The Viking conquest
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the reasons for and impact of the Viking conquest on England, as well as the experiences of Viking settlers.
Key learning points
- The Vikings invaded England as it was a wealthy country and Scandinavia was overpopulated.
- At the 878 Battle of Edington, King Alfred defeated the Vikings which led to the creation of the Danelaw.
- In 1016, King Cnut became King of England; as king, he supported the Church and brought economic prosperity.
Keywords
Scandinavia - collective term for the countries of northern Europe
Danelaw - the area of England in the north and east controlled by the Vikings
Migrants - people who move into a new area or country
Assimilation - how far individuals or groups of immigrants adopt the culture, customs and values of the majority of people living in their new home country
Autonomy - how far individuals or groups of migrants hold onto the culture, customs and values of their homeland
Common misconception
All Vikings had the same experience of England, adopting very little of the local culture.
The Viking experience of England was nuanced, depending on where they settled some experienced great hostility. Some were also able to adopt local Christian practices while maintaining some of their pagan practices.
Teacher tip
When explaining the impact of the Viking conquest, encourage students to consider whether the impact on culture or the economy was greater and why - emphasise the importance of justifying their judgement.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
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.Who lived in the British Isles in the 8th century?
Q2.Which of the following is the best definition for the keyword 'migrants'?
Q3.Which of the following is a collective term for the countries of northern Europe?
Q4.Why might people want to move to another country?
Q5.Put the following events in chronological order.
Q6.Put the following time periods in chronological order.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords to the correct definitions.
the area of England in the north and east controlled by the Vikings
how far migrants adopt the culture of their new home country
how far migrants hold on to the culture of their homeland
Q2.Complete the sentence: The Vikings invaded England as it was a wealthy country and was overpopulated.
Q3.Who became King of England in 1016?
Q4.Where in England was first attacked by the Vikings in 793?
Q5.When did the Vikings’ Great Heathen Army decide to settle on England’s fertile lands in the north?
Q6.Which of the following examples show that the Vikings assimilated into English culture?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The Viking conquest, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The Viking conquest, 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 Migrants in Britain, c800–present unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.