Starter quiz
- Which of the below were Anglo-Saxon kingdoms?
- Wessex ✓
- Northumbria ✓
- London
- York
- Mercia ✓
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- What is the correct definition of a 'heathen'?
- a person who is a leader of a widely held religion.
- a person who does not belong to a widely held religion. ✓
- a person who follows a widely held religion.
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- What was the name of the Viking army that arrived in East Anglia in 865 CE?
- The Great Pagan Army
- The Great Holy Army
- The Great Fierce Army
- The Great Heathen Army ✓
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- True or false? The Vikings established camps over summer to continue raids.
- True
- False ✓
- Order these events, starting with the earliest.
- 1⇔A huge Viking force, called the Great Heathen Army, arrived in Kent.
- 2⇔The Vikings set up winter camps to continue their raids.
- 3⇔The Great Heathen Army travelled north to East Anglia.
- What city in the kingdom of Northumbria did the Vikings invade and capture in 866 CE?
- Dublin
- Jarrow
- Iona
- York ✓
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Exit quiz
- Match the word to the correct description.
- defend⇔to resist an attack made against something ✓
- stall⇔to stop something making progress ✓
- bribe⇔to give someone something to make them do what you want ✓
- Which statements are correct about the kingdom of Wessex in 870 CE?
- It was the first kingdom that the Vikings had successfully invaded.
- It was the only kingdom the Vikings had not successfully invaded. ✓
- It was ruled by the young King Alfred.
- It was ruled by the young King Aethelred. ✓
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- What was the outcome of the Battle of Reading in 871 CE?
- the Anglo-Saxons were victorious
- the Vikings withdrew and surrendered
- King Aethelred was fatally injured
- the Vikings were victorious ✓
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- Complete the sentence. Shortly after King Aethelred died, ______ became king of Wessex.
- 'Alfred' ✓
- How did King Alfred defend Wessex?
- He defeated the Vikings in battle.
- He bribed the Vikings. ✓
- He made friends with the Vikings.
- He started to trade with the Vikings.
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- Which kingdoms did the Vikings conquer after leaving Wessex in peace?
- Mercia ✓
- Somerset
- Northumbria ✓
- Lancaster
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- In 870, Wessex was ruled by the young king Aethelred, aided by his younger brother Alfred.
- They managed to stall the Viking invasion of Wessex by defeating them at the Battle of Ashdown.
- In further battles the Vikings pushed the forces of Wessex back, killing Aethelred in 871.
- The new King Alfred fought against the Vikings, now reinforced by the Danish chief Guthrum who had arrived in 872.
- Alfred made peace with the Vikings, probably bribing them, they went on to conquer Mercia and then Northumbria.
Common misconception
Pupils may not realise that the Viking army was so large it was able to split its forces which led to its success across Britain.
The Viking army was so large, it could split into different sections and fight in different parts of Britain at the same time. The army could also send reinforcements from one section to support another section in need.
Keywords
Wessex - Wessex was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of England
Defend - when you defend something, you resist an attack made against it
Stall - to stall means to stop something making progress
Bribe - a bribe means to give someone money or something else of value, often illegally, to persuade that person to do something you want
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