The history of London
Introduction
Teachers’ notes
During their visit students will discover how archaeology helps us to interpret the
past and deepen their knowledge of the technology, ideas, beliefs and lifestyles that
have characterised London’s history.
You can select the activities that relate to the galleries you wish to visit. You should
allow approximately 30 minutes for each gallery. There is a lot to see! We
recommend that a visit of 1-2 hours should include activities for 2-3 galleries at
most. The vocabulary boxes are designed for teachers to complete in the students’
first language, or adapt according to ability.
We suggest you split the class into groups and allocate each group a different
starting point, so that students are spread across the gallery.
Please remember to photocopy these activity sheets before your visit and bring
clipboards and pencils for use in the galleries as the Museum cannot provide these.
Notes for adults
Adults can support students by:
 discussing whether the artefacts on display are complete or broken and how
they would have looked when they were new
 discussing the uses of the artefacts on display, whether we use similar things
today and how they compare with objects today
 reading and discussing text panels
 expanding on the questions within the activity sheets.
Gallery plans are included to help you and your students find your way around (you
can also ask gallery Hosts for help in finding things).
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The history of London
Roman London gallery
Vocabulary
Bewildered
The Romans return
Fierce
What date did Claudius invade Britain?
54BC
Invasion
Lead
Look at the picture on the first panel at the entrance of the gallery.
Cremated
Evidence
What animals did the Romans use during their invasion?
Ruins
Elephants
__________________
Archaeology
Native
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The history of London
Roman London gallery
How do you think native Britons felt about the invasion? Circle the correct adjectives.
afraid
scared
worried
helpless
thankful
excited
brave
fierce
defeated
happy
relieved
nervous
calm
bewildered
concerned
Balance of trade
Write, or draw, 2 things that were brought to London and imported from France.
3) Samian
9) Decorated
tableware
Samian bowl
4) Beaker
10) Marble inlay
5) Green lead-
11) Plain Samian
glazed flagon
cup
6) Cup with
12) Bowl from
‘raspberry’
Argonne, France
roundels
7) Ceramic
Lamps
8) Clay Figurines
Walk past the model of the port of London and the first London Bridge and find the big map of the
Roman Empire. Find the English or French names for the following Roman cities.
1) Burdigala___________________________________________________________________
2) Narbo______________________________________________________________________
3) Londinuim___________________________________________________________________
4) Lugdunum Starts with an L ______________________________________________________
5) Durocortorum: Where champagne comes from______________________________________
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The history of London
Roman London gallery
The Roman rooms
Find the living room from AD 100. Do you think this room belonged to a poor or rich Londoner?
Rich
_______________________________________
List 3 objects that support your answer.
1) _____________________________________________
Wall Painting
2) _____________________________________________
Tiled Floor
Pots made from expensive materials
3) _____________________________________________
Spitalfields Roman
At the end of the gallery find the coffin discovered in 1999 in Bishopsgate. Read the information
and circle the opposites that best describe the person.
Old  Young
Rich  Poor
Woman  Man
Buried  Cremated
For the more confident
In the Roman London gallery find 3 examples of Roman ruins we can still see in London today.
The London Wall
1)_____________________________________
Amphitheatre (under the Guildhall)
2)_____________________________________
Bath House (Lower Thames Street)
3)_____________________________________
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The history of London
Medieval London gallery
Medieval London gallery
Vocabulary
Reign
Ghost
Settle
Trade
Goods
Chronology
From Londinium, to Lundenwic to Lundenberg
After the Roman occupation ended in 410 AD, Londinium was abandoned and became a ghost
town. But some other tribes came to settle. Watch the presentation at the entrance and number the
pictures below to show the correct order.
2
3
1
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The history of London
Medieval London gallery
Saint Paul’s Cathedral
Go to the model of Saint Paul’s Cathedral and have a look at the different structures on the right
and left of the model.
Complete the table below showing what each saint represents. You will find the answers in the
case to the right of the St Paul’s model.
Saint’s name
Patron saint of
St Paul
London
St Leonard
Prisoners
St Eloi
Blacksmiths
St Christopher
Travel
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The history of London
Medieval London gallery
Trade: Merchants from every nation under the sun
Use the display to complete the chart below. List the country (or countries) that goods were
brought from between 1349 and 1485.
Goods
Country / countries of origin
Pottery
Belgium
Glassware
Syria or Egypt
Fine metalwork
Germany or France
Ivory
Arctic waters (tusks of walruses)
Amber
Baltic
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The history of London
War, Plague and Fire gallery
Vocabulary
War, Plague and Fire
Obstructed
To spread
Narrow
To blame
London before the Great Fire
Use some (at least 3) of the words in the box below to describe what London was like before the
fire. If you can, put the words into sentences.
