Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons W1 (1)

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________________

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Worksheet 1A

Copyright © PlanBee Resources Ltd 2014 www.planbee.com

Read through the facts about the Anglo-Saxons and use what you have found out to answer these questions.

Did Anglo-Saxons mainly live in cities, towns or villages?

What were Anglo-Saxon houses made from?

Name four foods that Anglo-Saxons ate:

What did women use to cook food?

What did Anglo-Saxons drink instead of water?

What did Anglo-Saxons drink out of?

Who was the most important person in Anglo-Saxon society?

Name three weapons Anglo-Saxon warriors used in battle:

What was ‘weregild’? Who were the only Anglo-Saxons who could read and write?

When did the Anglo-Saxons start converting to Christianity?

Name three things Anglo-Saxon children liked to do in their spare time:

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________________

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Worksheet 1B



Name three features of Anglo-Saxon houses:

How were Anglo-Saxon clothes made?

Name three foods Anglo-Saxons would have eaten for their everyday meals:

Name three foods Anglo-Saxons would have eaten less frequently:

How did women preserve meat for the winter months?

What did Anglo-Saxons drink and why?

What was a thane? Which people in Anglo-Saxon society were most and least important?

When and why did Anglo-Saxons start converting to Christianity?

What did Anglo-Saxons use to cure diseases and wounds?

Name three forms of Anglo-Saxon entertainment:

Name four weapons Anglo-Saxon warriors used in battle:

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________________

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Worksheet 1C



In what ways are Anglo-Saxon homes different to modern homes?

Describe a typical day’s diet for an ordinary Anglo-Saxon:

What was a thane and what was his relationship to the king and to the people?

What did Anglo-Saxons do for entertainment?

What forms of punishment did Anglo-Saxons have for criminals?

What were the religious beliefs of the Anglo-Saxons?

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________________

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Worksheet 1D


What do you think life was like for the Anglo-Saxons before the Vikings came to Britain? Make your predictions then see how many you guessed correctly!

1. What kind of houses do you think Anglo-Saxons lived in?

2. Which of these foods do you think Anglo-Saxons would have eaten? Tick all that apply.

3. Which of these drinks do you think Anglo-Saxons would have drunk? Tick all that apply.

4. How could an Anglo-Saxon earn a living for his family? Tick all that apply.

5. Which of these statements best describes how Anglo-Saxon society was organised?

6. How did Anglo-Saxons cure diseases and heal wounds?

7. How did Anglo-Saxons deal with criminals? Tick all that apply.

8. What did the Anglo-Saxons believe?

Brick houses with an upstairs and downstairs, glass windows and chimneys.

Round wooden houses with thatched roofs, a central chimney but no windows.

Rectangular wooden houses with thatched roofs, no chimney and a cellar.

Round tents made with wooden poles and animal hides that could be taken down quickly.

beef

oysters

garlic

pork

wheat

chillies

chicken

rye

tomatoes

turkey

barley

salad

goose

sweetcorn

sugar

rabbit

potatoes

honey

hare

carrots

chocolate

fish

onions

cheese

farmer teacher IT technician blacksmith carpenter

leather worker jewellery maker jester musician doctor

A king ruled the kingdom with the help of his nobles. Warriors called thanes were given land in exchange for help in battle. Farmers worked on the thane’s land.

The king ruled the kingdom and appointed priests to oversee the lands. Farmers were slaves who had no rights of their own.

Members of parliament advised the king what to do. All people, including women, could vote for how the kingdom should be run. The bravest warriors were given castles.

water squash lemonade beer milk

coffee tea mead hot chocolate wine

They healed wounds with clean bandages. There were no diseases in England at this time.

They went to a local doctor who would give them medicines. Nurses were in charge of healing wounds.

Women concocted ointments, salves and tonics from plants and herbs. They used lucky charms too.

Men were in charge of healing wounds. They used stitches, bandages and antiseptics. Drugs like pain killers had just been invented.

They hanged people by the neck until they were dead.

They cut liars’ tongues out.

They made people pay money to those they had wronged.

They tested people with dangerous feats. If they survived, they were declared innocent. They never punished women or children because they were always seen as innocent.

They put them in jail.

They worshipped lots of different gods and goddesses.

They were all Christians, just like the Roman Britons had been.

They came to England with their own belief system but were converted to Christianity.

They worshipped nature, including the sun, moon, wind and rain.

Now read the Fact Sheet to see how many of your predictions were correct!

