Henry VIII and the King's Great Matter
I can explain why Henry VIII became dissatisfied with the Roman Catholic Church.
Henry VIII and the King's Great Matter
I can explain why Henry VIII became dissatisfied with the Roman Catholic Church.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Henry VIII trying to get a divorce from Catherine of Aragon was known as the 'King's Great Matter'.
- Henry wished to marry Anne Boleyn because he needed a son for an heir.
- The Church did not want to give Henry an annulment.
- The failure of Wolsey to secure an annulment led to his fall from power.
Keywords
Heir - a person who expects to inherit the property or position of another when that person dies
Annulment - to declare something invalid
Common misconception
Kings have the power to do whatever they want in their own countries.
For a great deal of English history, the power of the kings has been restricted by English laws and religious laws issued by the pope in Rome.
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: Henry VIII and the King's Great Matter, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: Henry VIII and the King's Great Matter, 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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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the Henry VIII and the Reformation: how unusual was the English Reformation? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
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