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Year 10
Edexcel

The Anglo-Saxon economy and the role of the Church

I can describe the economy and the role of the Church in Anglo-Saxon England.

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New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

The Anglo-Saxon economy and the role of the Church

I can describe the economy and the role of the Church in Anglo-Saxon England.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Anglo-Saxon England was a wealthy country.
  2. Towns became centres of trade.
  3. Scattered rural settlements developed into closer village economies.
  4. The Church was an important part of daily life and focused on local Anglo-Saxon saints.
  5. Local priests were part of the community and often got married.

Common misconception

Church leaders had no role in how Anglo-Saxon England was governed.

Archbishops, bishops and other Church leaders could be part of the Witan, and that meant they were involved in advising the monarch about the government of Anglo-Saxon England.

Keywords

  • Economy - the economy is the system of trade and industry by which the wealth of a country is made and used

  • Burh - a burh was a fortified Anglo-Saxon town

  • Bishop - a bishop is a senior member of the Christian Church in charge of an area containing several churches

  • Archbishop - an archbishop is a bishop of the highest rank who is in charge of churches and other bishops in a particular large area

  • Piety - piety means living in a way that is devoted to religion

Although this lesson is primarily about the Anglo-Saxon economy and the role of the Church, it is a great opportunity to briefly signpost the coming changes of the Norman Church.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The largest unit of administration after an earldom is known as a .
Correct Answer: shire, Shire
Q2.
Why might it be problematic for a king to give wide-ranging powers to their earls?
Correct answer: The earls could use their power to challenge the king.
It easier for the king rule alone.
The shire reeves were more suited to having this power.
Q3.
The name for a group of ten households is .
Correct Answer: tithing, a tithing
Q4.
Who were the housecarls?
an advisory council to the king
Correct answer: elite soldiers who guarded important people
the people in charge of the tithing
Q5.
How much of the taxes collected by the earls were given to the king?
Correct answer: two-thirds
one-third
one-quarter
Q6.
Which group of people oversaw the social justice system in Anglo Saxon England?
Correct answer: The earls
The local people
the Witan

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A senior member of the Christian Church in charge of an area containing several churches is a .
Correct Answer: bishop, Bishop
Q2.
Match the words with their definitions. Write the correct letter in each box.
Correct Answer:economy,the system of industry making and using the wealth of a country

the system of industry making and using the wealth of a country

Correct Answer:burh,an Anglo-Saxon fortified town

an Anglo-Saxon fortified town

Correct Answer:piety,living in a way that is devoted to religion.

living in a way that is devoted to religion.

Q3.
What important factor contributed to a wealthy economy in Anglo-Saxon England?
Correct answer: England’s temperate climate was ideal for growing crops and farming livestock.
The increase in silver coins.
Stolen money from other countries.
Q4.
Which areas became centres of trade in Anglo Saxon England?
Correct answer: towns
coastal areas
churches
Q5.
Which key rural transformation helped the economy of Anglo Saxon England?
Correct answer: Village communities becoming closer together
The growing use of the watermill
The isolation of farms and houses
Q6.
How much of the land of England did the Church own?
Correct answer: up to a third of the land
up to a quarter of the land
up to an eighth of the land

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