Edward IV's stable second reign
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain why Edward IV’s second reign was much more stable than his first.
Key learning points
- Edward’s second reign was much more peaceful and England prospered.
- Lawlessness and conflict among the nobility subsided and Elizabeth Woodville was accepted as queen.
- Edward set up councils to rule lawless areas in the Welsh Marches and the North.
- The wool trade boomed and Edward forced the king of France to pay him money when he threatened invasion.
- Edward’s second reign saw stability because he kept order and with Henry VI dead, he had the support of the nobility.
Keywords
Nobility - belonging to the class of rich landowners such as lords
Commoner - an ordinary person, not part of the royal family or nobility
Council of the North - an organisation set up to improve control in the north
Welsh Marches - an area along the border between England and Wales
Pension - in this lesson, this refers to money granted as a favour or reward
Common misconception
Students might believe that the king could rule without the support ot the nobility.
Explain that the king relied on nobles to keep law and order in society, particularly in more remote parts of the kingdom.
Teacher tip
Explain that there were 60 noble families that existed in England at the time of the Wars of the Roses; explain their role in society and how the conflict impacted them.
Content guidance
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.Why was Elizabeth Woodville considered to be an inappropriate wife for Edward IV?
Q2.Which princess did the Earl of Warwick try to arrange for Edward to marry?
Q3.Due to Warwick's power and influence over other members of the nobility, historians have nicknamed him the ...
Q4.At which battle was Warwick killed?
Q5.At which battle was Edward, the son of Henry VI, killed?
Q6.Complete the sentence: Edward IV's failure to keep the support of the meant his first reign was unstable.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match each keyword with its correct definition.
belonging to the class of rich landowners such as lords
an ordinary person, not part of the royal family or nobility
an organisation set up to improve control in the north
an area along the border between England and Wales
money granted as a favour or reward
Q2.What lesson did Edward IV learn from his first reign?
Q3.Why was Elizabeth Woodville eventually accepted by the royal court as queen consort?
Q4.Write the missing word. Edward set up to rule lawless areas in the Welsh Marches and the North.
Q5.Match each improvement in Edward's second reign with how he achieved it.
restored the support of those who had fought against him
made agreements with Burgandy which helped the wool industry
set up councils and reduced the power of the Marcher Lords
won the French pension which boosted royal income and kept taxes down
Q6.Which description of Edward IV's second reign is most appropriate?
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: Edward IV's stable second reign, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: Edward IV's stable second reign, 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 Wars of the Roses: what does it tell us about fifteenth-century England? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.