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      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can assess different experiences of life in medieval Norwich.

      Key learning points

      1. Life was different for men and for women in medieval Norwich.
      2. Life was different for elites and for the poor in medieval Norwich.
      3. Historians are interested in similarity and difference.
      4. Historians study the extent of similarity and difference between groups' experiences.

      Keywords

      • Elite - an elite is the richest or most powerful group in a society

      • Freemen - freemen are people with special rights in a city

      • Literate - if you are literate then you are able to read and write

      • Will - people write a will to leave instructions about what should be done with their things once they die

      Common misconception

      All people from the same social group had the same experiences.

      Experiences could vary even between people from the same social group, especially if there were differences between their wealth and class.

      Teacher tip

      The beginning of learning cycle 1 provides a good opportunity for knowledge recall practice. Ask students to create a mind map for each social group and in pairs come up with at least three things they can remember about each group's lives in Norwich.

      Content guidance

      Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

      Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

      Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

      Supervision

      Adult supervision recommended

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      True or false? Elites only used violence to stop the poor from challenging the social order.

      true
      Correct answer: false

      Q2.
      Match up each key word with the correct definition.

      Correct Answer:mayor,person elected to lead a city

      person elected to lead a city

      Correct Answer:merchant,person who buys and sells goods

      person who buys and sells goods

      Correct Answer:monk,person who has devoted their life to God

      person who has devoted their life to God

      Q3.
      Which industry became very successful in Norwich after the 14th century?

      beer
      glass-making
      leather
      Correct answer: textiles

      Q4.
      How much did Norwich Cathedral earn every year?

      nothing
      £220
      Correct answer: £2200
      £22 000

      Q5.
      Write the missing word. During the 1381 Peasants' Revolt, poor people in Norwich attacked the in the city.

      Correct Answer: elite, elites, Elite, Elites

      Q6.
      Which statement is most accurate?

      Correct answer: most of the poor in medieval Norwich were not literate
      half of the poor in medieval Norwich were literate
      most of the poor in medieval Norwich were literate

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Match-up the key words to the correct definition.

      Correct Answer:industry,a type of business or work

      a type of business or work

      Correct Answer:literate,being able to read and write

      being able to read and write

      Correct Answer:cathedral,the largest and most important church in a particular area

      the largest and most important church in a particular area

      Correct Answer:status,the amount of respect or importance a person has

      the amount of respect or importance a person has

      Q2.
      Starting with the wealthiest, organise these groups according to how wealthy they were.

      1 - Norwich Cathedral
      2 - Norwich city government
      3 - Blackfriars Church
      4 - the poor

      Q3.
      Write the missing word. The of Norwich was elected by freemen from the city.

      Correct Answer: mayor, Mayor

      Q4.
      Which three services did monks at Norwich Cathedral provide for people in Norwich?

      Correct answer: education
      Correct answer: hospital care
      policing
      Correct answer: religious worship
      street cleaning

      Q5.
      Starting with the least literate, sort the groups according to how literate they were likely to be.

      1 - poor females
      2 - poor males
      3 - wealthy females
      4 - monks

      Q6.
      Which statement about charity in medieval Norwich is most accurate?

      only churchmen provided charity
      charity was only motivated by religious concerns
      Correct answer: charity was sometimes used to protect the social order
      merchants were the main people to receive charity

      To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: Life in medieval Norwich, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...