Alexander's journey from boy to king
I can describe how Alexander came to rule Macedon.
Alexander's journey from boy to king
I can describe how Alexander came to rule Macedon.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- During the wars between Greece and Persia the north-eastern Greek kingdom of Macedon had ended up under Persian control.
- Eventually the Greeks of Macedon pushed the Persians out and Alexander's father, Philip came to rule as King of Macedon.
- Philip built Macedon into a powerful kingdom, convincing other city-states to join him, creating the League of Corinth.
- Philip created the League of Corinth to defeat Persia once and for all, but he was murdered before he could achieve it.
- Philip's son Alexander, tutored by Aristotle from Athens, was now King of Macedon and led Greece against Persia.
Keywords
Macedon - Macedon was a kingdom in the north east of Ancient Greece
Kingdom - a country or state that is ruled by a king or queen is a kingdom
Persia - the civilisation that rivalled Ancient Greece to its east was Persia, sometimes called the Persian Empire
League - a league is a group of people or places that have a shared interest
Murder - murder is a crime, and it is when a person or persons choose to end the life of another person
Common misconception
That the Kingdom of Macedon and the modern republic of North Macedonia are the same place.
Although North Macedonia's name stems from Macedon, they are not exactly the same location. Most of North Macedonia was part of Macedon, but Macedon also covered large parts of what is now northern Greece, southern Bulgaria and eastern Albania.
To help you plan your year 4 history lesson on: Alexander's journey from boy to king, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 4 history lesson on: Alexander's journey from boy to king, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the Ancient Greek civilisation: why is Alexander called 'The Great'? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of serious crime
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
the Persians attacked by sea
the Persians invaded by land
the Persians and Greeks had a sea-battle