Norman changes to the English landscape
I can explain how historians use material remains to understand the use of castles in Norman England.
Norman changes to the English landscape
I can explain how historians use material remains to understand the use of castles in Norman England.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Normans faced many rebellions during William the Conqueror's reign.
- The Normans built motte-and-bailey castles to deter these rebellions.
- The Normans introduced new stone buildings to many towns.
- Historians use the material remains of castles to study the Norman period.
Keywords
Siege - the act of surrounding a town and refusing to let people out or goods in
Motte-and-bailey castle - a type of fortification introduced to England by the Normans
Common misconception
The written word is the only useful source for the study of the past.
Although written sources are useful, material remains can reveal much about past societies - it depends on the questions historians ask of the source.
To help you plan your year 7 history lesson on: Norman changes to the English landscape, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 7 history lesson on: Norman changes to the English landscape, 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.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the The Norman Conquest: how do we know about the impact of the Conquest on England? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
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Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
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Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the words with the correct definitions.
local, untrained Anglo-Saxons who were called up to fight
the defensive line of shields used by Anglo-Saxon armies
foot soldiers
soldiers on horseback
Q2.Which of these people were king of England at some point during 1066?
Q3.In 1070 William the Conqueror appointed a new Archbishop of Canterbury. What was the Archbishop’s name?
Q4.Which of these were things that Lanfranc carried out in his reform of the English Church?
Q5.Which of these ways of increasing Norman control over England were connected to Lanfranc's Church reforms?
Q6.Look at this scene from the Bayeux Tapestry. It shows soldiers attacking a structure which other soldiers are defending. Which of these structures does the scene show?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which one of the following is the best explanation for why William ordered castles to be built in England after 1066?
Q2.Add in the missing word to complete the name used for the way the Normans brutally put down a rebellion in Yorkshire in 1069: the of the North.
Q3.Match these features of motte-and-bailey castles with their correct definitions.
a ditch, sometimes filled with water, surrounding the castle
the castle courtyard; an open area inside the outer defences
a tall structure within a castle used for keeping a lookout
a mound of earth
Q4.How many castles did William have built during his reign?
Q5.Put these events in order, starting with the earliest.
Q6.Which of these facts about Totnes castle are true?
