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Year 4 - History
The buildings of Roman Britain
The Romans: what impact did the Romans have on Britain?
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn how and why Claudius invaded Britain, Boudica's resistance to Roman rule, and how far various aspects of life in Britain changed under Roman rule. The unit is focused on the second-order concepts of change and continuity.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe the sorts of buildings the Romans introduced to Britain.
Key Notes
- Celtic buildings were usually thatched, wattle and daub roundhouses.
- Archaeologists can look at the remains of buildings to construct arguments about the impact of the Romans in Britain.
- Evidence of North African Roman soldiers has been found at Hadrian's Wall, a major Ancient Roman architectural feature.
- Caerwent, Trimontium and Bath are all places that have examples of the sorts of architecture the Ancient Romans built.
- Rich Ancient Romans built villas in the British countryside with expensive mosaics and hypocaust systems for heating.
Vocabulary To Learn
- thatched: thatched roofs were made from a type of plant material, like straw
- wattle and daub: buildings made up of woven twigs and rods that have been covered in clay are called wattle and daub
- Hadrian's Wall: Hadrian's Wall was the northernmost border of the Ancient Roman Empire
- hypocaust system: a hypocaust system was an Ancient Roman underfloor heating system
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that Hadrian's Wall was not very high, as the remaining stretches have been damaged.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Celtic buildings were usually thatched, wattle and daub roundhouses. Archaeologists can look at the remains of buildings to construct arguments about the impact of the Romans in Britain.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'thatched'
thatched roofs were made from a type of plant material, like straw.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Pupils may think that Hadrian's Wall was not very high, as the remaining stretches have been damaged. Correction: Remind pupils that Hadrian's Wall is over a thousand years old, and any sections still standing were much taller in the past.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 4 History guide library.