Study Guides

Unit Summary

This unit analyses how life changed in Britain between the Bronze and Iron Ages. It examines how the use of bronze changed life in Britain and how agriculture, settlement, and trade changed further in the Iron Age. Life in the two periods is compared and contrasted.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain how and when the Iron Age began in Britain and describe who the Celts were.

Key Notes

• The Bronze Age was gradually replaced by the Iron Age in Britain approximately 2800 years ago.
• This happened when iron working began to replace bronze manufacture.
• Iron is a common metal and is harder and tougher than bronze but harder to smelt as it requires very high temperatures.
• At the time of this change, much of what is now England was inhabited by the Celtic people who had spread across Europe.
• Historians are not sure when they came to Britain or whether they did so peacefully.

Vocabulary To Learn

• Iron Age: the Iron Age is a period in history when people used iron
• smelting: when metal ores are heated up to extract the metal it is called smelting
• Celts: Celts were groups of people living in Britain and across Europe during the Iron Age
• tribe: a tribe is a group of people living and working together

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• That Celts and Iron Age people were two different things and there was a Celtic Era.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Changing agriculture in Britain during the Iron Age Study Guide
• Changing settlements and trade in Iron Age Britain Study Guide
• Comparing and contrasting Bronze Age and Iron Age Britain Study Guide
• How bronze changed life in Britain Study Guide
• The first use of bronze Study Guide