Hello, I am Neil MacGregor,
and I am delighted to introduce the huge history lesson.
A new initiative between us at the British Museum
and our friends at TES and Arts Council England.
We've invited schools to help students to explore objects,
and through objects, to find out more about history,
and above all to understand better the world now.
Looking closely at a thing that humans have made and used,
allows us to ask all sorts of historical questions.
Whether it is a 500,000 year old tool from Stone Age Norfolk,
a Roman board game,
or a photograph of a unique Edwardian girl.
Perhaps one day, our everyday objects will be in the museums of the future.
What will they tell future generations about us?
Just remember the more you look at an object,
the more you will discover.
Exactly. This is all about historical inquiry.
Getting to grips with history through object based learning.
We hope it will inspire you and your class to visit local museums
and discover world history for yourselves.
You can go online.
Take this helmet over here for example.
Choose something that really speaks to you.
This is one of my favourites.
I like it because it is mysterious.
You can unravel that mystery by looking at what the object tells you.
Start with looking at what it is made out of,
or what it looks like, its shape and size.
Here you can see it is made from shiny metal.
That is probably going to be silver and gold.
Can you see those tiny garnets?
They are amazing.
They strongly suggest that whoever owned this helmet
was rich and powerful.
I think it is also safe to say, this person was a man.
Why is that?
He has got a moustache.
It is easy to see what this object was used for, it is a helmet.
For other objects it can be difficult.
I think the next thing to investigate
is what other people have found about this object.
It is old, so we cannot interview the person that owned it,
but if other people have researched it we can build a clearer picture.
Where is it from and how did it get to the Museum?
You must tell people what you observe and then back it up with evidence.
There are lots of ways we could do that.
We could use technology creatively and make a film or an animation.
Or you can use your words creatively, like this poem about the Benin bronze.
I used to live on the wall of a palace, until I was torn off in malice.
The figure adorned in the attire of a king headed the great African empire of Benin.
Two subjects are either side of him,
he's standing, they're kneeling, beside the King.
He's depicted in the centre as bigger,
than everybody because he was an emperor figure.
The smaller figures in the background, are European traders,
I remember those guys, they were Portuguese,
always caught disease in the scorching heat.
They were guided through the King's court with ease
to negotiate the purchase of pepper, gold and ivory.
Oba was happy to export these commodities,
but as for me, I was never told I could leave.
Everyone has a different way of telling stories.
This object is newer than George's.
It is only about 100 years old and it comes from Russia.
It is a dinner plate and it was painted in 1921.
Shortly after the Russian Revolution.
If you look at the man and the factory, both are glowing.
You think of sunrise, a new future.
As the man strides forward,
he tramples on the word capital, written in Russian script.
Who is he?
Is he an individual?
If not, who does he represent?
What is capital?
There is so much to investigate in this image.
It connects us to a cataclysmic moment in Russian history.
It also reminds us that people, quite suddenly,
can completely change the world.
If you are intrigued, you can find out more about the plate online.
Now it is your turn.
Visit a local museum and find an object that really speaks to you.
Or visit the Teaching History with 100 objects website.
Carry out an historical inquiry.
Let us know what you find out in your own way.
You can respond however you like,
a video, a presentation, a podcast, a comic strip.
Do what you like to get the point across. It is the idea that counts.
The students with the best ideas will get the chance
to tell the world about their object.
To find out more about the competition or submit your entry,
go to tes.com/hugehistory.
Good luck!