A long and illustrious history: Early Britain

Question 1

Who were the first people to live in Britain and when?

Answer 1

Hunter–Gatherers in the Stone Age.

Question 2

Britain was originally connected to the European continent by what, and until when?

Answer 2

By a land bridge until about 10,000 years ago when it was fully eroded by The Channel.

Question 3

When did the first farmers arrive in Britian? Where did their ancestors come from?

Answer 3

6,000 years ago, and probably south–east Europe.

Question 4

Who built Stonehenge? Why was it built? Where was it built?

Answer 4

Settlers 6,000 years ago. It was probably a special gathering place for seasonal ceremonies. It is in modern day Wiltshire, a county in England.

Question 5

Other Stone Age sites have also survived such as Skara Brae. Where is it based? What is significant about it?

Answer 5

Orkney, off the northern coast of Scotland. It is the best preserved pre–historic village in N. Europe.

Question 6

Around 4,000 years ago, people learned to make Bronze. What is this period called?

Answer 6

Bronze Age.

Question 7

What were the people doing during the Bronze Age? Three things.

Answer 7

People lived in roundhouses.\n\n\nPeople buried their dead in tombs called “round barrows”\n\n\nMetal workers made objects (tools, ornaments, and weapons) of bronze and gold.

Question 8

What came after the Bronze Age?

Answer 8

Iron Age.

Question 9

What were the people doing during the Iron Age? four things.

Answer 9

People still lived in roundhouses, and they grouped together in larger settlements. \n\n\nMost people were farmers, crafters, or warriors. They sometimes defended sites called “Hill Forts.”

Question 10

An impressive hill for can still be seen today. Where?

Answer 10

Maiden Castle in the English county of Dorset.

Question 11

What languages were people speaking during the Iron Age?

Answer 11

People spoke a language that’s part of the Celtic language. Related languages are still spoken in parts of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.

Question 12

What did the Iron Age people make the first of?

Answer 12

First coins to be minted in Britain, some inscribed with names of Iron Age Kings. Marks beginnings of British History.

Question 13

Who led a Roman invasion of Britain in 55BC? Was it successful? What happened to Britain?

Answer 13

Julius Caesar and no. Britain remained separate to the Roman empire for the next 100 years.

Question 14

Who led a Roman invasion of Britain in 43BC? Was it successful? What happened to Britain?

Answer 14

Emperor Claudius. There was still some resistance from British tribes but the Romans were successful in occupying almost all of Britain.

Question 15

Who was one of the tribal leaders who resisted? What was created in their honour?

Answer 15

Boudicca, the queen of the Iceni (in what is now eastern England). A statue of her was erected on Westminster Bridge in London.

Question 16

What part of the UK was never conquered? What did the Roman Emperor Hadrian do because of this?

Answer 16

Areas of what is now known as Scotland. He erected a wall (Hadrian’s Wall) in the North of England to keep out the Picts (ancestors of Scott people).

Question 17

What forts of Hadrian’s wall can still be seen? What is significant about Hadrian’s Wall?

Answer 17

Housesteads forts and Vindolanda forts. Hadrian’s Wall is a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) world heritage site.

Question 18

How long did the Romans remain in Britain for? What did they accomplish in this time?

Answer 18

400 years. They built roads and public buildings. They created a structure of law, introduced new plants an animals.

Question 19

During the 3rd and 4th centuries (AD), what religious communities began to appear?

Answer 19

Christian.

Question 20

When did the Roman army leave to defend other Roman territories? Who then invaded Britian afterwards? What language did they speak?

Answer 20

410AD. The next people to invade were tribes from Northern Europe; The Jutes, The Angles, and the Saxons. They spoke a language that is the basis of modern–day English.

Question 21

Battles were fought against these invaders but the Anglo–Saxon Kingdoms were established eventually. When and where?

Answer 21

600AD and primarily in what is now England.

Question 22

One of these kings has a burial place. Where is it and what was he buried with?

Answer 22

Sutton Hoo in modern Suffolk. He was buried with treasure, armour, all placed in a ship.

Question 23

What parts of Britain remained free of Anglo–Saxon rule?

Answer 23

Wales and Scotland.

Question 24

Were the Anglo Saxons Christians when they first came to Britain?

Answer 24

No but during their time, missionaries came to Britain to preach about Christianity.

Question 25

Missionaries from Ireland spread Christianity to the north. Who were the two most famous of these?

Answer 25

Saint Patrick and Saint Colomba.

Question 26

What did these Saints accomplish?

Answer 26

Saint Patrick became Saint of Ireland and Saint Colomba founded a monastery on the island of Iona, off the coast of what is now Scotland.

Question 27

Who was another important Saint and what did they accomplish?

Answer 27

Saint Augustine – they led missionaries from Rome and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

Question 28

Where did the Vikings come from? When did they arrive in Britain and what did they do?

Answer 28

They came from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They first came in AD789 to raid costal towns and take goods and slaves.

Question 29

What did the Vikings do in the East of England and Scotland?

Answer 29

They began to form their own communities.

Question 30

Who defeated the Vikings?

Answer 30

The Anglo Saxon Kingdoms united under King Alfred the Great who defeated the Vikings.

Question 31

What happened to the remaining Vikings?

Answer 31

They stayed in Britain, especially in the East and North of England in an area known as Danelaw.

Question 32

There are many place names in Danelaw that come from the Viking language. What are some?

Answer 32

Grimsby and Scunthorpe.

Question 33

Anglo Saxons continued to rule what is now England, except for a short period when there were kings from where? Who was the first of these?

Answer 33

Denmark. The first was Cnut aka Canute.

Question 34

In the north, the threat of continued attack by the Vikings had encouraged people to unite under one king. Who was this king? What term began to be used to describe this country?

Answer 34

Kenneth MacAlphin. Scotland.

Question 35

Who led an invasion in 1066?

Answer 35

William, the Duke of Normandy (now known as N. France).

Question 36

What happened at the Battle of Hastings?

Answer 36

Harold the Saxon king of England was defeated by William Duke of Normandy. William became king of England.

Question 37

What did William become known as?

Answer 37

William the Conquerer.

Question 38

How is the Battle of Hastings commemorated?

Answer 38

In a great piece of embroidery, known as the Bayeux Tapestry. It is 70 meters long. It is currently in France.

Question 39

Was The Norman Conquest the last successful foreign invasion of England? What did it lead to?

Answer 39

Yes. It led to many changes in social structures and government.

Question 40

What became the language of the new ruling class? What did it influence the development of?

Answer 40

Norman French. English.

Question 41

Did the Normans conquer or attempt to conquer anything else?

Answer 41

1 - Wales but the Welsh gradually won the territory back.

2 - The Normans fought the Scots on the border between England and Scotland but did not invade. They only took over some land on the border.

Question 42

What is the Domesday book? Can it still be viewed?

Answer 42

William the Conqueror had a list drawn up of all the towns and villages. It included people who lived there, who owned the land, and what animals they owned. It can still be viewed today.