Using Samuel Pepys’ Diary as Evidence Flashcards

1️⃣ Familiarise yourself with the flashcards:

  • Look through all the flashcards to see what's on both sides.
  • Make sure you understand the information on each card. If something's unclear, click the link to the revision notes at the bottom of the page for more details.

2️⃣ Test yourself:

  • Look at the question or prompt on each card and try to remember the answer before flipping it over.
  • Check the answer and make a note of any cards you find challenging and need to go over more.

3️⃣ Consistently Review and Practice:

  • Use spaced repetition: spend more time on the cards you struggle with and go over them more often.
  • Regularly review all the flashcards to help you better understand and retain the information over time.

Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

PERSONALISED 1-TO-1 TUTORING

Need more help on this topic? Get 1-to-1 support

Get support with clear explanations, practice and feedback (Ages 5 to 16).

  • DBS-checked tutors
  • Flexible times
  • Parents can be updated
Book a free 10-min call See pricing

Want an ad-free experience? Subscribe to remove ads

Who was Samuel Pepys?

Samuel Pepys was a London government official who worked for the navy and kept a detailed diary during the 1660s.

Why is Pepys’ diary a primary source for Restoration England?

It is a primary source because Pepys wrote it at the time, describing events he saw and lived through himself.

Which two major disasters in London does Pepys describe in his diary?

He describes the Great Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of London in 1666.

How is Pepys’ diary useful for learning about daily life in Restoration London?

It is useful because it records everyday details like food, clothes, work, church, travel and entertainment.

Why does Pepys’ diary not give a full picture of life in all of England?

It does not give a full picture because Pepys mostly wrote about his own life in London, not about people in the rest of the country.

How did Pepys’ job affect what he wrote in his diary?

As a navy official, he wrote a lot about ships, war with the Dutch and government business, but less about the lives of poor people.

Why did Pepys write his diary in a kind of code or shorthand?

He used code so that others could not easily read it, which meant he felt safe writing honestly about his private thoughts and actions.

What is one way Pepys’ diary might be biased?

It might be biased because it reflects his own opinions and feelings, for example his support for King Charles II and his dislike of some groups.

How can historians check if Pepys’ diary is reliable about an event?

They can compare what he wrote with other evidence, such as letters, official records, church registers, maps and other people’s accounts.

Why is Pepys’ diary especially valuable for studying the Great Fire of London?

It is valuable because he wrote detailed day-by-day notes on how the fire spread, how people reacted and how the king and government responded.

Previous Topic
Back to Lesson
Next Topic