New
New
Year 3

What historians have learnt about Iron Age Britain

I can explain how historians and archaeologists have used lots of sources together to try to understand what life in Iron Age Britain was like.

New
New
Year 3

What historians have learnt about Iron Age Britain

I can explain how historians and archaeologists have used lots of sources together to try to understand what life in Iron Age Britain was like.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Archaeologists and historians have learnt a lot about Iron Age Britain from the artefacts that have been found.
  2. They have used these artefacts alongside other sources, such as Roman writing about Iron Age Britain.
  3. By using these sources together they have been able to piece together what Iron Age Britain was like.
  4. Historians and archaeologists rarely rely on just one source, they often try to use lots together.
  5. A good explanation of what historians have learnt about Iron Age Britain will focus on how sources have been used.

Keywords

  • Archaeologist - someone who discovers and researches items that remain from the past is an archaeologist

  • Artefact - an artefact is an item from the past made by humans

  • Source - something that remains from the past, which archaeologists and historians ask questions of is called a source

Common misconception

That archaeologists and historians are always right. That information about the past is always factual.

Explain that archaeologists and historians use clues to piece together what they think the past was like. These views and opinions can change over time as more sources or information is discovered.

Children could role play an archaeological dig and create a video documentary on their findings combining evidence from two or more sources.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Exploration of objects

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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.
How long ago was the Iron Age in Britain?
two hundred years ago (200)
Correct answer: two thousand years ago (2000)
two hundred thousand years ago (200,000)
two million years ago (2,000,000)
two billion years ago (2,000,000,000)
Q2.
Which period of history came after the Iron Age in Britain?
Stone Age
Bronze Age
Correct answer: Roman Britain
The Elizabethan era
The Victorian era
Q3.
Which items do archaeologists and historians use to learn about the Iron Age?
photographs
video evidence
Correct answer: objects from the past
Correct answer: earthworks
Q4.
Most people in the Iron Age living in Britain worked as...
Correct Answer: farmers, farmer, farmer workers
Q5.
Which group of people were living in Britain during the Iron Age?
Correct answer: The Celts
The Victorians
The Elizabethans
The Romans
Q6.
Match the Iron Age item to the correct description.
Correct Answer:Wetwang Chariot,a two-wheeled vehicle

a two-wheeled vehicle

Correct Answer:Snettisham torc,a piece of jewellery

a piece of jewellery

Correct Answer:Batterea shield,a decorative shield

a decorative shield

Correct Answer:Ard plough,an agricultural tool

an agricultural tool

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:archaeologist,someone who discovers and researches items that remain from the past

someone who discovers and researches items that remain from the past

Correct Answer:historian,someone who studies and writes about the past

someone who studies and writes about the past

Q2.
Something that remains from the past that archaeologists and historians ask questions about is called a...
Correct Answer: source, sources, Source, Sources
Q3.
Who wrote about the Celtic people living in Britain at the end of the Iron Age?
The Celts
Correct answer: The Romans
Correct answer: The Greeks
The Iron Age people
Q4.
Which sources do archaeologists and historians use to understand Iron Age Britain?
Correct answer: artefacts
Correct answer: Roman writings
photographs
speaking to people who were there at the time
Q5.
Match the artefact to the topic of Iron Age Britain that archaeologists learnt about from studying it.
Correct Answer:Batterse shield,Celtic art

Celtic art

Correct Answer:coins,trade

trade

Correct Answer:ard plough,agriculture

agriculture

Correct Answer:Iron spearhead,warfare

warfare

Q6.
A good explanation of what historians and archaeologists have learnt about the Iron Age will focus on how have been used.
Correct Answer: sources, source

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