New
New
Year 6

How the Vikings changed Britain

I can describe the different ways in which Britain changed because of Viking invasion and settlement.

New
New
Year 6

How the Vikings changed Britain

I can describe the different ways in which Britain changed because of Viking invasion and settlement.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Viking invasions caused huge amounts of conflict in Britain for over 200 years.
  2. Viking trade brought valuable foreign goods to Britain and Viking settlement created new towns with Viking place names.
  3. In areas of Viking settlement, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings often married, creating new generations with a mixed identity.
  4. The threat of the Vikings led to the Anglo-Saxons fortifying towns and gradually uniting their kingdoms to survive.
  5. A good description of the ways in which Britain changed due to the Vikings will use knowledge from across this unit.

Keywords

  • Settlement - a settlement is a place where people establish a community

  • Generation - a generation refers to people born and living at the same time

  • Unite - to unite means to bring together to form a whole

Common misconception

Pupils may think that Britain only changed for the worse because of the Vikings.

Britain changed in multiple positive ways because of Viking invasion and settlement through trade, changing place names, creating a new generation and even creating the England we know today.

Write down the different changes and explore the concept of change with the pupils. Discuss whether any change was more important than any other and explore what the pupils think may have happened if one change did not happen.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of serious crime
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

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 many Anglo-Saxon kings followed Athelstan's rule?
Correct Answer: six, 6
Q2.
When did Viking raids begin during Ethelred's rule?
970s CE
Correct answer: 980s CE
960s CE
Q3.
Order these events chronologically:
1 - A battle began in Maldon.
2 - The Anglo-Saxons were defeated.
3 - Ethelred paid tribute to the Vikings.
4 - Ethelred ordered the Danes in English territories to be killed.
Q4.
Who contested the throne after Ethelred died?
Correct Answer: Canute, canute
Q5.
Canute became king of ...
Correct answer: England
Correct answer: Denmark
Spain
Correct answer: Norway
Q6.
Who was the last Danish king of England?
King Canute
King Sweyn
Correct answer: King Harthacnut
King Ethelred

6 Questions

Q1.
How did the Vikings change Britain through trade?
Correct answer: They brought valuable goods to Britain.
Correct answer: They created centres of trade.
They made coins.
Q2.
The Vikings changed the place names they found difficult to
Correct Answer: pronounce, say
Q3.
Match the keyword to the definition
Correct Answer:settlement,a place where people establish a community

a place where people establish a community

Correct Answer:generation,people born and living at the same time

people born and living at the same time

Correct Answer:unite,to bring together to form a whole

to bring together to form a whole

Q4.
Athelstan was the first .
Correct Answer: King of England, king of england
Q5.
How many Viking kings ruled England?
seven
Correct answer: three
four
Q6.
Who do historians believe was the most successful Viking king?
Correct Answer: King Canute, King canute, Canute

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