dome of St. Peter here.

When you've finished, end your answer just by mentioning when and where the artist died.

So, in short...

1. Name and introduce your artist.2. Talk about his training and patron.3. Describe what he did after his training.4. Describe three examples of his works.5. Talk about other things the artist did.6. Finish up with his death.

Don't...

get confused between Leonardo and Michelangelo. It can happen, so be careful! say "Hi, I'm Michelangelo..." Like I said, this has to be in the third-person (describing other

people). name a term (like fresco or perspective) and then not explain it. You always get marks for

explaining terms. write anything irrelevant (unimportant). It is important that Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa.

It is not important that he had a big white beard.  .

    A named leader on a voyage of exploration (2011 HL, 2009 HL, 2014 OL, 2012 OL)

So, if you're taking about a named explorer (Columbus or Magellan), how would you approach it? The answer below is for Columbus, but can suit Magellan as well.

Name and introduce the explorer. Where was he born? When?

Explain why the explorer wanted to explore. Who sponsored him? What did they want to find?

How did his voyage begin? How many ships did he have? How many men? Where did they leave from? When?

What was the voyage like? Describe the conditions. How did the explorer react?

What did the explorer discover? Describe how the first discovery was made? What did the explorer do? What happened when he returned home?

Describe the explorer's later voyages. What happened on them?

End with the explorer's later life and death.

So, in short...

1. Name and introduce the explorer.2. Explain why he wanted to explore and who sponsored him.3. Talk about the beginning of the voyage.4. Describe the conditions on the voyage.5. Explain what the explorer discovered.6. Describe his later voyages.7. Later life and death.

Don't...

spend too long talking about the conditions of the voyage. Remember, your answer has to be about the explorer, so make sure everything is to do with him.

say "Hi, I'm Christopher Columbus..." Like I said, this has to be in the third-person (describing other people).

name a term (like astrolabe or caravel) and then not explain it. You always get marks for explaining terms.

write anything irrelevant (unimportant).

If you're writing about a sailor on a voyage of discovery, you still mostly follow the steps above, but you tell it from the point of view of one of Columbus' sailors. Rather than having everything be all about Columbus, you can spend more time in this kind of answer talking about the conditions on the ship and the dangers the sailors faced. Maybe you're one of the sailors who stayed behind in la Navidad...

A named religious reformer (at the time of the Reformation)(2011 HL, 2008 HL, 2012 OL, 2011 OL, 2014 OL, 2009 OL, 2008 OL)

As you can see, the Reformation is a popular People in History topic. You've most likely studied Martin Luther as your named religious reformer, so let's talk about how to write an answer with him.

Name and introduce your reformer. Where was he born? When?

Why did he decide to be religious? What were his beliefs?

What inspired him to rebel? How did he rebel? (95 Theses)

How did the Catholic Church respond? How did Luther respond to them? (burning the papal bull)

Luther was excommunicated. What happened as a result of this?

Lutheranism spread through Europe. What was its beliefs?

What were the results of Luther's reformation? Its impact went on for centuries, so this is a good place to stop.

So, in short...

1. Name and introduce the reformer.2. Talk about his beliefs.3. Explain what inspired him to rebel against the Church.4. Explain how the Catholic church responded, and what Luther did.5. Describe what happened after he was excommunicated.6. Explain Lutheranism.7. Describe the results of Luther's reformation.

Don't...

say "Hi, I'm Martin Luther..." Like I said, this has to be in the third-person (describing other people).

name a term (like predestination or simony) and then not explain it. You always get marks for explaining terms.

write anything irrelevant (unimportant).

People in History: A settler who received land in a named plantation

The plantation you learn the most about is the Ulster plantation. English settlers were moved to different counties in Ulster, where they claimed the land for their king and started to build new towns, such as Londonderry, and develop towns such as Donegal.

Unlike most of the Second Year People in History questions, this one is like First Year, as you're asked to write about being a planter, instead of writing about a famous planter.

There were different types of planter, and they each had different conditions. When writing this answer you'll need to decide what kind of planter you are. We'll go with a servitor for our example.

Start by naming your plantation. For example: "Our King, James I, has confiscated six counties in Ulster..."

What did the King want to do? How was the land divided?

Talk about the three types of planter and say which one you are. How much land do you and the others get? What are you allowed to do? Remember to explain each of the three types of planter is as much detail as you can.

What are your conditions? Irish natives will try to attack you. How will you defend the land for the King?

