The word “Jacobite” comes from the Latin version of the name James. The James in question was James II King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1685. James was Protestant by birth but later converted to Catholicism. Religion played a major role in politics and power at this time and the Protestant political circles feared that James might turn the country back towards Catholicism. In 1688 James and his Catholic wife had a son who was baptised into the Catholic faith. The prospect of a Catholic succession to the throne brought matters to a head.
A group of noblemen took matters into their own hands and invited Mary, daughter of James II and her husband, William of Orange, to bring an army to Britain from Holland.
James II fled the country in the winter of 1688 and the throne was offered early in 1689 to William and Mary. Supporters of James II rose in his defence in an effort to reinstate him. When this failed they tried to return the crown to Stuart hands by supporting the claims of James son, James Francis Edward and then his grandson, Charles Edward.
The attempts failed however and the hopes of the Jacobites came to an end on 16 April 1746 at the Battle of Culloden.
Jacobite Resource Pack for Teachers PDF
The stories of the people who were involved in or who lived through the Jacobite Risings can be reconstructed from records surviving today, three hundred years later. This resource pack contains a selection of some of the documents written at the time.
The learning resource provides an introduction to a topic of worldwide interest which had a profound impact on many communities throughout the Highlands. Through studying original archive material, teachers can engage young people’s interest by introducing them to the raw material of history and can show them how to begin investigating this part of their history and the impact it had on communities throughout the Highlands.
Outcomes of the learning resource:
This learning resource aims to:-
• inspire and encourage teachers to introduce the topic into the classroom.
• bring the experience of the Jacobite Risings alive through classroom activities.
• encourage teachers and pupils to explore their local archive collections.
• promote the active engagement of schools with the learning resources available both online and in print.