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Fact Cards


When the Anglo-Saxons first came to Britain, they brought their beliefs in gods and

goddesses with them. However, in AD 597, Pope Gregory, the leader of the Christian church, sent a missionary to England. After

that, more and more people became Christians and the Anglo-Saxons started

building churches. The picture shows one of England’s earliest churches, Escomb Church,

which was built around AD 675.

Most Anglo-Saxons could not write, although Christian monks and nuns continued to read

and write in Latin, as they had done when the Romans were in Britain. They copied holy texts

to create illuminated manuscripts.

Most people lived in houses made of wood, often built over a shallow cellar. They were

rectangular in shape and were mainly just one or two rooms. They heated their homes with open fires in hearths, usually in the middle of the floor. There were no chimneys so smoke

escaped gradually through the thatch.

After the Romans left, there were few large towns or cities. Most people lived in small

villages or independent settlements. In villages, there was usually a hall where people could

meet for feasts and celebrations.

Anglo-Saxons ate what they could grow, harvest, rear and catch. Cows, pigs, chicken,

geese, oxen were raised and many other other wild animals were eaten. There were hares but

no rabbits at this time. They caught fish and other seafood too. They had many of the same

fruits and vegetables we have, but salad, potatoes and tomatoes had not reached

Britain yet.

Meals for ordinary Anglo-Saxons were very simple. They were usually porridge or

vegetable stew served with a bread made from rye and wheat. If they had livestock, they sometimes had eggs, cheese and milk to add to their diet. They ate meat when wild animals could be caught but it was usually saved for feasts instead of everyday meals. Most meals were cooked in a large pot, like a cauldron,

over a fire.



Most people earned their living on the land but there were craftsmen who worked with leather,

wood, pottery, glass and other materials to make shoes, furniture, pots, pans, belts,

jewellery and other objects. These were usually men.

Women worked in the home, preparing and preserving food. Without fridges or freezers to

keep food fresh, it was much harder to preserve food. Meat could be dried, packed in

salt and smoked to preserve it for the winter. Sometimes it was pickled in whey. These foods

did not always taste nice so they were flavoured with mustard, garlic or horseradish.

It was Anglo-Saxon women and their daughters who made the clothes. They wove wool from

sheep into thread to make tunics, trousers (called braies), cloaks, hats and headscarves. Tunics were tied at the waist with a belt and cloaks were usually fastened with a brooch. Shoes were made by a leather-worker who

was usually male.

Anglo-Saxons drank beer and a fermented drink made from honey called mead. They

didn’t drink water as the river water was usually very polluted. Weak ale was drunk by

everyone, including children. Stronger beer was saved for feasts and special occasions.

Drinks were served in goblets or drinking horns.

From an early age, children were expected to help their parents. Boys would learn how to

hunt, how to farm and how to defend themselves. Girls were taught how to prepare food, weave, sew and take care of the home.

They did not go to school.

Storytelling was important for Anglo-Saxons. Most could not read or write so stories were

told orally. They were passed down from generation to generation. Riddles were also a

popular way to pass an evening.

An Anglo-Saxon Riddle When I am alive I do not speak.

Anyone who wants to takes me captive and cuts off my head.

They bite my bare body. I do no harm to anyone unless they cut

me first. Then I soon make them cry.

© York Archaeological Trust



There were strict ranks in Anglo-Saxon Britain. Kings were the most important people,

followed by nobles who helped the king run the kingdom. Thanes were given control over

land by the king in exchange for fighting in battles. Farmers and craftsmen would live and work on the land given to the thane. People

were fiercely loyal to their thane and their king.

The king could call on his thanes and therefore the men living on the thane’s land to go to

battle when necessary. The king’s army, called his ‘fyrd’, fought on foot with shields, bows and

arrows, battle axes, swords, spears, helmets and a long knife called a sax. Warriors would

fight to the death for their thane and their king.

Laws were harsh in Anglo-Saxon times. Liars had their tongues cut out and thieves had their hands chopped off. Sometimes, a criminal was given a trial by ordeal, such as holding a red-hot iron. If the wound was healed, they were declared innocent. ‘Weregild’ was paid as a compensation if you injured someone or did

wrong to someone. The amount of ‘weregild’ paid depended on how important the victim

was.

Children played outdoor games with bats and balls. They also went swimming in rivers and

lakes, ran races and played board games. At feasts, jugglers and acrobats would entertain

the crowds and there would be music and dancing.

Anglo-Saxons did not understand what caused diseases but they tried their best to cure them. Women used plants and herbs as salves and ointments, and made special drinks. Moss, for example, was used to help wounds heal. They also wore lucky charms that were supposed to

protect them from harm.