______________________________________
crowded
smelly
empty
market
______________________________________
______________________________________
streets
clean
narrow
healthy
spacious
wooden
______________________________________
quiet
______________________________________
polluted
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
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The history of London
War, Plague and Fire gallery
The start of the Great Fire
Early morning (1am)
At what time of the day did the Great Fire start? __________________________
Sunday
On what day of the week? ___________________________
September
In which month? _________________________________
1666
What year did this event happen? _____________________________________
5 days
How long did the Great Fire last? _____________________________________
On the first panel to your right, find 3 reasons why the fire spread so fast.
1.
Pitch (tar) burns easily and there were barrels of it in the bakery
2.
Narrow Streets
3.
Wooden Houses
Who was to blame?
Write your answer in the box below and give a reason.
……………………………………………………………………………….was to blame
because…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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The history of London
Expanding City gallery
Expanding City gallery
Explore this gallery and match the objects to the letters on the map showing their location.
Vocabulary
Broadcasting
Sewage system
To be evacuated
Empire map = X
Watches = F
Pleasure Gardens = A
Nelson’s sword = G
To obtain
Prison cell =
D
Doll’s house = C
Values
Ivory fans =
B
Porcelain vases = E
To pack
Wealthy
London jewellery = H
Find the Fanshawe dress and read the information.
What sort of person would have worn this dress? Circle the
correct answer.
French woman
wealthy woman
flower seller
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The history of London
Expanding City gallery
What helped to make London such a rich city at this time?
Tick all the options below that are TRUE. (Clue: Find X on the map above to help you)
the slave trade
new technology
the invention of cars
drinking tea
more industry
a growing empire
closing factories
more schools
lower population
You are a rich person in 19th century London. Choose an object from the gallery you would most
like to own.
I chose the…………………… (name of object)
because……………………………………………
You can draw it here if you have
time
………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………
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The history of London
People’s City gallery
People’s City gallery
Vocabulary
Protest
Immigrant
Sewage system
To be evacuated
To pack
Values
Struggle
Imperial
Timeline
Connect the events to the correct date and complete the information in the boxes.
1863
1878
1898
1922
Electric lights
World’s first
London’s first
First escalator is
first appeared in
underground
radio station
installed in
_____________
railway opened
starts
_____________
broadcasting.
_
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The history of London
People’s City gallery
Struggle and People’s Capital
Find the water pump and finish the following sentences.
(You will find the answers by touching the water around
the pump.)
Stink
Poor Londoners were called ‘The Great …………………’
1858
In ……………the ‘Great Stink’ arose from the Thames.
Joseph Bazalgette
The government asked ……………………………………….to build an underground sewage system.
Immigrants
Find an object in this gallery that is made by, or belonged to, an immigrant to London.
What is it?
What culture is it from? (e.g. Italian, Irish, Chinese)
Protest and political change
This section is about the fight for women to be allowed to vote (suffrage). These women called
themselves Suffragettes.
1918
1944
When did women get the vote in England? ……… In France? ………
What were the Suffragettes’ 3 favourite colours?
These colours represented the values of purity, dignity and hope. Which of these values did each
colour represent and what are they in your language? Fill in the boxes.
Colour
Green
White
Purple
Value
Hope
Purity
Dignity
Value in your language
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The history of London
People’s City gallery
London during the war
Find the suitcases in the corridor leading to the war film.
Why were children evacuated?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
It was safer in the countryside because the Germans were focusing on bombing
London.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Touch the objects and look in the suitcases. Children could only take a few things with them
when they were evacuated. What would you take if you were a child in 1939? Make a list below.
What to pack
…………………………………………
…………………………………………
…………………………………………
…………………………………………
…………………………………………
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The history of London
World City gallery
World City gallery
Vocabulary
To collapse
Break away
Campaign
Discrimination
Rights
Cause
Inhabitable
Economy
Designer
Slogan
Symbol
Londoners after World War II
After the war, the British Empire declined and the economy collapsed. Many Londoners were killed
in the war and much of the City was inhabitable due to bomb destruction.
At the start of the gallery, find three events that helped Londoners to feel happier. Use the pictures
as clues.
Olympics
The Queen’s Coronation
The Festival of Britain
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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The history of London
World City gallery
Young Londoners in the 1960s
In the 1960s many young people wanted to break away from their parents’ style. Imagine you are a
fashion designer in the 1960s and want to do something completely new. On the T.shirt below
write your own slogan or design a symbol to reflect your ideas.
Protest and change
During the 1970s and 1980s many Londoners campaigned against racism and sexual
discrimination. Copy two of the badges people wore. Then design your own campaign badge for a
cause you care about.
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The history of London
World City gallery
London, a multicultural city
Go to wall at the end of the gallery near the large river exhibit and match different figures to facts.
Different nations
Different languages
14
33
300
Different faiths
50
Different communities
This gallery is called World City. Why do you think that is? Explain in a few sentences.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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