The Great Heathen Army
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe how the Vikings took over more and more of Britain in the 800s CE.
Key learning points
- Viking raids increased in number throughout the 800s CE, and by 850 they had begun to make winter camps in Britain.
- In 865 CE, the biggest Viking army ever to have come to Britain arrived in East Anglia: The Great Heathen Army.
- By 869, the Vikings had won key battles against Northumbria and East Anglia while Mercia had bribed them not to attack.
- Only Wessex, which controlled most of southern Britain, remained in resistance to the Vikings.
Keywords
Heathen - a heathen is a person who does not belong to a widely held religion
East Anglia - East Anglia was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the east of England
Northumbria - Northumbria was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in northeastern England
Mercia - Mercia was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in what is the Midlands in England today
Wessex - Wessex was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of England
Common misconception
Pupils may not understand that Britain was formed of separate Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
At this time, Britain was formed of four separate kingdoms: East Anglia, Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex.
Teacher tip
Emphasise to the pupils the skill of the Great Heathen Army in capturing large areas of Britain.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When did the first recorded Viking raids take place on Ireland?
Q2.What does the term 'fortified' mean?
Q3.Which was one of the early fortified camps established by the Vikings?
Q4.Which words that describe Viking expansion?
Q5.Which statements are correct about Viking expansion following Dublin?
Q6.What is the correct definition of a 'saga'?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the name of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom to the correct location.
an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the east of England
an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in northeastern England
an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in what is the Midlands in England today
an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of England
Q2.Complete the sentence: A is a person who does not belong to a widely held religion.
Q3.True or false: Viking raids increased in number throughout the 800s CE, and by 850 they had begun to make winter camps in Britain.
Q4.Which statements about The Great Heathen Army are correct?
Q5.When did The Great Heathen Army invade and capture York?
Q6.Which Anglo-Saxon kingdom bribed the Vikings not to attack them?
To help you plan your 5 history lesson on: The Great Heathen Army, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 history lesson on: The Great Heathen Army, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the The Vikings: why did they come to the British Isles? unit, dive into the full primary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.