Workers’ Educational Association
The UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of adult learning
Course Outline
This course outline describes what will be covered in your course.
It also sets out what you should expect to learn. There will be an opportunity for course
members to discuss the course content with the tutor.
Course Title
BRITISH HISTORY: THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR
Course ID
C2415708
Tutor
Start date
19.09.2011
Day(s)/time(s)
No. of sessions
20
Hours per
session
Sean Worgan
2
Mondays 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Fees
Concessions
£140.00
Free on proof of
income related
benefit
Venue: Enfield Baptist Church, Cecil Road, Enfield, EN2 6TG
Branch/Partner
Enfield & Southgate WEA
Branch/Partner
contact details
020 8882 0615/020 8882 0207
chapmanhhc@aol.com shirley@sandfordsa.freeserve.co.uk
Publicity Description
The English Civil War was a period of upheaval like no other in British history: what began
as a financial revolt turned into a full-scale revolution. Ultimately this cost the King his
head and changed the way Britain was governed.
Course Aims
To familiarise students with the English Civil War and the massive political and social
upheaval it unleashed. To give students an understanding of how it helped shape modern
Britain.
Main Topics Covered
1) Puritanism vs creeping Absolutism: Resisting Charles, Wentworth and Laud
2) Parliament and Charles’ financial problems: Scotland, the Bishops’ War, and the Short
Parliament
3) Revolt in Ireland and the Grand Remonstrance
4) Nineteen Propositions, Charles’ arrest of Five MPs and the beginning of the Civil War
5) Battle of Edgehill, and Stewart victories at Adwalton Moor and Roundaway Down
6) Solemn League and Covenant, First Battle of Newbury,
7) Marston Moor, Second Battle of Newbury
8) Fairfax, Cromwell and the New Model Army
9) Naseby and Charles’ Surrender to the Scots
9) Putney Debates
10) Charles Escapes, Engagers and the Second Civil War
11) Rump Parliament, Trial and Execution of Charles I
12) Diggers and Levellers
13) Cromwell in Ireland
14) Fifth Monarchists, the Rule of the Saints and the Barebones Parliament
15) Cromwell and Monck defeat Scots
16) Major Generals and the of Saints
17) Moves to Restoration
Pre-course preparation, reading, internet research etc.
In terms of reading Maurice Ashley and Christopher Hill are very good and provide
contrasting views. However, I would suggest leaving Hill until after learners have gained a
general overview of the Civil War and the period: this is also a good rule for specialist
subjects, e.g. the role of religion in the Civil War. Learners should be aware that the Civil
War and the English Revolution are the same thing, although the latter is more concerned
with the later aspects.
Websites can also be a valuable source of information: BBC History, Spartacus School Net
and Wikipedia and are useful, but History on the Net and Open2net are very good,
offering overviews of events in the Civil War, maps, quizzes, timelines and other resources.
As always, students should be wary of Wikipedia since mistakes, deliberate or otherwise,
have been known – although this is less of a problem for historical subjects.
The WEA is committed to equality of opportunity and inclusive learning.
WEA London and Southern Regions' Support Centre
57 Riverside 2, Sir Thomas Longley Road, Rochester, Kent ME2 4DP
Tel: 01634 298600 Fax: 01634 298601 email: london&southernrsc@wea.org.uk
The Workers' Educational Association is a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in
Scotland (number SC039239) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 2806910)
TITLE
AUTHOR
The English Civil War
The King’s War 1641-1647
Rebellion or Revolution: England
From the Civil War to the
Restoration
The British Republic 1649-60
Oliver Cromwell and the Puritan
Revolution
Cromwell: Our Chief of Men
The World Turned Upside Down:
Radical Ideas During the English
Revolution
Ehud’s Dagger: Class Struggle in
the English Revolution
The Far Left in the English
Revolution
The English Bible and the
Seventeenth-Century Revolution.
