The Hanoverian Succession
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how parliament became more powerful during the period of the Hanoverian Succession.
Key learning points
- The 1701 Act of Settlement forbade any Catholics from sitting upon the British throne.
- William III and Mary II did not have any children and so the throne passed to Mary's sister, Anne.
- Queen Anne did not have any surviving children by the end of her reign.
- Parliament intervened to ensure a Protestant succession; George I was made king.
- George I was less involved in the running of government.
Keywords
Act of Settlement - law passed in 1701 stipulating only a Protestant could inherit the English throne
Protestant - a Christian who is a member of the Church of England, whose religious leader is the monarch
Catholic - a Christian who is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, whose religious leader is the Pope in Rome
Parliament - the group of representatives of the various peoples across the nation which advises the monarch and enacts laws
Glorious Revolution - an event in 1688 that rid England of the Catholic king James II and replaced him with Protestant rulers
Common misconception
The 1701 Act of Settlement meant that parliament no longer needed to worry about a Catholic taking the throne in the future.
Although the 1701 Act of Settlement stipulated a Catholic or the spouse of a Catholic could never succeed to the throne of England, parliament remained worried that a succession crisis could still ensue if a monarch died childless.
Teacher tip
Make sure students have a secure grasp of the long-standing tensions between Catholics and Protestants in England over the preceding centuries as this helps to explain the worries of parliament at this time.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which event deposed the Catholic King James II of England and replaced him with Protestant monarchs?
Q2.What century is the year 1688 in?
Q3.Put the English royal dynasties in chronological order, starting with the earliest.
Q4.Why was the king overthrown during the revolution of 1688?
Q5.Which two monarchs were placed onto the throne of England in 1688 as a consequence of the revolution?
Q6.Match these monarchs to their dynasties.
The Tudors (1485-1603)
The Stuarts (1603-1714)
The Hanoverians (1714-1901)
The Windsors (1901-present)
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords with the correct definitions.
law stating only a Protestant could inherit the English throne
a Christian whose leader is usually the monarch
a Christian whose leader is the Pope in Rome
representatives of the people who advise the monarch and enact laws
the event that rid England of the Catholic James II
Q2.In what year did parliament pass the Act of Settlement?
Q3.Which two of the below became joint monarchs of England after the Glorious Revolution of 1688?
Q4.Complete the following sentence: The Act of Settlement was designed to make sure that a would always succeed to the throne.
Q5.Complete the following sentence: The Act of Settlement was passed by the English ________ in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
Q6.Put the monarchs in order in which they reigned.
To help you plan your 8 history lesson on: The Hanoverian Succession, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 history lesson on: The Hanoverian Succession, 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.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
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