History (Environment and society)

When you look back at history nothing is a simple as it might seem. Always remember to ask why and look for clues in written, visual, oral and physical evidence.

Interpreting evidence is vital in the study of history. If you check the sources of your information thoroughly, you will get as close to the truth as you can.

Sometimes we don’t even pay attention to the evidence about our own lives. Are you sure that’s the way things happened, or are you changing the facts to suit your own interests?

The death of Edward the Confessor in 1066 set off a year of turmoil in England. Three different people believed that they were entitled to the English throne.

The Battle of Hastings took place on 14 October 1066. William of Normandy was crowned King of England on Christmas Day.

Most medieval people lived in villages, as there were few large towns in the Middle Ages. The majority of people were peasants.

The feudal system helps us to understand how medieval society was organised. There was a big divide between wealthy nobles and peasants.

Find out what brought the Normans to Ireland in the 12th Century.

Explore the influence and impact the Normans had in Ireland.

Discover more about the United Irishmen their rebellions and how they fought for democratic change in Ireland.

Find out why Ireland and the United Irishmen were so influenced by the French Revolution.

Find out how Ireland's Catholic population reacted to the Act of Union in 1801.

Discover how the Act of Union led to a rise in unionism in Ireland and opposition to Home Rule.

Find out how Home Rule and Nationalists' desire for self governance changed Ireland.

Discover the factors that contributed to Unionist objections to Home Rule and their campaign and strategy against it.

In 1348, the Black Death reached Britain. Medieval medicine was incapable of finding a cure, and it is estimated that over 2 million people lost their lives during the outbreak.

In 1665, the plague arrived in England once again. In London alone, at least 68,596 people died from the disease, and thousands across the country were killed.

Henry VIII is remembered for his six wives and his military success. His decision to break from the Catholic Church kickstarted the English Reformation.

Elizabeth I ruled England for 45 years. The country saw lots of change during her reign, with religion, trade and international exploration all very different by the time she died.

Elizabeth I's reign has often been described as a ‘Golden Age’ of culture, wealth and exploration. Some historians, however, have begun to question just how accurate this is.

Many clear-thinking and humane citizens of Belfast campaigned against the slave trade, putting pressure on businesses and people that were part of it.

The trade in enslaved people was one of the most terrible aspects of our history. Some wealthy businessmen in Belfast engaged in it without any criticism from society.

Even though the people of Belfast tend to view slavery as something that happened on the other side of the world, many of the city’s businesses were closely linked to it.

A number of powerful kingdoms developed in precolonial West Africa. They each had their own diverse cultures, art, histories and religions.

The transatlantic slave trade was the largest forced migration in history. Over two million Africans died during the journey to the Americas, a journey known as the middle passage.

Life as an enslaved person on the plantations was brutal. People still found ways to empower themselves through religion, language, culture, music and revolution.

The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was a movement developed in Britain to end the slave trade. However, hundreds of thousands of people remained enslaved.

In 1534, Henry VIII declared that he was the head of the Church in England, not the Pope. This was the beginning of the English Reformation.

Discover more about the United Irishmen their rebellions and how they fought for democratic change in Ireland.

Find out why Ireland and the United Irishmen were so influenced by the French Revolution.

Find out how Ireland's Catholic population reacted to the Act of Union in 1801.

Discover how the Act of Union led to a rise in unionism in Ireland and opposition to Home Rule.

Find out how Home Rule and Nationalists' desire for self governance changed Ireland.

Discover the factors that contributed to Unionist objections to Home Rule and their campaign and strategy against it.

Find out how the Industrial Revolution impacted Belfast and changed it forever.

Find out how Belfast became on of the most important shipbuilding cities in the world - and built the world's most famous ship.

Find out what life was really like in Belfast during the Industrial Revolution.

The Industrial Revolution in Britain brought huge technological advances, which had a big impact on people’s lives. However, not all of these changes were positive.

Clara 'Ma' Copley was a boxing promoter in Belfast in the early 20th Century.

Lilian Bland was the first woman in the world to design and build her own aeroplane.

Anne Crawford Acheson used her artistic talent to help wounded soldiers in the First World War.

Annie Maunder was an astronomer who captured the longest coronial streamer (a ray like structure coming out from the sun) on record.

William McCrum invented the penalty kick.

Oliver Pollock is credited with inventing the US dollar sign.

Mary Ann McCracken was a social reformer in the 18th Century

Sir Samuel McGaughey was a sheep farmer and philanthropist who had the nickname 'the sheep king'.

Mary Mallon was also known as'Typhoid Mary' as she unknowingly carried typhoid and infected many people.

Barney Hughes was a successful baker and philanthropist who invented the'Belfast bap'

Kennedy Kane McArthur won Gold in the marathon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics

James Martin invented the ejector seat.

John Clarke was known as 'the potato wizard'.

Dr Elizabeth Bell was one of the first female doctors in Ireland, a feminist and advocate for women’s rights.

John McAlery introduced association football to Ireland.

Find out how Belfast became on of the most important shipbuilding cities in the world - and built the world's most famous ship.

Find out more about the events that led to the partition of Ireland into Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State.

Society treated the suffragettes like criminals and put them in jail. However, many went on hunger strike in protest. Eventually the government had to change their attitude.

Only just over a hundred years ago, men and women were not considered to be equal. This angered some women so much that they took matters into their own hands.

By becoming a suffragette, women could show society that they weren’t prepared to put up with inequality. Doing nothing wasn’t an option!

When World War One started millions of men volunteered to fight. Were they fearless patriots doing their duty or unlucky victims of government propaganda?

Many young men who joined up to fight in WW1 thought that it would be a brief and glorious adventure – they felt they were doing the right thing for their family and friends.

The reward of answering the call for army recruits was the horror of trench warfare with its rats, disease, mud, constant shelling and shooting and fear of imminent death.

Life in the trenches of World War One was very difficult. The first day of the Battle of the Somme, in 1916, was the deadliest day in the history of the British army.

World War One ended on 11 November 1918, with the surrender of Germany. The Treaty of Versailles punished Germany for their involvement in starting the war.

The Treaty of Versailles severely punished Germany for its involvement in World War One. From 1918 to 1933, the German people lived through much economic hardship.

Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939. The war lasted until 1945 when Japan surrendered.

Find out how Home Rule and Nationalists' desire for self governance changed Ireland.

Discover the factors that contributed to Unionist objections to Home Rule and their campaign and strategy against it.

Find out more about the events that led to the partition of Ireland into Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State.