The Century of Revolution 1603-14
PUBLISHER
Maurice Ashley
C.V. Wedgewood
G.E. Aylmer
Budding Books
Book Club Association
Oxford University Press
Ronald Hutton
Maurice Ashley
Macmillan
English University Press
Antonia Fraser
Christopher Hill
Panther
James Houlston
Verso
Brian Manning
Christopher Hill
Bookmarks
Christopher Hill
Nelson
Essential costs/materials
Notebook, pens.
Entry Requirements/Level
Since it is set at level three reading and comprehension will be a significant part of the
course, both generally and in terms of specific texts provided. Some prior knowledge of
the period would also be helpful to the student. While not essential this is highly desirable
since it will make things easier for the learner later on.
This course is placed at Level 3.
Qualification
gained
N/A
Awarding Body
N/A
Teaching and learning methods used
Lectures, discussions, Q &As, source material comprehension exercises, reading,
individual planned presentations, and where available videos.
The WEA is committed to equality of opportunity and inclusive learning.
WEA London and Southern Regions' Support Centre
57 Riverside 2, Sir Thomas Longley Road, Rochester, Kent ME2 4DP
Tel: 01634 298600 Fax: 01634 298601 email: london&southernrsc@wea.org.uk
The Workers' Educational Association is a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in
Scotland (number SC039239) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 2806910)
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course learners will be able to:
1. Identify the main actors and events in the English Civil War.
2. Recognise the social, cultural, economic and political factors involved.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of specific groups brought to prominence by the Civil
War.
4. Assess the importance of these groups in shaping the social, cultural and political
landscape.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of religion as a transmission mechanism for
social, cultural and political values of the groups involved.
6. Evaluate the importance of the Civil War in changing the British political landscape.
How do you know you are learning?
There will be quizzes, diaries, presentations, Q&As, regular informal feedback on progress,
and collection of evidence of learning (including work done outside the classroom). Your
Learner Record will ask you to consider how far you feel you have progressed.
Suggested Further Study and Progression Routes
There may be scope for a WEA follow up course if learners want it, possibly covering a
specific aspect of the Civil War in greater detail, Stuart and Cromwellian Ireland for
instance. The Kingston Summer School runs a course on Tudor and Stuart London, which
includes the English Civil War on the syllabus. If students wish to gain a qualification, OCR
exam board covers the Civil War as an AS Level topic, and the syllabus includes document
studies. At degree level the Open University covers the Civil War in even greater detail.
Finally, various history societies throughout London run talks on aspects of the English
Civil War, learners can gain details of these by checking their local society’s website:
details of this can often be found in the local library.
Brief tutor profile
Earlier this year I gained a Ph.D. in history and will be looking to incorporate many of the
skills I learnt into this course. I will employ a holistic approach, which looks at social,
cultural, economic and political factors and the interaction between them. As part of this I
will also be utilising some of the knowledge I gained whilst studying, looking in particular at
the role of Dissenting religious groups: these played a major role during the Civil War and I
will be looking social and political activities in particular.
This is my second year teaching for the WEA, but I previously spent three years teaching
at Havering College. During this time I have developed a more interactive teaching style,
incorporating guidance from me through lectures, and learner focused learning through
reading, discussions and Q&As. As part of an interactive approach I frequently incorporate
the examination of different sources into my lessons, and hope to pay particular attention
to them as part of this course.
If you would like more information about other WEA courses, please contact
WEA London and Southern Regions’ Support Centre.
You can now enrol and pay online. Go to: www.wea.org.uk
The WEA is committed to equality of opportunity and inclusive learning.
WEA London and Southern Regions' Support Centre
57 Riverside 2, Sir Thomas Longley Road, Rochester, Kent ME2 4DP
Tel: 01634 298600 Fax: 01634 298601 email: london&southernrsc@wea.org.uk
The Workers' Educational Association is a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in
Scotland (number SC039239) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 2806910)