Topics

Our topic websites cover a huge variety of times and places. Many contain structured investigations for use directly in the classroom. Some are more useful for research and preparation but what they all have in common are the access they allow to our unique collections.

Medieval 1066 - 1485
- Treasures
  Highlights from the collections of The National Archives
- Domesday
  A unique record of 11th century England uncovered
  
  Key stage 3
- Focus on Film
  Investigate film as a historical source
  
  Key stage 2 - 5
- - Crime and Punishment
    From heretics and poachers to car crime and walkie-talkies
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - Human Rights
    800 years of the struggle for rights
  - Citizenship
    A history of people, rights and power
  - Uniting the Kingdoms?
    Building the union from the conquest to the Tudors
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Early Modern 1485 - 1750
- British Empire
  Rise and decline of the first global empire
  
  Key stage 3 - 4
- The Tudors
  Explore the 16th century with The National Archives and V&A
  
  Key stage 2 - 3
- Civil War
  King and subjects fight it out in the 1640s
  
  Key stage 3 - 5
- - The Great Fire of London
    Play the game and escape the flames
    
    Key stage 1
  - Black Presence
    Asian and Black history in Britain from 1500 to 1850
  - Caribbean Histories Revealed
    Explore our collections on the history of the British Caribbean
  - Crime and Punishment
    From heretics and poachers to car crime and walkie-talkies
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - Secrets and Spies
    Hidden codes and double agents across three centuries
  - Citizenship
    A history of people, rights and power
  - Uniting the Kingdoms?
    Building the union from the conquest to the Tudors
  - Henry VIII
    Discover the power, passion and parchment
  - Tudor Hackney
    Step into our recreation of 1601 Hackney
    
    Key stage 2 - 3
  - Treasures
    Highlights from the collections of The National Archives
  - Human Rights
    800 years of the struggle for rights
  - Focus on Film
    Investigate film as a historical source
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
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Empire and industry 1750 - 1850
- British Empire
  Rise and decline of the first global empire
  
  Key stage 3 - 4
- Black Presence
  Asian and Black history in Britain from 1500 to 1850
- Power, Politics and Protest
  The growth of political rights in 19th century Britain
  
  Key stage 3 - 5
- - Human Rights
    800 years of the struggle for rights
  - Abolition of Slavery
    A guide to our resources on the transatlantic slave trade
  - Nelson
    The admiral, Trafalgar and those who served
  - Moving Here
    200 years of the history of migration to England
    
    Key stage 2 - 4
  - Secrets and Spies
    Hidden codes and double agents across three centuries
  - Citizenship
    A history of people, rights and power
  - Caribbean Histories Revealed
    Explore our collections on the history of the British Caribbean
  - Crime and Punishment
    From heretics and poachers to car crime and walkie-talkies
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - Treasures
    Highlights from the collections of The National Archives
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Victorians 1850 - 1901
- The Victorians
  Work like a real historian to uncover Victoria's England
  
  Key stage 2 - 3
- Moving Here
  200 years of the history of migration to England
  
  Key stage 2 - 4
- Focus on the Census
  What is the census and what can it tell us?
  
  Key stage 2 - 4
- - Victorian Nation
    Happy, healthy and wealthy or divided, lawless and poor?
    
    Key stage 2 - 4
  - Prisoner 4099
    What was life like for young offenders in the 19th century?
    
    Key stage 2 - 4
  - Citizenship
    A history of people, rights and power
  - Human Rights
    800 years of the struggle for rights
  - British Battles
    British forces in action in conflicts from the Crimea to Korea
  - Women in Uniform
    Service in the Crimea, Western Front and Second World War
  - Caribbean Histories Revealed
    Explore our collections on the history of the British Caribbean
  - Treasures
    Highlights from the collections of The National Archives
  - Crime and Punishment
    From heretics and poachers to car crime and walkie-talkies
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - British Empire
    Rise and decline of the first global empire
    
    Key stage 3 - 4
  - Power, Politics and Protest
    The growth of political rights in 19th century Britain
    
    Key stage 3 - 5
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Early 20th century 1901 - 1918
- Great War
  Outbreak, experience, peacemaking and remembrance
  