You can say that you are going to Londonderry. What is it? What kind of people are being asked to go there, and why? What does the King want Londonderry to be?

Is this plantation going to be a success? Talk about how England has learned from the mistakes it made in Laois-Offaly and Munster. Finish your answer talking about how successful you will be.

So, in short...

1. Name your plantation and the King.2. What the King wanted to do.3. Three types of planter, which one you are, and the land and allowances you have.4. Your conditions and defending the land.5. The plantation of Londonderry.6. Is the plantation going to be a success?

  Don't...

get confused between the Ulster plantation and the ones that happened in Laois-Offaly or Munster.

name a term (like servitor or bawn) and then not explain it. You always get marks for explaining terms.

write anything irrelevant (unimportant).

People in History: A named leader in a revolution - George Washington

Even before Second Year, you most likely knew who George Washington is. Today, Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. George Washington was the very first.

Washington's face can be found on the $1 bill, on Mount Rushmore in the US, and in statues and paintings across America. Washington DC is named after him. However, none of that is any good to you in a People in History answer because it has nothing to do with his time as the leader of the American Revolution.

Washington is usually the most popular choice for the "revolutionary leader" People in History question. How would you go about answering it?

Name and introduce your leader. This is a third-person answer, so you start with "George Washington was born in..."

What did he do before the Revolution? Where did he live? What was his job?

The Revolution begins: what was Washington's role in it? He was commander-in-chief, so this is a good place to talk about the battles he was involved in - New York, Philadelphia, Saratoga, Princeton, Trenton and Delaware.

What happened during the Winter of 1777-8? Talk about the conditions at Valley Forge and how Washington stayed with his men.

Something happened to change the Americans' luck. What was it? How was Washington able to defeat the British?

What happened to Washington after the war?

Finish up with a line on his later life and death.

So, in short...

1. Name and introduce Washington.2. What he did before the Revolution.3. What he did during the Revolution: the main battles.4. His time at Valley Forge.5. The arrival of the French.6. Washington's new role after the war.7. Later life and death.

Don't...

write in the first person, you're talking about a named person so it's in third person. (He was... etc.)

write anything irrelevant (unimportant).

People in History: A farm labourer in industrial England

You started studying the history of farming in First Year with the Neolithic people. You saw farming in Britain and Ireland develop in the Middle Ages, with crop rotation and the open field system. Now, with the Agricultural Revolution in the 19th Century, you'll see how farming changed from that to the way we know it now.

Enclosure meant that farms were no longer owned by the community, but by individuals. A new system of crop rotation was developed to speed up the production of crops. Selective breeding was introduced to improve livestock.

The farm labourer in the Agricultural Revolution is an occasional People in History question which seems to appear every few years.

Introduce yourself. You are a farm labourer in, say, Wessex. You can say that your ancestors and your landlord's ancestors have lived here since the Middle Ages.

Talk about the changes happening to farming. What do they mean for farmers across Britain?

Mention Norfolk crop rotation and compare it to the system you had before. Who invented it? Why is it better? Where does the extra food go?

Once you've answered that last question (the answer is 'to the animals'), talk about the animals. Selective breeding is another new development. Who came up with it? What changes is it making?

Talk about how farms themselves are changing through enclosure. What did the government do to make it happen? Was your landlord happy or not? What happens to poorer farmers?

Your work is being made easier by inventions. (seed drill, reaper, etc.) Talk about them and what they do. How do they make your work easier?

What effects is the Agricultural Revolution having on Britain? There's more food, so the population is growing. What does this mean for farms and cities?What else is happening in cities? Have you already noticed more people moving to work in factories? This is a good way to end the answerSo, in short...

1. Introduce yourself. 2. Mention that changes are happening to farming:3. Norfolk Crop Rotation4. Selective Breeding5. Enclosure6. Inventions7. The effects of the Agricultural Revolution. 

Don't...

talk in third-person. This is a first person answer. (e.g. I am, I will...) name a term (e.g. crop rotation or seed drill) and not explain what it means. You will lose

marks if you don't. talk about anything irrelevant (e.g. the weather). You will get no marks for irrelevant

information.

People in History: A factory/mine worker during the Industrial Revolution

In this section, you'll learn about the dangerous working conditions faced by the men, women and children who worked in factories and mines in Industrial Revolution England. With no laws about safety or child labour, many people died at very young ages from accidents at work.

