1. Why do we have different representations of the same event?
Key Question:
Why do we have different representations of the same event?

2. Learning Objectives
Be able to use sources to find out information about the First World War (All)
Be able to begin to analyse a source’s usefulness based on what information in contains (Most)
Be able to analyse how useful a source is based on it’s nature, origin, purpose, content (Some)

3. Starter: In pairs, complete the inference grid provided
Starter: In pairs, complete the inference grid provided. Work from the inside box outwards (as each task gets slightly harder.)
Step 1: What information does the source give you? What can you see?
Step 2: What guesses can you make about the type of warfare in World War 1?
Step 3: Do you think this source give a truthful (accurate) image of war? Why or why not?

4. Task 1: Compare and Contrast
How similar is this picture to your starter?
What is similar? What is different?
EXTENSION: Why do you think there are differences? Explain

6. So why are the two SO different?

7. Task:
You are now going to analyse each source against a number of criteria. This will help you gain an understanding of why the images differ in the ways they do.
Core: You will analyse each image to see what you can find out about trench warfare.
Harder: You will start to ask questions about the source – analysing what the source does and does not tell you.
Hardest: You will evaluate how trustworthy each source is.

8. Let’s have a go at this example…

9. Core
What information can you get from the source? (Include as much detail as possible)
What words would you use to describe the source?
What type of source is it?
The source tells us that soldiers in the trenches could develop trench foot. It shows us a soldier keeping his feet dry and clean as a way of preventing it. Conditions around the soldier look wet…
Continue in this detail.
Dark, wet, dreary, careful, hygienic, comfortable.
It is a cartoon illustration produced by the British government in 1916.
A British government poster on Trenchfoot, 1916

10. Harder
What does the source tell you about trench warfare?
What does the source not tell you about trench warfare?
You need to use your knowledge about life in the trenches. What other aspects of life in the trenches is not mentioned in the source?
How useful is this source for finding out about trench warfare? (Explain why!)
The source tells us that soldiers in the trenches could develop trenchfoot. It shows us a soldier keeping his feet dry and clean as a way of preventing it. Conditions around the soldier look wet…
A British government poster on Trenchfoot, 1916

11. Hardest
What does the source tell you / not tell you about trench warfare? (Content)
What type of source is it? Political cartoon? Photograph? Painting? Something else? (Nature)
The source tells us that soldiers in the trenches could develop trenchfoot. It shows us a soldier keeping his feet dry and clean as a way of preventing it. Conditions around the soldier look wet…
The source is a cartoon illustration. This will affect how accurate the source is because…..
A British government poster on Trenchfoot, 1916

12. Hardest The source was produced by the British Government in 1916.
Where does the source come from? Who produced it? (Origin)
Why was it produced? (Purpose)
How reliable is the source for a hisotrian researching WW1? Can we trust it? Explain your decision.
The source was produced by the British Government in 1916.
The source was produced to prevent soldiers from developing Trench foot. Left untreated this could lead to soldiers having feet amputated. Therefore, the British government wanted to encourage as many soldiers as possible to keep their feet dry in order to stop them from developing the condition.
The source is reliable to a certain extent because it gives you accurate information on how to keep your feet dry and it also implies that the trenches were very wet. However, in reality, trench conditions were much harsher than the image shown here. For example…
A British government poster on Trenchfoot, 1916

13. Task:
Now you should analyse the sources we looked at the start of the lesson in the same way.

14. Now you have analysed each source, in your groups you must make a decision.
‘Which source is more useful to an historian who is investigating trench warfare?’
You must come up with at least three reasons why you have come up with this decision.

15. ‘Which source is more useful to an historian who is investigating trench warfare?’
You are able to pick out features of from each source and explain what this tells you about trench warfare.
All
You are able to make a decision which source is more useful. This is based on what the source may or may not tell you.
Most
You analyse the sources against nature, origin, purpose, content. You can explain how these criteria effect what is shown.
Some

16. Core – Source A A British cigarette advertisement, 1916
What information can you get from the source? (Include as much detail as possible)
What words would you use to describe the scene in the source?
What type of source is it?
A British cigarette advertisement, 1916

17. Core – Source B A photograph published in a British newspaper in 1917.
What information can you get from the source? (Include as much detail as possible)
What words would you use to describe the scene in the source?
What type of source is it?
A photograph published in a British newspaper in 1917.

18. Harder – Source A A British cigarette advertisement, 1916
What does the source tell you about trench warfare?
What does the source not tell you about trench warfare?
How useful is this source for finding out about trench warfare? (Explain why!)
A British cigarette advertisement, 1916

19. Harder –Source B
What does the source tell you about trench warfare?
What does the source not tell you about trench warfare?
How useful is this source for finding out about trench warfare? (Explain why!)
A photograph published in a British newspaper in 1917.

20. Lets analyse what type of source each is – this might give us a clue!
Hardest – Source A
Lets analyse what type of source each is – this might give us a clue!
Content: What is in the source? What is not in the source?
Nature: Type (i.e. political cartoon, photograph, painting)
Origin: Where does the source come from? Who produced it?
Purpose: Why was it produced?
How reliable is the source for a historian researching WW1? Can we trust it? Explain your decision.
A British cigarette advertisement, 1916

21. Lets analyse what type of source each is – this might give us a clue!
Hardest – Source B
Lets analyse what type of source each is – this might give us a clue!
Content: What is in the source? What is not in the source?
Nature: Type (i.e. political cartoon, photograph, painting)
Does this affect the accuracy of what is shown? If so, how?
Origin: Where does the source come from? Who produced it?
Purpose: Why was it produced?
How reliable is the source for a historian researching WW1? Can we trust it? Explain your decision.
A photograph published in a British newspaper in 1917.