The later Anglo-Saxon kings set up mints to make coins which were often stamped with

their portraits. Money was used to buy goods at local markets and to trade with merchants in

other countries, such as Germany and France.

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Fact Sheet


What was Britain like during the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy? Fact 1

Most people lived in houses made of wood, often built over a shallow cellar. They were rectangular in shape and were mainly just one or two rooms. They heated their homes with open fires in hearths, usually

in the middle of the floor. There were no chimneys so smoke escaped gradually through the thatched roofs.

Fact 2Anglo-Saxons ate what they could grow, harvest, rear and catch. Cows, pigs, chickens and geese were raised and many other other wild animals were caught to be eaten. There were hares but no rabbits at

this time. Domestic animals gave eggs, milk and cheese. They caught fish and other seafood too, including oysters. There was no sugar but they sweetened their food with honey. They grew wheat and rye

which they made into bread, and barley to make beer. They grew fruits and vegetables, including carrots, turnips, onions and garlic, as well as many herbs. Sweetcorn, turkey, potatoes, chillies, sugar and

chocolate wouldn’t come to England for hundreds of years.

Fact 3Anglo-Saxons drank beer and a fermented drink made from honey called mead. They didn’t drink water as the river water was usually very polluted. Weak beer was drunk by everyone, including children. Milk

was available if the family kept cows. Stronger beer was saved for feasts and special occasions. Wine was only available for the very rich.

Fact 5There were strict ranks in Anglo-Saxon Britain. Kings were the most important people, followed by nobles

who helped him run the kingdom. Thanes were given control over land by the king in exchange for fighting in battles. Farmers and craftsmen would live and work on the land given to the thane. People were fiercely loyal to their thane and their king. Women and slaves had no rights and could not own

Fact 6Anglo-Saxons did not understand what caused diseases but they tried their best to cure them. Women

used plants and herbs as salves and ointments, and made special drinks. Moss, for example, was used to help wounds heal. They also wore lucky charms that were supposed to protect them from harm.

Fact 7Laws were harsh in Anglo-Saxon times. Liars had their tongues cut out and thieves had their hands

chopped off. Sometimes, a criminal was given a trial by ordeal, such as holding a red-hot iron. If the wound was healed, they were declared innocent. ‘Weregild’ was paid as a compensation if you injured

someone or did wrong to someone. The amount of ‘weregild’ paid depended on how important the victim was. Jails had not yet been invented as a form of punishment and neither had guillotines, but

hanging was introduced to Britain during the Anglo-Saxon era and became one of the most widely used punishments.

Fact 4Most people earned their living on the land as farmers but there were craftsmen who worked with leather,

wood, pottery, glass and other materials to make shoes, furniture, pots, pans, belts, jewellery and other objects. These were usually men. There were no large cities, no schools and no formal law system. There were no doctors yet either. Some people earned their living travelling from place to place as jugglers,

jesters or musicians.

Fact 8When the Anglo-Saxons first came to Britain, they brought their beliefs in gods, goddesses and religion with them. However, in AD 597, Pope Gregory, the leader of the Christian church, sent a missionary to England.

After that, more and more people became Christians and the Anglo-Saxons started building churches. However, many people held on to their traditional beliefs and mixed them with Christianity.

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________________

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Worksheet 1A ANSWERS



Did Anglo-Saxons mainly live in cities, towns or villages?

What were Anglo-Saxon houses made from?

Name four foods that Anglo-Saxons ate:

What did women use to cook food?

What did Anglo-Saxons drink instead of water?

What did Anglo-Saxons drink out of?

Who was the most important person in Anglo-Saxon society?

Name three weapons Anglo-Saxon warriors used in battle:

What was ‘weregild’? Who were the only Anglo-Saxons who could read and write?

When did the Anglo-Saxons start converting to Christianity?

Name three things Anglo-Saxon children liked to do in their spare time:

Villages Wood

e.g. beef, pork, chicken, goose, ox, hare, fish, seafood, fruits and

vegetables, porridge, bread, eggs, cheese, milk.

Large pots like cauldrons over an open fire

Beer, ale and mead Goblets or drinking horns

The king e.g. shields, bows and arrows, battle axes, swords, spears, helmets, saxes

Money paid as compensation for crimes Monks and nuns

After 597 when Pope Gregory sent a missionary to England

e.g. playing outdoor games, swimming, races, board games

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________________

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Worksheet 1B ANSWERS



Name three features of Anglo-Saxon houses:

How were Anglo-Saxon clothes made?

