Britain in Peace and War, 1900–1918

What students will learn:

Week 1  
Wealth - Issue: Tensions in Edwardian society 
        Britain’s power and wealth at the beginning of the twentieth century: an overview of industry, empire, military strength, technology and cities
        Class distinctions: the lives of the upper, middle and working classes
        Rowntree’s investigation into the nature of poverty 
Week 2
Politics - Issue: Threats to political stability
        Strengths and weaknesses of the established parties and the rise of the Labour Party
        The Liberal reforms, the People’s Budget, the clash with the Lords and the Parliament Act of 1911
        The challenge from militant labour including the crisis years between 1910 and 1914 
Week 3
Women - Issue: The nature and extent of support for women’s suffrage
        Women’s lives at the beginning of the twentieth century
        The campaigns for the vote: suffragists, suffragettes, support and opposition
        The relationship between Government responses and changes to the campaigns, 1910–1914 
Week 4
Empire - Issue: British attitudes towards the Empire
        Differing attitudes towards the British Empire at the beginning of the twentieth century including responses to the Boer War
        India: differing British attitudes toward the Raj, 1900–1914 
        Ireland: differing attitudes to the Home Rule crisis, 1912–1914 
Week of 5
War - Issue: Responses to the demands of total war
        Government policy and propaganda in response to the changing demands of war including early recruitment, conscription and DORA
        Men’s responses to the demands of the war including volunteering, pals’ battalions and conscientious objection
        Women’s responses to the demands of the war including volunteering, employment and development in the suffrage campaign