The factory/mine worker is a very common People in History question, and an easy one to prepare for. You only have to pick one or the other - factory workers or mine workers - and focus on learning that one. Both are quite similar anyway, and the advice below applies equally to both of them.

The answer below is written as a male. If you want to write as a female, you may need to switch around some of the points, but they are all still relevant.

Introduce yourself. "I am a factory/mine worker in Manchester." Why is your factory/mine important? If you're in a factory, say what kind of factory it is.

Talk about your jobs. When did you start work? What kind of work are you expected to do? (if you're in a mine, talk about being a trapper, then a hauler, etc. If you're in a factory, talk about working with dangerous machines, and the rules you have to obey.

If you're writing as a boy or man, talk about the kind of work girls and women must do. If you're a girl, mention this in Point #2.

What are the conditions like? How much are you paid? What kind of accidents happen? How have people died?

What are the biggest dangers? Have there been any safety measures brought in?

Finish up by talking about improvements. If you're a mine worker, this will be where you talk about the Mine Acts. If you're a factory worker, talk about how some factory owners are kind, and are treating their workers better.

So, in short...

A mine worker in the Industrial Revolution.

1. Introduce yourself and your type of work.2. Your jobs in the factory/mine.3. The work of girls and women.4. The working conditions (pay, accidents, deaths).5. The biggest dangers of working there, and any safety measures there might be.6. Any improvements that are happening for workers in factories or mines.

Don't...

talk in third-person. This is a first person answer. (e.g. I am, I will...) name a term (e.g. Davy's safety lamp or ventilation shaft) and not explain what it means. You

will lose marks if you don't. talk about anything irrelevant (e.g. the weather). You will get no marks for irrelevant

information.

People in History: A factory/mine owner during the Industrial Revolution

This question is simply the other form of the "factory/mine worker" question. You'll be talking about the same things, just from a different point of view.

Introduce yourself. "I am the owner of a mine/textile factory in Manchester..." It's important that you name the type of factory.

Who do you employ? What are their jobs?

Why are women and children better to employ than men?

What kind of work is done in your factory/mine? (trappers, spinners, scavengers, etc,)

What rules must the workers obey? What are their punishments for breaking them?

The children you employ are complaining. What are they complaining about? What do you think you should do? (This is where you get to decide whether to be mean or kind)

Talk about Robert Owen. What does he do for his workers? Why? What do you think of this?

What laws are being introduced to improve working conditions? Give some examples and talk about what problems they might be giving you (e.g. not allowed to make children work for more than 12 hours a day). Either you agree with this, or you think the government are out to ruin you!

So, in short...

1. Introduce yourself and state whether you're a mine or a factory owner.2. Who you employ, and why women and children are better to employ than men.3. What kind of work must they do?4. The rules they must obey and the punishments if they don't.5. Child workers complaining - what do you do?6. Robert Owen and his reforms.7. New laws to make working conditions better for workers.

Don't...

talk in third-person. This is a first person answer. (e.g. I am, I will...) name a term (e.g. Davy's safety lamp or ventilation shaft) and not explain what it

means. You will lose marks if you don't. talk about anything irrelevant (e.g. the weather). You will get no marks for irrelevant

information.

People in History: A soldier in World War IIHave you seen Saving Private Ryan? If you have, you're probably familiar with what life was like for Allied soldiers trying to take Europe back from German control. For a soldier People in History question, sometimes you might just be asked to write about "a soldier", other times you could be asked to write as a British/American soldier or a German soldier. We're going to go with an American soldier here.

The thing you (hopefully) have noticed about History by now is that a lot of the different topics you study link in to each other. Most of the points in the tips below you should know from studying World War II, but you might notice there's also a point you learned when you studied Northern Ireland. Keep an eye out for links like that.

• Start by introducing yourself. Say you're an American soldier.• First, talk about your training. US troops deployed to Europe underwent training in

Northern Ireland. Where did the other soldiers come from?• Now, talk about the aim of your mission: what was the aim of Operation

Overlord?• Mention how the war has been fought in the air and sea, and describe how you

and your fellow troops will be travelling to Normandy. What is the plan?• What beach did you land at? What did you encounter when you got there?

Describe briefly what would have happened.• You and your men have defeated the Germans in Normandy. What next? You're

making a slow advance to a certain city, which is it?• You're not alone of course. Talk about the Resistance in France.• You're nearly in that city, and France will soon be liberated. But who's attacking the

Germans from the East? How do you think this war will end?

So, in short...

