2023 KS3 Schools Competition: How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the future?

How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the present?

The History of Parliament is excited to once again be running its history competition for KS3 students. This year’s competition is in conjunction with the Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded project, Letters of Richard Cobden Online: An Exploration in Active Citizenship and asks students to look at political campaigning and historical writing in new and exciting ways.

The winner(s) of the competition will receive a prize of £50 per student, as well as an invitation to join the launch of the Letters of Richard Cobden Online website, in an event held at the Palace of Westminster.

Background:

The Letters of Richard Cobden Online project, based at Leeds Beckett University and with links to the University of East Anglia, aims to make freely available c. 5,500 digital transcripts of this important British statesman’s letters, alongside teaching materials designed to support History and Citizenship lessons at Key Stage 3. Cobden was the quintessential ‘active citizen’: someone who decided to get involved in national and local campaigns to help change society or politics for the better. He is most famous for his involvement in the Anti-Corn Law League (1839-1846) which campaigned for free trade in food. However, his other causes included national education, press freedom, electoral reform and international peace, as well as the campaign to establish Manchester’s first elected municipal council.

The Task:

Inspired by Cobden, this year’s competition is on the theme of ‘active citizenship’ as we ask, ‘How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the present?’.

We are asking students to examine one peaceful reform campaign in 19th or 20th century Britain and explain how it has inspired them to get involved as active citizens to try to change something in their community: whether that is their school, local neighbourhood, town, or something even bigger.

Campaigns they might examine include: the Anti-Corn Law League; Catholic Emancipation; Chartism; the Women’s Suffrage Movement; the Indian Independence movement; the Anti-Slavery movement; the Reform League; the British Anti-Apartheid Movement; the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; or any other essentially peaceful/constitutional campaign from the United Kingdom or its former empire.

Resources:

Students are encouraged to look into the life of Richard Cobden, as well as use the History of Parliament’s online resources, including our blog page when producing their work. However, the political campaign studied can be taken from any part of 19th or 20th century life.

Competition Rules:

Entries can take the form of a blog post of 800-1000 words (which can also include images); a video or podcast of up to 3 minutes in length; or an A3 digital poster.

Submissions are welcome from individuals or groups of up to three people.

The competition is open to any student at a UK school or college who will not have passed their 15th birthday by 31 July 2023.

The prize is £50 per student involved in the winning entry, plus an invitation to the launch of the Letters of Richard Cobden Online at the Palace of Westminster in the autumn of 2023. Where a group is awarded, each participant will receive £50 each.

Entries must be received by 23 June.

Judging will be by a panel appointed by the History of Parliament and the Letters of Richard Cobden project. The competition will award one group or individual project as the winner, however the judges may make special commendations if they think fit.

Some entries may be used by the History of Parliament online and the Letters of Richard Cobden Online; those whose entries are used in this way will be contacted.

To enter:

  1. All entries must be produced in electronic format and sent to the History of Parliament Public Engagement Manager, Connie Jeffery at cjeffery@histparl.ac.uk.
  2. All entries must be submitted by a teacher, accompanied by the following information:
    • Candidates’ name(s)
    • Candidates’ school and its address
    • Candidates’ age at 31 July 2023
    • A declaration within the email, as follows, to confirm that all work is the candidates’ own: I [teacher’s name] confirm that this entry to the History of Parliament KS3 Competition 2023 is the work of [student 1] [and student 2/3 where necessary].
  3. Entries must be received by 23 June 2023