We know how the story ends. Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife, was executed in May 1536, having been tried and sentenced to death for committing high treason. But at the time, none of this was certain. No queen of England had been executed before, and even after the trial was over, doubts remained as to whether Henry would accede to the killing of his wife (who was
almost certainly innocent). In our cover feature, on page 20, Tracy
Borman returns to this dark chapter in English history, revealing how the main players navigated these uncertain times.
It was during the reign of Anne Boleyn’s daughter, Elizabeth I, that english settlers first attempted to colinize North America, and a few decades later, in 1620, the Mayflower crossed the Atlantic, carrying the Pilgrim Fathers. Their voyage, and the colony they established, are foundational parts of the story of the United States, although the history is more complex than the legend. As we reach the 400th anniversary of the ship’s departure, James Evans revisits this journey to ‘the promised land’. You can read that on page 48.
Also in this magazine, you will find our annual exploration of history education. We’ve devoted much of it to how universities are responding to Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement, which both have major implications for how we will study the past in 2020/21. Turn to the centre of the issue for that and, whether you’re a student or not , we hope you find it throught-provoking.
Download from:

NitroFlare

• BBC Music – October 2020
• BBC Focus – September 2020