In this blogpost Gemma Hargraves, Deputy Headteacher at The Crypt School, Gloucester, shares some thoughts about how to use an interdisciplinary approach to engage students with historical significance and to encourage them to develop informed and robust opinions about the past.

Napoleon’s life and legacy is taught at various curriculum stages. For example sometimes it is taught in a year 8 scheme of work on revolutions, or at A Level as part of France in Revolution. After considering Napoleon’s campaigns, policies and achievements, many teachers turn to the famous contemporary paintings, many by Jacques Louis David. Perhaps comparisons are offered with paintings shortly after his death that offer contrasting interpretations (activities suggested here: Cunning Plan 190: Using art to make A-level history more accessible / Historical Association). But now I am beginning to explore the idea of using more modern works of art – be it paintings or more recent literary works – to contrast and further build an appreciation of the way he has been regarded as significant over time.

This thinking was prompted by the new novel published this year What Napoleon Could Not Do by DK Nnuro, a Ghanaian born author, which features on Barack Obama’s summer reading list. This suggests to me that over 200 years after his death, Napoleon’s life and work has become cultural capital (in America no less) because of his being both remembered and remarkable at the time and since, in Europe and beyond. We can apply all of Christine Counsell’s 5 Rs to him. He is:

• Remarkable – at the time and/or since. 
• Remembered – important at some stage in history within the collective memory of a group or groups. 
• Resulted in change – that shaped the future. 
• Resonant (ripples) – people like to make analogies using him and to connect with his experiences, beliefs and worldview across time & space
• Revealing – of his time in ways we still find intriguing. 

More guidance on significance can be found here – Significance / Historical Association (history.org.uk)

However, Napoleon has been an example of significance (as judged by the 5Rs) in different ways over time. Noting the continuing resonance of Napoleon in art, literature, television, memes and more… (see here for more fictional and entertaining interpretations you can use: How Napoleon Bonaparte is still influencing pop culture 200 years after his death | The Independent) I was struck by the ideas of using an interdisciplinary approach. Whilst interdisciplinarity could be seen as a “buzzword” in education of late, it seems to me a natural avenue to explore when considering key figures of enduring, but changing, significance (and sometimes controversy) such as Napoleon, Churchill, Mansa Musa or Elizabeth I.

To define for a moment… Interdisciplinarity can be defined as the fact of involving two or more different subjects or areas of knowledge (Cambridge dictionary) not only to link pupils’ learning in the history classroom to knowledge gained in English, art or the library, but rather to deepen their understanding of the history and therefore develop stronger analytical thinking and better history knowledge and skills. 

Some research in undergraduate studies suggests that interdisciplinary learning increases student satisfaction and motivation, (studies from Plymouth University and Open University) and in my experience it can spark lively classroom discussions and (really importantly!) pupils experience the lightbulb moment of grasping that historical significance is attributed by people in places and times, in a way that feels resonant to them here and now. It can enable them to realise people have cared enough to have strong opinions about people in the past and to want to develop strong, informed opinions themselves. Open University research suggests that interdisciplinarity can teach students to think critically about the subjects they are exploring and find areas where there is convergence as well as areas which might seem to contradict. This is incredibly appealing for study of significance in history and, in the case of Napoleon, we can use it to enable students to learn that he has been differently significant to different people across and over time.  

An example I used in class was that, following the awareness raised through the Black Lives Matter movement, Napoleon’s reintroduction of slavery in French colonies in 1802 has refocused attention on his significance as a traitor to the ideals of the French Revolution. While it is debatable as to how much the Equality part of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity included people of colour, women or other marginalised groups as envisaged by its exponents 1789-91, we can nevertheless use plays, poems and music of the time and since to investigate how Napoleon’s actions were perceived and how they were held as significant. An interdisciplinary approach suggests we should look beyond more typical sources to gain a revealing insight into, for example, the art, culture and ideas about Napoleon thriving in a lively Paris – then and now. 

I discovered that focusing on how Napoleon has been seen as historically significant also made my pupils care more and want to engage in having an opinion about him. They started to see that he mattered to people and he started to matter to them. We went from them saying things like “I’m not sure what I think about Napoleon” to “I don’t think I like Napoleon” to “Wow, how could he do that after the early promise of his leadership and his inclusive rhetoric in Egypt”. That is a firmer and more rounded opinion. If we seek, as we should, to develop opinionated and knowledgeable students, then interdisciplinarity to investigate historical significance could hold the key.