anglosaxons.pdf
The Anglo-Saxons
JUTES
ANGLES
SAXONS
The Anglo-Saxons is what we collectively call the people from many
tribes who came from northern Germany, and Denmark to settle in
Britain. The Saxons, Angles and the Jutes came as traders or as
soldiers in the Roman Army. When the Romans left Britain in 410 AD,
more and more Anglo-Saxons came to settle in Britain. At first they
shared the country with the Ancient Britons. Later, they began to
conquer the Britons and take their land.
Most Anglo-Saxons lived in small settlements. Each settlement had
it's own lord and a group of settlements was ruled by a local king. At
first there was a great many small kingdoms. But, as time went on,
some kingdoms became more powerful and took over the lands of
neighbouring kings. Eventually there were only seven kingdoms, each
with its own king. Over the centuries the kingdoms fought each
other over land and their borders did not stay the same for long.
Sometimes the kingdoms would recognise one kingdom as being the
strongest which then became the overlord. In the sixth century the
kingdom of Kent was the richest and most powerful, but by the
seventh century Northumbria become the most powerful. In the eight
century Mercia was the strongest kingdom.
During the ninth century the kingdom of Wessex was the most
powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom. In 871AD King Alfred took the throne
of Wessex and then ruled for twenty-eight years. This was a very
difficult period for the Anglo-Saxons as they were under constant
attack by the Danes and the Vikings from Scandinavia.
The people of Anglo-Saxon England were divided up into two main
classes. There were the freemen, who were able to own land and
travel, and the slaves, who belonged to the freemen. The richest of
the freemen were kings and noblemen, who were called earls or
thanes. The less wealthy Anglo-Saxon freemen were called churls.
The Anglo-Saxons did not live in the towns and villas left by the
Romans. Instead they built their own villages consisting of a few
groups of small huts. Some huts were living quarters; others were
workshops or storehouses. In the centre of each group of huts was a
hall in which Anglo-Saxon families ate and talked.
Questions And Tasks
1.
Cut the map of the Anglo Saxon invasion of Britain out and
paste it in your book. Colour it in, making sure you colour code
each arrow.
2.
Where did the Anglo-Saxon tribes come from?
3.
What are the three main groups, or tribes, that sailed to
England after the Romans left in AD 410?
4.
What were the main differences between the way the Romans
ruled Britain and the way it was ruled under the Anglo-Saxons?
5.
Name the most powerful kingdom in the 8th century AD.
6.
Who was king Alfred?
7.
What were the two main class
divisions by the 9th century
under Anglo-Saxon rule?
8.
Explain the differences in the
way the Anglo-Saxons lived as
opposed to the Romans.