  Key stage 3 - 4
- Britain 1906-18
  Contrast, contradiction and change
  
  Key stage 2 - 5
- Focus on Film
  Investigate film as a historical source
  
  Key stage 2 - 5
- - Focus on Isaac Rosenberg
    Poetry shaped by wartime experience
  - Women in Uniform
    Service in the Crimea, Western Front and Second World War
  - Crime and Punishment
    From heretics and poachers to car crime and walkie-talkies
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - Citizenship
    A history of people, rights and power
  - British Empire
    Rise and decline of the first global empire
    
    Key stage 3 - 4
  - 1901
    Life in Britain at the time of the census
  - Treasures
    Highlights from the collections of The National Archives
  - Caribbean Histories Revealed
    Explore our collections on the history of the British Caribbean
  - The Cabinet Papers 1915-82
    History through the eyes of 65 years of British cabinets
    
    Key stage 4 - 5
  - Human Rights
    800 years of the struggle for rights
  - Moving Here
    200 years of the history of migration to England
    
    Key stage 2 - 4
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Interwar 1918 - 1939
- Heroes & Villains
  Investigate the movers and shakers of the 20th century
  
  Key stage 3 - 5
- Thirties Britain
  The depressed decade?
  
  Key stage 4 - 5
- The Cabinet Papers 1915-82
  History through the eyes of 65 years of British cabinets
  
  Key stage 4 - 5
- - Human Rights
    800 years of the struggle for rights
  - Citizenship
    A history of people, rights and power
  - Crime and Punishment
    From heretics and poachers to car crime and walkie-talkies
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - Moving Here
    200 years of the history of migration to England
    
    Key stage 2 - 4
  - British Empire
    Rise and decline of the first global empire
    
    Key stage 3 - 4
  - Focus on Film
    Investigate film as a historical source
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - Treasures
    Highlights from the collections of The National Archives
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Second World War 1939 - 1945
- World War II
  Take a fresh look at the biggest conflict in history
  
  Key stage 3 - 4
- The Art of War
  Britain's war artists capture the conflict in artwork
  
  Key stage 2 - 5
- Home Front
  Fighting the war at home
  
  Key stage 2 - 3
- - The Cabinet Papers 1915-82
    History through the eyes of 65 years of British cabinets
    
    Key stage 4 - 5
  - Dambusters
    Documents that tell the story of 617 Squadron
  - Focus on Film
    Investigate film as a historical source
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - British Battles
    British forces in action in conflicts from the Crimea to Korea
  - Secrets and Spies
    Hidden codes and double agents across three centuries
  - Women in Uniform
    Service in the Crimea, Western Front and Second World War
  - Moving Here
    200 years of the history of migration to England
    
    Key stage 2 - 4
  - Treasures
    Highlights from the collections of The National Archives
  - Heroes & Villains
    Investigate the movers and shakers of the 20th century
    
    Key stage 3 - 5
  - Human Rights
    800 years of the struggle for rights
  - Crime and Punishment
    From heretics and poachers to car crime and walkie-talkies
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
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Postwar 1945 - present
- Fifties Britain
  Never so good? Or too good to be true?
  
  Key stage 4 - 5
- Sixties Britain
  A social and cultural revolution?
  
  Key stage 5
- Cold War
  The cautious struggle of nuclear powers
  
  Key stage 3 - 5
- - The Road to Partition
    Selected documents on the creation of India and Pakistan
    
    Key stage 4 - 5
  - Civil Rights in America
    A selection of documents on the fight for desegregation
    
    Key stage 4 - 5
  - The Cabinet Papers 1915-82
    History through the eyes of 65 years of British cabinets
    
    Key stage 4 - 5
  - Public Information Films
    100 films that influenced the postwar generation
  - Focus on Film
    Investigate film as a historical source
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - Moving Here
    200 years of the history of migration to England
    
    Key stage 2 - 4
  - British Empire
    Rise and decline of the first global empire
    
    Key stage 3 - 4
  - Heroes & Villains
    Investigate the movers and shakers of the 20th century
    
    Key stage 3 - 5
  - Treasures
    Highlights from the collections of The National Archives
  - Crime and Punishment
    From heretics and poachers to car crime and walkie-talkies
    
    Key stage 2 - 5
  - Citizenship
    A history of people, rights and power
  - British Battles
    British forces in action in conflicts from the Crimea to Korea
  Show/hide more items