The invention of photography

History

The challenges of early photography

A family portrait from 140 years ago

Late Victorian seaside photographs

Photographs of Britain in the 1940s and 50s

Photographs of Britain in the 1960s and 70s

In ‘Photographs from history: what can they tell us about Britain's recent past?’ pupils build on another aspect from EYFS: understanding the past, doing so through looking at historic photographs. In ‘Traditional stories: what do they tell us about the distant past?’ pupils move to the distant past in order to start building their chronological framework by hearing traditional historical stories.

In ‘Elizabeth II: what was her life like?’ pupils began their study of history as a distinct subject by studying the life of a specific person and their role in society. In ‘Photographs from history: what can they tell us about Britain's recent past?’ pupils build on another aspect from EYFS: understanding the past, doing so through looking at historic photographs.

This unit explores photography as a recent invention that records history, highlighting early photos of lost ways of life and the challenges of early 20th-century photography. Students learn about changes in recent history, including food, clothing, and more, through photos from the past century.

Photographs from history: what can they tell us about Britain's recent past?

someone who uses photographs to learn about the past

Which devices can you use to take a photograph?

Photography was invented 200 years ago. True or false?

someone who studies and writes about the past

Historians use photographs to learn about the past.

Historians use photographs to compare then and now.

Historians take photographs of their favourite things.

Historians decorate houses with photographs.

something you have had for a long time or has existed for a long time

something you have just been given, just bought or just made

Something that has already happened is ...

Put the people in order, starting with the youngest.

Match the time words to when they happen.

The invention of photography

Lesson outcome