1. Early Britain Flashcards
Who were hunter-gatherers
Hunter-gatherers were the first people to live in Britain in the Stone Age. They used Doggerland to follow herds of deer and horses which they hunted
What was Doggerland
Doggerland was a land bridge that connected Britain to continental Europe for most of the Stone Age
When did Britain become permanently separated from continental Europe
Britain became permanently separated from continual Europe by the English Channel 10,000 years ago
When did the first farmers arrive in Britain
The first farmers arrived in Britain 6,000 years ago likely from South-East Europe
What are the origins of Stonehenge
Stonehenge was built by the first farmers in Britain who also constructed houses, tombs and other monuments on the land
Where is Stonehenge
Stonehenge is currently in the English county of Wiltshire
What is the purpose of Stonehenge
Stonehenge is probably a special gathering place for seasonal ceremonies
Other than Stonehenge, what other Stone Age sites have survived
Skara Brae on Orkney, off the coast of Scotland, which is the best preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe, and has helped archaeologists to understand more about how people lived near the end of the Stone Age
When did the Bronze Age begin
The Bronze Age began when people learned to make bronze about 4,000 years ago
What was made during the Bronze Age
The people of the Bronze Age were accomplished metalworkers who made many beautiful objects in bronze and gold, including tools, ornaments and weapons
Where did people live during the Bronze Age
People lived in roundhouses during the Bronze Age
Where were the dead buried during the Bronze Age
The dead were buried in tombs called round barrows during the Bronze Age
What came after the Bronze Age
The Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age, when people learned to make iron weapons and tools
What is a similarity between the Bronze and Iron Age
In the Iron Age, people still lived in roundhouses, grouped together into larger settlements
What is a hill fort
A hill fort is a site defended by people of the Iron Age. It is a fort built on an area of a hilltop surrounded by a system of defensive banks and ditches
What hill fort can still be seen today
Today, a hill fort at Maiden Castle, in the English county of Dorset can still be seen.
What was the occupation of most people during the Iron Age
Most people in the Iron Age were farmers, craft workers or warriors
What language was spoken during the Iron Age
The language that people of the Iron Age spoke was part of the Celtic language family. Similar languages were spoken across Europe and related languages are still spoken today in parts of Wales, Scotland and Ireland
Why does the Iron Age mark the beginnings of British history
The people of the Iron Age had a sophisticated culture and economy. They made the first coins to be minted in Britain, some inscribed with the names of Iron Age kings.
What happened during the first Roman invasion of Britain
Julius Caesar led a Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC that was unsuccessful.
How long did Britain remain separate from the Roman Empire
Britain remained separated from the Roman Empire for nearly 100 years
What happened during the successful Roman invasion of Britain
In AD 43 Emperor Claudius led the Roman army in a new invasion. This time there was resistance from some of the British tribes but the Romans were successful in occupying most of Britain
Who was one of the tribal leaders that fought against the Romans during the second, successful invasion
One of the tribal leaders who fought against the Romans was Boudicca, the queen of the Iceni in what is now eastern England. She is remembered today with a statue of her on Westminster Bridge in London, near the Houses of Parliament
Why was Hadrian’s Wall built
Emperor Hadrian built a wall in the north of England to keep out the Picts (ancestors of the Scottish people) because areas of what is now Scotland were never conquered by the Romans.
Name two of the number of forts included in Hadrian’s Wall that can still be seen
Included in Hadrian’s Wall are the forts of Housesteads and Vindolanda
What is Hadrian’s Wall known for now
Hadrian’s Wall is a popular area for walking and is a UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Site
How long did the Romans remain in Britain
The Romans remained in Britain for 400 years, with the Roman army leaving in AD 410 to defend other parts of the Roman Empire and never returning
What did the Romans achieve while in Britain
The Romans built roads and public buildings, created a structure of law, and introduced new plants and animals
When did the first Christian communities begin to appear in Britain
the first Christian communities began to appear in Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD
What are the names of the tribes from northern Europe who invaded Britain after the Roman army left?
The Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons whose languages are the basis of modern day English
Were the invading Northern European tribes (Jutes, Angles and Saxons) successful?
Yes, battles were fought against them but by about 600 AD Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were established in Britain which were mainly in what is now England.
What characterises the burial place of one of the Anglo-Saxon kings at Sutton Hoo in modern Suffolk?
The king was buried with treasure and armour, all placed in a ship which was then covered by a mound of earth
What parts of Britain remained free from Anglo-Saxon rule
The west of Britain, including what is now Wales, and Scotland remained free
How did Christianity reach the Anglo-Saxons
missionaries came to Britain to preach about Christianity with missionaries from Ireland spreading the religion in the north
Who were the most famous Irish missionaries from the period of Anglo-Saxon rule
St Patrick who became the patron saint of Ireland
St Columba who founded a monastery on the island of Iona
Who was St Augustine
The first Archbishop of Canterbury in 597, he led missionaries from Rome who spread Christianity in the south
Where did the Vikings come from
Denmark and Norway. They first visited Britain in AD 789 to raid coastal towns and take away goods and slaves. Then they began to stay and form their own communities in the east of England and Scotland, mixing with the local communities and some converting to Christianity
Who was King Alfred the Great
The ruler under which the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England united and who defeated the Vikings
What is the Danelaw
An area in the east and north of England with place names such as Grimsby and Scunthorpe that come from Viking languages, where many Viking invaders stayed
Who was the first of the Danish kings that briefly ruled what is now England in place of an Anglo-Saxon king
Cnut, also called Canute
How did the term Scotland begin to be used to describe the country
In the north, the threat of attack by Vikings had encouraged the people to unite under one king, Kenneth MacAlpin.
What happened at the battle of Hastings
In 1066, an invasion led by William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy (in what is now northern France), defeated and killed Harold the Saxon king of England with William becoming king of England
What is the name of the great piece of embroidery that commemorates the battle of Hastings?
The Bayeux Tapestry, which can still be seen in France today
Why was the Norman Conquest significant
It was the last successful foreign invasion of England and it led to many changes in government and social structures in England. Norman French, the language of the new ruling class, influenced the development of the English.
What happened when the Normans conquered Wales
The Welsh gradually won territory back
What happened when the Normans tried to conquer Scotland
The Scots and Normans fought on the border between England and Scotland ; the Normans took over some land on the border but did not invade Scotland.
What is the Doomsday book
The information gathered by the people sent out all over England by William the Conqueror in order to draw up lists of all the towns and villages, the people who lived there who owned the land and what animals they owned. It is a book that still exists today and gives a picture of society in England just after the Norman Conquest
