Year 8 Assessment Planning Sheet - Explain why the English Civil War broke out in 1642 (10 marks)

1) Introduction

Part one: What factors are you going to cover in your explanation?

Part two: Which is the most significant reason why the Civil War broke out? The best answers will think about an
underlying reason which was most important but could also prioritise one of the three chosen factors.

Example: ‘The English Civil War broke out in 1642. This was when … The war broke out due to 3 main factors, these
were religious tensions, political divisions and finance which all created problems between King Charles and
Parliament. However, the most important reason why the Civil War broke out was …’

My Planning:

2) Main Paragraphs.

You should write (about) three paragraphs explaining the reasons for the Civil War. You should use this structure:

Point – What factor are you going to talk about? Use the WOTQ to introduce your point
Evidence – Add evidence about your factor.
Explain – How did this caused the outbreak of the Civil War.
Link – Link this to your next factor.

Example: ‘One reason for the outbreak of the English Civil War was due to the political tensions between Charles and
Parliament. This can be seen when … This caused the Civil War because … These political tensions were also made
worse due to the religious divide between Charles and Parliament.’
My Planning:

3) Conclusion
In this, you should summarise your factors and explain why one is the most significant. Try and weigh this up against
other factors.
Example: ‘In conclusion, the most important reason for the outbreak of the English Civil War was …’
My Planning: