Changing laws in Norman England: Forest law
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe the changes introduced by Forest law and the impact of Forest law on ordinary people.
Key learning points
- Forest law was a new set of laws introduced to England by the Normans.
- William and his successors increased the area classed as forest until a third of England was covered by Forest law.
- Punishments for breaking Forest law could be much more severe than punishments in common law.
- Forest law made life much harder for peasants because they were now banned from using resources they depended on.
- Forest law was resented by ordinary people but also by Norman tenants of the king, since it affected their lands too.
Keywords
Successor - the person who is king or queen after the previous monarch
Tenant - someone who uses land owned by someone else in return for rent or services
Common misconception
That forest in Norman England always meant land covered by trees.
Forest in Norman England meant an area that was reserved for hunting and so could include open land, village land, even towns, as well as woodland.
Teacher tip
Students could think about all the different resources that could be caught or gathered from lands around a village that were not used for crops or pasture - such as woodland, hedges, scrubland and heaths.
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.Complete the sentence: Almost everyone in Norman England for a living.
Q2.Complete the sentence: are farm animals that are reared for food or used for farming work.
Q3.Which of the following statements are accurate about peasant children in Norman England?
Q4.Which group had up to 100 acres?
Q5.What did pottage consist of?
Q6.In what ways did the diet of the elites change in Norman England?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word describes the person who is king or queen after the previous monarch?
Q2.Which word describes someone who uses land owned by someone else in return for rent or services?
Q3.Complete the sentence with the correct fraction: One of England was covered by Forest law during Henry I's reign.
Q4.How much did did the crown receive in Forest law fines in 1130?
Q5.Why did Forest law create tension between the Norman kings and the nobility?
Q6.Why did Forest law create tension between the Norman kings and the Church?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Changing laws in Norman England: Forest law, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Changing laws in Norman England: Forest law, 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 4 history lessons from the British Depth Study: Norman England, c1066–c1100 unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.