1 Introduce yourself.2 The aim of your mission.3 How battles have been fought and how you will get to Normandy (the plan).4 The beach you landed at and what you encountered.5 What happened after you defeated the Germans at Normandy.6 The French Resistance.7 The Soviet troops attacking Germany from the east.

Don't...• get confused between battles and places. You're in France in 1944, nowhere else.• write anything irrelevant.make anything up!

People in History: Cold War Leader in a named crisis:

This is the question you would answer if you studied the Cold War option at the end of 3rd Year. There are three different events that you learn about in that chapter (case studies), so you must pick a leader associated with one of them. Of the three (the Berlin Blockade, the Korean War and the Cuban Missile Crisis), the easiest to write about is one of the leaders during the Cuban Missile Crisis - US President John F. Kennedy.

Like other people you learn about in 3rd Year, you probably knew a few things about Kennedy already, such as that he is the most recent US President to have been assassinated. His brother Robert ran for President in 1968, but was also assassinated before the election. His other brother Ted became a Senator, which he remained until his own death in 2009. Kennedy was the first Catholic to become US President, and his visit to Ireland in the summer of 1963 was a huge event for the Irish people. His assassination in Dallas, Texas on 23 November 1963 shocked the world, and has been the subject of conspiracy theories ever since.US President, and his visit to Ireland in the summer of 1963 was a huge event for the Irish people. His assassination in Dallas, Texas on 23 November 1963 shocked the world, and has been the subject of conspiracy theories ever since.

None of that is important to this answer, however, because it specifically asks you to talk about a crisis in the Cold War. In Kennedy's case, that's Cuba, so let's start.

• Name the leader and the crisis you're talking about. You must make this clear first of all.• Give a brief explanation of Cuba and Castro: when did he come to power? What kind of

state did he make Cuba into? Why was this a problem for America?• What did Kennedy try to do about Cuba first? Explain the Bay of Pigs.• After that, he sent U-2 spy planes. For what reason? What did one find in 1962?• The Russian fleet was heading towards Cuba. What did Kennedy do?• What would have been the consequences if one side had attacked the other?• Khrushchev backs down. What did Kennedy do next?

So, in short...• Name the leader and the crisis.• Explain Cuba and Castro (briefly).• Bay of Pigs• U-2 spy planes.• The Russian fleet and the Blockade.• The consequences of an attack.• Khrushchev backs down.

Don't...8 mention anything about Kennedy that isn't related to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Don't talk

about his assassination.9 get confused between this crisis and either of the other two you study.write anything irrelevant.

People in History: A named leader in the struggle for Irish independence

The easiest person to write about in this answer is Michael Collins. You might have seen the "Michael Collins" film by Neil Jordan, starring Liam Neeson as Collins and Alan Rickman as Éamon de Valera. This film has done a lot to raise awareness of who Collins was amongst younger generations, but because it's a film dramatising the events of Collins' life, it presents a few things differently to how they actually happened. (For example, the car bomb scene. Car bombs hadn't been invented yet). This is something to be aware of when watching any film based on historical events, as a film like that is a secondary source and can show any kids of bias, prejudice or propaganda.

For this answer, the only relevant (important) information is what Collins was doing during the years of the independence struggle, 1916 - 1922. Too much information about his early life, his love life, or anything else that has nothing to do with the independence struggle won't win any marks.

So, how do we answer this question?

• Name the leader you're writing about and introduce him. "Michael Collins was born in Co. Cork in 1890. He..."

• Start out by talking about his early involvement in the independence struggle. Where was Collins in Easter 1916?

• Next, talk about the First Dáil. Collins was elected in 1918. What position did he hold? What did he do?

• What were his other roles? What work did he do with the IRA as the War of Independence began?

• Talk about the groups he commanded: the Squad and the Flying Columns. What did he order them to do?

• De Valera sent Collins to negotiate with Britain. What was he negotiating? What was agreed? What problems were there?

• The treaty led to the Civil War. What was Collins' role now? What did he do? What happened to him?

So, in short...

• Name and introduce him (briefly).• Talk about his early involvement in the independence struggle.• His role in the First Dáil.• His other roles as the War of Independence began.• Collins' Squad and the Flying Columns.• Being sent to negotiate the Treaty.• Collins in the Civil War.

Don't...10 talk about anything irrelevant (unimportant). Like I said, it must all have something to

do with Collins in the independence struggle.talk about any other leaders. You'll mention de Valera when you talk about the Treaty, but you must only mention him in relation to Collins.