This enquiry takes the gruesome story of John Weeks. Weeks was an ordinary man from West Sussex who was punished severely for being a Highway Robbery in the early 18th century.
Here you will use Weeks’ story to exemplify the manner in which the ruling classes (dominated by the rich) dealt brutally with any threats to their power, status or wealth.
Students categorise information about the nature of the threat posed by highway robbery, before considering evidence from the time – all of which helps to build up a picture of the threat assigned to highway robbers in the late 18th century.
Finally, they bring together their knowledge to write considered responses to the big question.
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- Lesson presentation: PowerPoint
- Lesson write-up: PDF
- Resource 1: PDF
- Worksheet 1a and 1b:PDF
