Year 6 - History
How the Vikings changed Britain
The Vikings: how did Viking settlement change Britain?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn about how Viking settlement and the Anglo-Saxon response to it led to the making of England. They learn about the roles of Aethelflaed, Aethelred, Edward, and Athelstan and also examine how Aethelflaed's story has only recently received more scholarly attention.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe the different ways in which Britain changed because of Viking invasion and settlement.
Key Notes
- Viking invasions caused huge amounts of conflict in Britain for over 200 years.
- Viking trade brought valuable foreign goods to Britain and Viking settlement created new towns with Viking place names.
- In areas of Viking settlement, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings often married, creating new generations with a mixed identity.
- The threat of the Vikings led to the Anglo-Saxons fortifying towns and gradually uniting their kingdoms to survive.
- A good description of the ways in which Britain changed due to the Vikings will use knowledge from across this unit.
Vocabulary To Learn
- settlement: a settlement is a place where people establish a community
- generation: a generation refers to people born and living at the same time
- unite: to unite means to bring together to form a whole
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that Britain only changed for the worse because of the Vikings.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Viking invasions caused huge amounts of conflict in Britain for over 200 years. Viking trade brought valuable foreign goods to Britain and Viking settlement created new towns with Viking place names.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'settlement'
a settlement is a place where people establish a community.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Pupils may think that Britain only changed for the worse because of the Vikings. Correction: Britain changed in multiple positive ways because of Viking invasion and settlement through trade, changing place names, creating a new generation and even creating the England we know today.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 6 History guide library.