Starter quiz
- Which one of these is not a way in which the Gesta Guillelmi seeks to justify or strengthen William’s claim to the throne?
- It states that Edward promised William the throne.
- It states that Harold promised to support William’s claim.
- It states that Harold was a treacherous liar who broke his promises.
- It states that William often had to fight wars against other Norman lords. ✓
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- Which one of the following best explains why historians think carefully about the claims reported in the Gesta Guillelmi?
- It was written by someone who knew William of Normandy very well.
- William of Poitiers was a priest, not a trained historian.
- It was written to set out reasons why William’s claim was the strongest. ✓
- It was written soon after the events of the succession crisis.
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- Some of the events shown in the Bayeux Tapestry are corroborated by other sources, such as the Gesta Guillemi. Which one of the following is the best definition of ‘corroborated’?
- supported ✓
- proved to be wrong
- corrected
- explained
- contradicted
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The Normans replaced Anglo-Saxon churches and cathedrals with buildings in a style known as __________.- Romanesque ✓
- Arabesque
- Gothic
- Classical
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Which of these facts about Totnes castle are true?- Totnes town already had strong fortifications before the Norman Conquest. ✓
- Totnes castle was built following rebellions in the south west in 1068. ✓
- The motte of Totnes castle is 17.5 metres high. ✓
- The first castle at Totnes had stone walls rather than a wooden fence.
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- Which of the following can historians work out from studying the Domesday Book?
- How Anglo-Saxons felt about being ruled by Normans.
- How much land William held personally as king. ✓
- How much land was taken from Anglo-Saxons and granted to Normans. ✓
- How the Norman Conquest changed how much land was worth. ✓
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Exit quiz
- Pick the phrase that correctly completes this sentence: Historians draw on __________ to understand the impact of the Norman Conquest on England.
- a piece of paper
- a range of sources ✓
- only completely reliable source
- written sources, rather than visual or material sources,
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- When writing about how historians have used sources, which of these would be things to discuss and consider?
- How attractive or artistic the historians find the sources to be.
- How popular the sources are in terms of search engine rankings.
- The questions the historians have asked of the sources. ✓
- The things about the sources that the historians have paid careful attention to. ✓
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- Match these terms about sources to the correct definitions.
- precise⇔accurate and exact in its details ✓
- range⇔a varied selection, a number of different things ✓
- claim⇔a statement or assertion that requires evidence to back it u ✓
- visual⇔using images, visuals ✓
- partial⇔not complete ✓
- assertion⇔a confident statement or declaration ✓
Which of these sentences draw on a precise detail from this source?- The Bayeux Tapestry was commissioned by Odo, William of Normandy's half-brother.
- The Bayeux Tapestry was probably sewn by English women in Canterbury.
- This scene shows a king being crowned.
- This scene uses the term 'rex' to describe Harold - King Harold. ✓
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- The Bayeux Tapestry calls Harold 'King Harold' but the Gesta Guillelmi does not. Which of these would be good historical questions to ask about that?
- Were Anglo-Saxons who supported Harold involved in making the Bayeux Tapestry? ✓
- Was there ever really a man called Harold Godwinson?
- How reliable is William of Poiters as a historical chronicler? ✓
- Is the Bayeux Tapestry actually a modern fake?
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- Put these event from the Norman Conquest in chronological order.
- 1⇔Edward the Confessor dies.
- 2⇔Harold Godwinson is crowned king.
- 3⇔King Harold wins the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
- 4⇔William of Normandy wins the Battle of Hastings.
- 5⇔The Harrying of the North.
- 6⇔The Domesday Book is completed.
- 7⇔William the Conqueror dies.
Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Historians draw on a range of sources to study the impact of the Norman Conquest.
- These sources offer different evidence depending on the questions historians ask.
- The sources sometimes corroborate one another.
- The sources sometimes contradict one another.
Common misconception
Pupils may consider sources to be inherently useful or not useful and make statements about bias.
Remind pupils that all sources are useful for investigating something, and that the questions we ask of them are important in this process.
Keywords
Source - something that remains from the past of which historians ask questions
Evidence - information gathered by historians when asking questions of sources, that they then use to support their arguments
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