Henry VIII 'Divorced, Beheaded, Died' Sorting Activity — History Worksheet for 12-Year-Olds

Instructions

King Henry VIII had six wives, and their stories are famously remembered by the rhyme: "Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived."

Your task is to match each of Henry's wives listed below with her correct fate from the jumbled list in the box. Write the correct fate on the line next to each wife's name.

"Divorced, Beheaded, Died" Sorting Activity

The Wives:

1. Catherine of Aragon: _________________________
2. Anne Boleyn: _________________________
3. Jane Seymour: _________________________
4. Anne of Cleves: _________________________
5. Catherine Howard: _________________________
6. Catherine Parr: _________________________

Extension Question

In two sentences, explain why Henry’s marriages often ended badly.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer Key

Matching Activity Answers:

1. Catherine of Aragon: Divorced
2. Anne Boleyn: Beheaded
3. Jane Seymour: Died
4. Anne of Cleves: Divorced
5. Catherine Howard: Beheaded
6. Catherine Parr: Survived

Extension Question Sample Answer:

Henry VIII’s main goal was to have a male heir to secure the Tudor dynasty, and he was willing to get rid of any wife who failed to give him a son. To do this, he broke away from the powerful Catholic Church, giving him the personal power to end his marriages however he saw fit.