New
New
Year 5

How Christianity survived the Romans' departure

I can explain why Christianity in the British Isles survived the Romans' departure.

New
New
Year 5

How Christianity survived the Romans' departure

I can explain why Christianity in the British Isles survived the Romans' departure.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Christianity survived the departure of the Romans in the places where the Anglo-Saxons did not settle.
  2. The main centre of this survival was Ireland, where Christianity grew more popular throughout the 5th century.
  3. The importance of monasteries meant that Christianity flourished in Ireland.
  4. The work of missionaries meant that Ireland began to spread Christianity to other places in the 6th century.
  5. A good explanation of why Christianity survived the Romans' departure will use knowledge from across this unit.

Keywords

  • Pagan - pagan means a religion other than one of the main world religions

  • Monastery - a monastery is a building lived in by a community of monks who follow religious vows

  • Missionary - a missionary is a person sent on a religious mission, especially one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country

Common misconception

Pupils may think Christianity survived because of one reason.

Christianity survived because of a few reasons. It survived in the places the Anglo-Saxons did not settle. It also survived because monasteries were set up and missionaries spread the the religion to other places.

Track the key events on a timeline so pupils can understand how Christianity survived from the 4th to the 6th century.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
St Columba set up monastery.
Correct answer: Iona
Bobbio
Annegray
Q2.
Who did St Columba and St Columbanus travel with?
Correct Answer: 12 followers, 12 companions, twelve followers, twelve companions
Q3.
Who did St Columba successfully convert to Christianity?
Romans
Correct answer: Picts
Correct answer: Scots
Welsh
Q4.
Gaul is an ancient region of Europe.
Correct Answer: Western, western
Q5.
Order these events chronologically.
1 - St Columbanus travelled to Gaul with 12 followers.
2 - St Columbanus set up Annegray Abbey in France.
3 - St Columbanus set up Bobbio Abbey in Italy.
4 - St Columbanus was buried in Bobbio Abbey.
Q6.
Order these events chronologically.
1 - St Columba was a monk before becoming a priest.
2 - St Columba travelled to Iona with 12 followers.
3 - St Columba set up a monastery on Iona.
4 - St Columba spread Christianity throughout Scotland.

6 Questions

Q1.
When did the Romans leave Britain?
Correct Answer: 410 CE
Q2.
What did the Anglo-Saxons believe in?
Christianity
Correct answer: Paganism
Islam
Q3.
What evidence was discovered that showed Christianity survived after the Romans left?
Correct answer: Roman mosaics
coins
Correct answer: wall paintings
Q4.
When were monasteries built in Ireland?
Correct Answer: 6th century, 500s CE
Q5.
Who supported monasteries by giving valuable gifts?
the poor
Correct answer: the rich
Correct answer: kings
Q6.
Large monasteries became important places for .
Correct Answer: learning, religion, christianity, Christianity