Akbar the Great
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can assess Akbar the Great's contribution to Mughal expansion.
Key learning points
- Mughal power at the start of Akbar's reign was not fully secure.
- Akbar expanded the size of the Mughal Empire.
- Akbar was a strong military leader who conquered many rival states.
- Akbar also used diplomacy to help expand the empire.
Keywords
Jihad - A personal or collective struggle against evil. Jihad may also be a military struggle to defend Islam carried out according to specific rules.
Common misconception
Akbar is remembered as a strong military leader because he only used violence to expand the Mughal Empire.
Akbar used a variety of methods to expand the Mughal Empire. In some cases, such as to gain control over the Rajput states, diplomacy was more important for expansion under Akbar than violence.
Teacher tip
Ask students why leaders who want to expand their empires may not always want to use violence to do so. Push students to consider what problems could be created if violence was the only method rulers relied upon.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The way leaders manage relationships with other rulers and countries is called...
Q2.Someone who is sent or kept away from their own country is said to have been...
Q3.At the Battle of Kanauj Emperoror Humayan was defeated by Sher...
Q4.Match the event to the year in which it took place.
1537
1538
1539
1540
Q5.During his years in exile, Humayan received support from the emperor.
Q6.Humayan reconquered India in...
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.After the Second Battle of Panipat the Mughals gained 120 war...
Q2.The Mughals' capture of the Sultanate of Gujurat was important because it contained many...
Q3.During the 1570s, soldiers from __________ often changed sides to fight with the Mughals?
Q4.In 1567 Emperor Akbar declared that the war against the Kingdom of Mewar was a...
Q5.Akbar gained power over most Rajput kingdoms through...
Q6.Which of these best describes Akbar's policy towards religion in the Kingdom of Amber?
To help you plan your 8 history lesson on: Akbar the Great, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 history lesson on: Akbar the Great, 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.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the The Mughal Empire: how important was violence to the Mughal conquests in India? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.