The History Prefects’ lecture on the Mexican-American War set the bar extremely high for future speakers at the History Lecture Series. Chloe, Clara and Raffi, the outgoing Prefects, delivered a compelling deep dive into the key features of the conflict, focusing on the role of ambitious individuals such as James K. Polk (the driving force behind the war effort) and, crucially, explored how the aftermath of the war reshaped both nations. The girls delivered the lecture in a really engaging, easy-to-follow way that genuinely inspired an audience with no prior knowledge of the topic and prompted us to question how the outcomes of the war affected future generations, as well as the political climate today. We were especially impressed by the immense detail covered over such a short time and, as the new History Prefects, we certainly feel galvanised into action to decide which event we would like to research and talk about next academic year.

In our experience, the History Lecture Series has been such a joy to attend – it has left us walking away not only with delicious brownies but questioning things we had never thought of before. What better way to spend your Tuesday evening?

The final talk in this year’s series is on ‘Charlemagne: Reformer, Emperor and Father of Europe’ on Tuesday 18 November at 4.25pm in 1A. All students, staff and parents are welcome. See you there!

Tally and Jui, Lower Sixth History Prefects