The arrival of the Vikings
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can recall that the Vikings invaded England from the 790s CE and were given the Danelaw after the 878 CE Battle of Edington.
Key learning points
- Prior to the arrival of the Vikings the British Isles was populated by Germanic tribes - the Anglo-Saxons.
- The Vikings invaded Britain as it was a wealthy country and Scandinavia was overpopulated.
- From the 790s the Vikings took East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria and attempted to take Wessex.
- At the 878 Battle of Edington, King Alfred defeated the Vikings which led to the creation of the Danelaw.
- After the creation of the Danelaw many Vikings settled and the number of raids decreased.
Keywords
Anglo-Saxon - relating to the Germanic inhabitants of England from their arrival in the 5th century to the Norman Conquest
Migration - the movement of people into a new area or country
Viking - a member of the Scandinavian seafaring people who raided Britain from the late 8th century
Raid - a surprise attack
Danelaw - the area of England in the north and east controlled by the Vikings
Common misconception
The Vikings were nothing but brutal savages.
Whilst the Viking aptitude for battle is well known, they were also exceptional explorers and traders. Raiding was simply another way for them to gain wealth as opposed to their only way of life.
Teacher tip
For a homework task, ask students to research and answer the question, 'Why was Alfred called 'the Great'?' Students can create a short biography on Alfred indicating the impact he had on the history of Britain.
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
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which group lived in the British Isles in the 8th century?
Q2.Who was considered the most powerful in medieval society?
Q3.Which definition best describes the word 'migration'?
Q4.Which of the following groups were Scandinavian seafaring people who raided Britain?
Q5.Put the following time periods in chronological order.
Q6.In which century did the Vikings invade England?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following groups were the Germanic inhabitants of England from their arrival in the 5th century to the 11th century?
Q2.Which of the following were push factors for the Vikings?
Q3.Prior to the 8th century, which of the following tribes made up the population of the British Isles?
Q4.Complete the sentence: In 878, King Alfred the Great defeated the Vikings which led to the creation of the ...
Q5.In which battle did King Alfred the Great of Wessex defeat Guthrum of the Great Heathen Army of the Vikings?
Q6.What happened to the number of Viking raids following the creation of the Danelaw?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The arrival of the Vikings, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The arrival of the Vikings, 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 Britain: Migration, empires and the people - c790 to the present day unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.