Magna Carta

1215 is the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta ("The Great Charter"), one of the most famous historical documents in history. It established for the first time the principle that everybody, including the king, was subject to the law. Most of the clauses granted by King John dealt with specific grievances from the barons relating to his rule. However, included within them were a number of fundamental values , including the clause that gave all "free men" the right to justice and a fair trial. Some of Magna Carta's key principles are echoed in the United States Bill of Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. Although most of its clause have been repealed in English law, it remains of major importance because of its defence against arbitrary power and tyrannical rulers.

Take a look at the following websites and videos to find out more about Magna Carta.

The 800th Anniversary site

The Magna Carta Project
The British Library site on Magna Carta
Melvyn Bragg's Radio 4 series on the Magna Carta
Just how important is the Magna Carta 800 years on
In Our Time on Magna Carta

Here is a nicely produced video explaining why Magna Carta was issued:


And now is a Timelines TV video about the signing of Magna Carta:

Nelson Mandela

"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is the difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead."
"No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." Nelson Mandela.



Nelson Mandela, who died on December 5 2013, was one of the most universally respected and inspirational leaders of recent history. Imprisoned for 27 years by the South African government for campaigning to destroy the racist system of Apartheid, Mandela was finally freed in 1990. Rather than look for revenge and retribution, he negotiated with his former captors to lead South Africa into a remarkably peaceful transition to a democracy. He and FW de Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1993 and Mandela was elected president of South Africa in 1994. He stepped down as president in 1999 to dedicate the remainder of his life to work for charitable foundations to help children, combat AIDS and end poverty.
Follow these links for the BBC obituary on Mandela, the Guardian page on the speech he made at his trial in 1964, the Guardian page on Mandela and the history.com webpage on Apartheid and a BBC article on one man's experience of the regime. And here is the BBC new item on his life:

How successful were the Paris Peace Treaties

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Add your comments on the Treaty to the Padlet.

The Korean War

The Korean War (1950-53) was an example of when the Cold War turned hot, with the US and its allies fighting against North Korea and China, who were supported by the USSR. At least 1.5 million Korean civilians, and around 33,000 US, 217,0000 South Korean, 406,000 North Korean and 600,000 Chinese troops are estimated to have died. A ceasefire was agreed on 27 July 1953, but as South Korea would not sign up, the two Koreas are technically still at war.
For an overview of the war, have a look at this BBC webpage. The BBC World Service has two fascinating podcasts about the war: The Korean War and The End of the Korean War.
There is a full length episode on the Korean War in the excellent Cold War documentary series which is worth watching:


Here is a link to a news report on the investigation into the American massacre of civilians at No Gun Ri and a BBC report on the same incident. While finally here are two videos by historian Bruce Cummings on the war:

Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech

It is the 50th anniversary of one of the most dramatic and emotive speeches in modern history, Martin Luther King's call for an end to racism and segregation in the United States. King's "I have a dream" speech still resonates today and it's message continues to spark debate over whether or not real civil rights have been achieved for black Americans in the US.
Take a few minutes to have a listen to a shortened version of the speech and the most famous section which is partly improvised and thought to have been prompted by gospel singer Mahalia Jackson's cry "Tell them about the dream, Martin!"

The BBC have marked the anniversary with a selection of programmes about the March on Washington. If you want to find out more about the man and the struggle for Civil Rights follow these links:
Martin Luther King
What the speech tells us about Martin Luther King
King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, but was assassinated just four years later by criminal James Earl Ray.

America in the 1920s

American society in the 1920s has always grabbed the attention of historians and the public at large because of the changes that took place during the decade, but there has been an even greater focus on this period in recent years. This is partly because of the subsequent economic collapse and, inevitably, parallels have been drawn between the causes of the Great Depression and the current economic crisis. Here are a selection of resources which might help you gain a better understanding of this period in which new liberties and greater independence were combined with excess, consumerism, speculation, unequal distribution of wealth and prejudice to create a period known as the Roaring Twenties.


Have a look at the first part of this three-part documentary on 1920s as a good introduction to the period; you can find the rest of the series on this site's You Tube channel.



The History Learning Site has a good introduction to the topic, while the BBC Bitesize webpage has sections on the Roaring Twenties and other aspects of the 1920s in the USA as well as on racism and intolerance.

Why Appeasement?

Appeasement remains an emotive subject to this day, but it is important to understand why the policy was adopted and to realise that it was not just Neville Chamberlain that followed it. Try and understand the historical context and not to use too much hindsight when analysing it. Take a look at the links and resources from a previous post and then make your own comments about whether or not it was justified on the Wallwisher below.

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Cuban Missile Crisis

Just over 50 years ago the world was teetering on the edge of nuclear war as the Cuban Missile Crisis unfolded following the USSR's decision to deploy nuclear missiles on the Caribbean island. The BBC produced three Witness podcasts to commemorate the Cold War Crisis, follow the links to find them:

The Photos, the Missiles, the Showdown.

The John Kennedy Library has some interesting resources and a microsite on the crisis called World on the Brink. You can also try out the Schools' World TV site, BBC Bitesize and J.D. Clare for further resources and information.

Here is the video from the BBC History 20th Century series on Cuba (Mr Kennedy and Mr Khrushchev)


 Have a look at the previous post on Cuba for some other resources and videos.

The Russian Revolution

The October Revolution of October 1917 was one of the most momentous events in modern history, changing as it did not just the future direction of Russia but also that of the rest of the world. But was the the Revolution a coup by a group of dedicated and disciplined professional revolutionaries or was it a social revolution sparked by the suffering of the people under tsarism and the Provisional Government? Have a look at the following resources to help you make up your mind:
 A list of resources from the School History site.
BBC Bitesize on the causes of the October Revolution
JD Clare's pages on Russia.
An episode of Radio 4's In Our Time on Lenin
Video: The Russian Revolution in colour
A comprehensive bank of resources on the Russian Revolution from Fordham University.
A BBC Witness podcast on the Russian Revolution outlining the experience of one woman in Moscow.

The New Deal

Introduced by US President Franklin Roosevelt, the New Deal was designed to revive the country's battered economy and restore her shattered morale after the devastating impact of the Wall Street Crash and the ensuing depression. FDR instituted a series of measures, including the setting up of the so-called "alphabet agencies", which aimed to ameliorate the worst effects of the economic depression on farmers, factory workers and the unemployed. The New Deal's achievements were significant and its agencies left their mark on the USA for decades to come, but the programme also met with considerable opposition from the American Right and its economic impact remains a subject for intense debate in the USA today. Have a look at the following resources about the Great Depression and then make your comments about the success of the New Deal on the Wallwisher below.

First-hand accounts of the Wall Street Crash in the BBC Witness podcast.
Another excellent Witness podcast, this time on the effects of the Great Depression.
The History Learning Site
BBC Bitesize and the Bitesize Higher site
A short BBC podcast, including extracts from FDR speeches outlining the problems faced by the USA.
A series of resources from the History Channel on the New Deal, including some good video clips.