This discussion has been closed.
Posted by Catigern (U14419012) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
What do folk here reckon are the subjects most likely to put a student off a particular era or historical context (extra points for nominating things that always appear in exams)?
I have two suggestions:
1) for Roman Britain... Villas
2) for medieval history... Monasticism
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
I had a mate whose historical dissertation was on the discovery and development of the concept of the residual in economic theory in the 1930s. Now THAT was boring!
At school level no historical subject should be boring - without of course some trojan work on the part of the teacher to make it so. I do remember a certain "man of the cloth" who, as our history teacher, tried valiantly to make Henry VIII and Tudor politics with regard to Ireland as sinister as possible while frequently apologising for having to teach his charges so tedious and boring a subject. Of course the more sinister he made the man out to be the more intriguing both him and his political theory became, but I have to admit that I was forced to rely on "private" research to have any chance of learning any actual and relevant facts.
The Corn Laws. May have been repealed, but the always repelled me.
My husband used to teach the Unification of Italy to Year 12 students, and I would say how dreadfully boring that sounded for NZ kids, and he said it was great and the students loved it. (I don't know that I ever did a double check with the students to verify this.)
Students here tend to think of the Treaty of Waitangi option as boring. It shouldn't be, but perhaps they get it hammered into them rather a lot.
The Corn Laws. May have been repealed, but the[y] always repelled me.Β
The same might be said of Richard Cobden and John Bright.
Apologies, I should have written "by" not "of".
Freudian slip?
I usually love anything to do with the 16th century and the Reformation, but I have to admit I struggled a bit with the following (AQA AS History):
1) The political and military roles of the League of Schmalkalden and the second League of Torgau in promoting the Lutheran Reformation;
2) The suppression of the Anabaptists in Munster in 1535.
I really liked history at school, but at age 14 or 15 "The fiscal policy of Charles II" seemed the most boring thing in the world.
Maybe I've got the title of that chapter wrong, but it was something like that, and too boring to remember. Even if inaccurate, those words are an infallible cure for insomnia.
I didn't know he had one - it surely would have been a very brief chapter. Perhaps you should have covered some of the other interests of Charles II - I can imagine one in particular that would have perked the interest of any 14 or 15yo.
My husband used to teach the Unification of Italy to Year 12 students, and I would say how dreadfully boring that sounded for NZ kids, and he said it was great and the students loved it.Β
Boring? A period full of international intrigue, power politics and romantic nationalism? That's even before you start with Garibaldi's seemingly impossible ventures which either succeeded against the odds or which ended with daring escapes from the authorities.
What bored me was the UK education acts which littered the end of my O' level on the indutrial revolution. Just a long list fo dates and "raised the school leaving age to x". I think it bored my history teacher too as we spent very little time other than "you'll need to learn this list of facts".
I didn't know he had one.Β
You're probably correct Allan D - maybe it was some other king or queen. But the words "fiscal policy" always cause a drooping of my eyelids.
I'm sure we heard about Nell Gwynn too, as a bit of light relief.
Even in the 6th Form I had to study Chartism and Industrial/Agricultural laws...
One of the most boring subjects fro me was 'the Economics theory of the French Revolution.'
I guess it was more boring because the text book was written by an economist not a historian.
Tas
When I was at school, one of the areas I had to study was the colonial policy of England in the West Indies under James Stephen....man, that was boring!
The History message boards are now closed. They remain visible as a matter of record but the opportunity to add new comments or open new threads is no longer available. Thank you all for your valued contributions over many years.
or Β to take part in a discussion.
The message board is currently closed for posting.
The message board is closed for posting.
This messageboard is .
Find out more about this board's
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Β© 2014 The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.