ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how the history people have learned has changed over the years. It focuses on King Alfred, since he is a significant figure in the current history curriculum. He first became known as 'Alfred the Great' in the sixteenth century, because his piety and his emphasis on 'the English' made him seem like a precursor of the Protestant Reformation. The chapter identifies what exactly is involved in finding out about the past and explores ways in which young children can actively engage with this process, in ways which develop critical and discursive thinking, rather than brainwashing. Historians have their own interests: women's history, black history, the history of childhood, the history of a particular class, left-wing or right-wing perspectives. And since history is an umbrella subject that includes all aspects of life there are histories of music, art, science, religion, geographical histories and sports history.
