New
New
Year 8

Revisionist interpretations of the Glorious Revolution

I can describe the different ways in which revisionist historians have challenged the Whig view of the Glorious Revolution.

New
New
Year 8

Revisionist interpretations of the Glorious Revolution

I can describe the different ways in which revisionist historians have challenged the Whig view of the Glorious Revolution.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Whig vision of history is now not accepted by most historians; revisionists have argued against it.
  2. Some revisionists argue that the Glorious Revolution was unrevolutionary and was less significant.
  3. John Morrill called it the 'Sensible Revolution' as a result, suggesting it was a very conservative development.
  4. Other revisionists argue that the Glorious Revolution actually represented very significant revolutionary change.
  5. Steven Pincus called it the 'first modern revolution', saying it was violent, popular and divisive.

Keywords

  • Revisionist - a revisionist historian tries to look at historical events or developments in a new way

  • Revolutionary - involving or causing a complete and dramatic change

Common misconception

Interpretations of history are set in stone.

Many aspects of history face regular revisions as more research is conducted.

Have students look at and analyse extracts by revisionist historians on this topic.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which keyword describes a sovereign head of state, such as a king, queen or emperor?
revolutionary
Correct answer: monarch
revisionist
Q2.
What did the Whigs support?
Catholicism
Correct answer: parliamentary power
absolute monarchy
Correct answer: Protestantism
protectionist economic beliefs
Q3.
Complete the sentence: a historian is a historian who believes that societies make progress over time.
Correct Answer: Whig, whig
Q4.
For how many years were the Whigs the only political party in Britain?
Correct Answer: 45, nearly 50, forty-five, forty five, nearly fifty
Q5.
Which of the following features of the Glorious Revolution were regarded as positive by Whig historians?
Correct answer: monarchs owe their power to parliament
Correct answer: parliament controls the army
Correct answer: MPs have ‘Parliamentary privilege’
Correct answer: religiously tolerant society
decrease in diplomatic relations with other countries
Q6.
Why is the Whig interpretation of the 1688 Revolution as ‘Glorious’ an issue?
William and Mary did not want them to use this term
it was not a bloodless revolution in England
Correct answer: it does not account for the situation in Scotland and Ireland

6 Questions

Q1.
Complete the sentence: A historian tries to look at historical events or developments in a new way.
Correct Answer: revisionist, Revisionist
Q2.
Which historian(s) first challenged the Whig interpretation of the Glorious Revolution?
Correct answer: Edmund Burke
Christopher Hill
Douglas North and Barry Weingast
Q3.
Complete the sentence: John Morrill called the 1688 revolution the ' Revolution'.
Correct Answer: sensible, 'sensible', 'Sensible'
Q4.
Which keyword describes something involving or causing a complete and dramatic change?
Correct Answer: revolutionary, revolution, Revolution
Q5.
Which historian called the 1688 revolution the 'first modern revolution'?
John Morrill
Correct answer: Steven Pincus
Edmund Burke
Q6.
Which century were almost all revisionist interpretations constructed in?
18th century
19th century
Correct answer: 20th century
21st century

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