Your Task: To gather information about the sides and key battles in

the Civil War

You will then create a match of the day style presentation,

commenting on the two sides and their performance during the War

What are the similarities and differences between the soldiers?

Cavaliers Roundheads

Cavaliers• Had better equipment

to start with• Pikemen• Heavily use cavalry• Muskets• Charles was

indecisive, his army was ill disciplined

Roundheads• More protective body

armor• Pikemen• Developed the New

Model Army (later in the war)

• muskets

Who had the best side?

What were the good things

about the Cavaliers?

What were the bad things?

What were the good

things about the

Roundheads?

What were the bad things?

• There were many small battles fought during the Civil war, towns were easily captured and lost

• There were three major battles

• Edgehill

• Naseby

• Marston Moor

1642 Edgehill• Both sides were lined up and the King’s cavalry took the

lead, they were racing to get to London. When the King’s army were close, the Parliamentarians lined up at Edgehill.

• The royalists attacked an forced the Parliamentarians back to the village of Kineton, some deserted to the Royalists side, the royalists followed them instead of attacking the rest of the Parliamentarian army. If they had attacked they would have won.

• The Parliamentarians realised they could be beaten so retreated.

• THE RESULT: A DRAW

At half time Parliament make a dramatic change in their line up. They bring out the New Model Army

• Oliver Cromwell was given the task of designing a new army that could wipe the floor with the Royalists

• This new fighting force would be England’s first truly professional army

• Parliament wanted the best

• Training was tough• Well disciplined- they had a

tough code of discipline• A insider commented “they

were strictly trained and strictly disciplined”

• These men knew how to fight, they were brilliant soldiers

• They were determined, they were fighting for God so they fought until the bitter end

1644- York- battle for control of one of the King’s

strong holds

The Battle Statistics

Cavaliers RoundheadsCavalry 6000 8000

Musketeers on horses (dragoons)

0 1000

Infantry- musketeers and pikemen

12000 19000

Total 18000 28000

The battle commences• Rupert and the Royalists would

have to defeat the Parliamentarians in order to claim back York

• However, Rupert led the Royalists on a 22 mile roundabout tour which avoided the Parliamentarians and set up his camp in between the Parliamentarians and York.

• He had taken York without a battle, but he then made a huge mistake.

• He waited to attack Parliament loosing the element of surprise, this gave them time to prepare

• Royalist’s men were at the top of the moor (on the high ground). High ground is a real advantage to army.

• A long ditch divided the two armies – the Parliamentarian cavalry would not be as effective as usual. Royalists would be able to defend himself better than normal.

• The Roundheads would have to travel through marshy ground. They would be tired and could not move fast. This would give the royalists army an advantage.

• Within two hours the battle was over• The royalists despite their advantage lost the war• The Parliamentarians cavalry forced the royalists back• The foot soldiers fought bravely but Cromwell’s

disciplined men fought to the bitter end• THE RESULT: PARLIAMENT WON

The battle of Naseby• 1645 • The North of England seemed lost to the Royalists, but they

decided to march north• Their plans were thwarted by the Parliamentarians• The King changed his plans several times and decided to split his

army up • The royalists attacked while their enemy was exposed. Initially the

Royalists were winning but the Parliamentarians cavalry began to make ground

• Many were killed and the Royalists were chased for 12 miles• It was all over now- Parliament had won the battle, Royalist

chances were over• Charles was going down, he had lost the war

Match of the Day

You are going to create a short presentation in the style of match of the day.

You will need to talk about the civil war battles and the teams

• the two sides- equipment/soldiers/advantages

•The three important battles- how both performed/successes/mistakes

•Overall judgement