The Plantagenets' Treasury

Cloze texts, such as the one created on the Exchequer and the Plantagenets, serve multiple didactic purposes in teaching history to young readers. Firstly, they engage students in active learning by requiring them to fill in key terms, reinforcing their understanding of the text's content. This approach encourages them to focus on the importance of specific concepts and vocabulary. Additionally, the act of identifying and remembering the keywords fosters better retention of historical facts and concepts. The chosen topic, centered around the financial mechanisms of the Plantagenet monarchy, offers a unique angle on medieval history that goes beyond battles and kings, highlighting the economic underpinnings of power and governance. This can help students appreciate the complexity of historical societies and understand that the past, like the present, was shaped by a variety of factors including economic practices. Furthermore, using cloze texts in different teaching phases—from introduction to reinforcement—can adapt to various learning styles, allowing students to interact with the material in a way that suits them best. This text also serves as a foundation for discussions on the evolution of financial systems and their impact on societies, enabling a deeper exploration of historical themes.