Paper 2 – Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c.1060-1088
Paper 2
British Depth Study:
Anglo-Saxon and
Norman England
c.1060-88
Name …………………………………………………..
1
, Paper 2 – Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c.1060-1088
Anglo-Saxon and Norman England – Revision Checklist
How well do I know each topic?
3 Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest
4 What was England like in Anglo-Saxon times?
8 Edward the Confessor’s last years
11 1066 and the rival claimants for the throne
13 The Norman invasion
15 Topic Test – Theme 1: Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest
16 William I in Power: Securing the Kingdom, 1066-87
17 Establishing control
20 Anglo-Saxon resistance, 1068-71
22 The legacy of resistance to 1087
25 Revolt of the Earls, 1075
27 Topic Test – Theme 2: Securing the Kingdom, 1066-87
29 Norman England, 1066-88
30 The feudal system
32 The Church
35 Norman government
37 Norman aristocracy
39 William I and his sons
41 Topic Test – Theme 3: Norman England, 1066-88
Produced by J. Harris, Sir Harry Smith Community College
2
, Paper 2 – Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c.1060-1088
Theme 1:
Anglo-Saxon England and the
Norman Conquest, 1060-66
3
, Paper 2 – Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c.1060-1088
What was England like in Anglo-Saxon times?
England had a population of about 2 million people (less than half of London today!)
Almost everyone farmed land.
England was a Christian country, and religion played a large role in everyday life.
For centuries England had been under threat from the Vikings, and parts of northern
England had Viking settlers.
Edward the Confessor was king from 1042 to 1066, but the kings before him (Cnut
and his two sons) had been Vikings.
England had a very well-organised government.
The Social System
At the top of Anglo-Saxon society were the King and the elite aristocracy, and at the very
bottom were slaves.
The king was the most powerful person in
Anglo-Saxon England. His job was to protect his King
people from attack and make laws. Peasants and
merchants could
work their way up to
thegn status.
Earls were the most important men after the
Earls Slaves could be freed
king. The area of the country controlled by an
by their masters to
earl was called an earldom.
become ordinary
peasants.
Thegns (“thanes”) were local lords who lived in Thegns could be
a manor house and held more than 5 hides of promoted to earls.
land. Thegns had a duty to provide men for the Thegns
fyrd (army) when needed.
Peasants made up most of the population.
They worked for their local lord. Ceorls
Peasants A peasant could sell
(“curls”) were free to go and work for another
themselves into
lord if they wanted to, although they still had
slavery to support
to do some work for their local lord as well.
their family.
An earl could be
Slaves made up about 10% of the population, demoted to a thegn.
and were viewed more as property than
people. Owning slaves was a normal part of Slaves
life for the Anglo-Saxons, but the Normans
thought it was cruel.
4
Paper 2
British Depth Study:
Anglo-Saxon and
Norman England
c.1060-88
Name …………………………………………………..
1
, Paper 2 – Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c.1060-1088
Anglo-Saxon and Norman England – Revision Checklist
How well do I know each topic?
3 Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest
4 What was England like in Anglo-Saxon times?
8 Edward the Confessor’s last years
11 1066 and the rival claimants for the throne
13 The Norman invasion
15 Topic Test – Theme 1: Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest
16 William I in Power: Securing the Kingdom, 1066-87
17 Establishing control
20 Anglo-Saxon resistance, 1068-71
22 The legacy of resistance to 1087
25 Revolt of the Earls, 1075
27 Topic Test – Theme 2: Securing the Kingdom, 1066-87
29 Norman England, 1066-88
30 The feudal system
32 The Church
35 Norman government
37 Norman aristocracy
39 William I and his sons
41 Topic Test – Theme 3: Norman England, 1066-88
Produced by J. Harris, Sir Harry Smith Community College
2
, Paper 2 – Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c.1060-1088
Theme 1:
Anglo-Saxon England and the
Norman Conquest, 1060-66
3
, Paper 2 – Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c.1060-1088
What was England like in Anglo-Saxon times?
England had a population of about 2 million people (less than half of London today!)
Almost everyone farmed land.
England was a Christian country, and religion played a large role in everyday life.
For centuries England had been under threat from the Vikings, and parts of northern
England had Viking settlers.
Edward the Confessor was king from 1042 to 1066, but the kings before him (Cnut
and his two sons) had been Vikings.
England had a very well-organised government.
The Social System
At the top of Anglo-Saxon society were the King and the elite aristocracy, and at the very
bottom were slaves.
The king was the most powerful person in
Anglo-Saxon England. His job was to protect his King
people from attack and make laws. Peasants and
merchants could
work their way up to
thegn status.
Earls were the most important men after the
Earls Slaves could be freed
king. The area of the country controlled by an
by their masters to
earl was called an earldom.
become ordinary
peasants.
Thegns (“thanes”) were local lords who lived in Thegns could be
a manor house and held more than 5 hides of promoted to earls.
land. Thegns had a duty to provide men for the Thegns
fyrd (army) when needed.
Peasants made up most of the population.
They worked for their local lord. Ceorls
Peasants A peasant could sell
(“curls”) were free to go and work for another
themselves into
lord if they wanted to, although they still had
slavery to support
to do some work for their local lord as well.
their family.
An earl could be
Slaves made up about 10% of the population, demoted to a thegn.
and were viewed more as property than
people. Owning slaves was a normal part of Slaves
life for the Anglo-Saxons, but the Normans
thought it was cruel.
4