Name three foods Anglo-Saxons would have eaten for their everyday meals:

Name three foods Anglo-Saxons would have eaten less frequently:

How did women preserve meat for the winter months?

What did Anglo-Saxons drink and why?

What was a thane? Which people in Anglo-Saxon society were most and least important?

When and why did Anglo-Saxons start converting to Christianity?

What did Anglo-Saxons use to cure diseases and wounds?

Name three forms of Anglo-Saxon entertainment:

Name four weapons Anglo-Saxon warriors used in battle:

e.g. made from wood, built over a shallow cellar, rectangular, one or two

rooms, no chimney, heated with an open fire

e.g. fruits and vegetables, porridge, bread, eggs, cheese, milk

e.g. beef, pork, chicken, goose, ox, hare, fish, seafood

It was dried, packed in salt and smoked. Sometimes it was pickled in

whey.

Beer, ale and mead because water was very polluted

A man who was given control over land by the king in exchange for

fighting in battles.

The king was the most important and farmers and craftsmen were least

important.

After 597 when Pope Gregory sent a missionary to England

They used plants and herbs as salves and ointments. They also made drinks

and wore lucky charms.

e.g. storytelling, watching jugglers, music, acrobats, board games

e.g. shields, bows and arrows, battle axes, swords, spears, helmets, saxes

Woven by women from wool

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________________

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Worksheet 1C ANSWERS



In what ways are Anglo-Saxon homes different to modern homes?

Describe a typical day’s diet for an ordinary Anglo-Saxon:

What was a thane and what was his relationship to the king and to the people?

What did Anglo-Saxons do for entertainment?

What forms of punishment did Anglo-Saxons have for criminals?

What were the religious beliefs of the Anglo-Saxons?

e.g. made from wood, not bricks; only one or two rooms, not separate rooms for cooking, sleeping, etc.; no chimneys; heated with fire as opposed to radiators,

roofs were thatched not tiled.

Simple meals of porridge or vegetable stews. Occasionally would have milk, cheese, eggs, etc. if had livestock. Would drink beer, ale and mead instead of

water.

A thane was a man appointed by the king to control an area of land in exchange for fighting in battles. Farmers and craftsmen worked on the land

given to the thane. People were very loyal to their thane.

e.g. storytelling, watching jugglers, music, acrobats, board games, etc.

Liars had their tongues cut out, thieves had hands chopped off, trial by ordeal and paying weregild to the victim.

Initially believed in many gods and goddesses. After 597 when Pope Gregory send a missionary to England, more and more Anglo-Saxons converted to

Christianity.

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________________

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons Worksheet 1D ANSWERS


What do you think life was like for the Anglo-Saxons before the Vikings came to Britain? Make your predictions then see how many you guessed correctly!

1. What kind of houses do you think Anglo-Saxons lived in?

2. Which of these foods do you think Anglo-Saxons would have eaten? Tick all that apply.

3. Which of these drinks do you think Anglo-Saxons would have drunk? Tick all that apply.

4. How could an Anglo-Saxon earn a living for his family? Tick all that apply.

5. Which of these statements best describes how Anglo-Saxon society was organised?

6. How did Anglo-Saxons cure diseases and heal wounds?

7. How did Anglo-Saxons deal with criminals? Tick all that apply.

8. What did the Anglo-Saxons believe?

Brick houses with an upstairs and downstairs, glass windows and chimneys.

Round wooden houses with thatched roofs, a central chimney but no windows.

Rectangular wooden houses with thatched roofs, no chimney and a cellar.

Round tents made with wooden poles and animal hides that could be taken down quickly.

beef

oysters

garlic

pork

wheat

chillies

chicken

rye

tomatoes

turkey

barley

salad

goose

sweetcorn

sugar

rabbit

potatoes

honey

hare

carrots

chocolate

fish

onions

cheese

farmer teacher IT technician blacksmith carpenter

leather worker jewellery maker jester musician doctor

A king ruled the kingdom with the help of his nobles. Warriors called thanes were given land in exchange for help in battle. Farmers worked on the thane’s land.

The king ruled the kingdom and appointed priests to oversee the lands. Farmers were slaves who had no rights of their own.

Members of parliament advised the king what to do. All people, including women, could vote for how the kingdom should be run. The bravest warriors were given castles.

water squash lemonade beer milk

coffee tea mead hot chocolate wine

They healed wounds with clean bandages. There were no diseases in England at this time.

They went to a local doctor who would give them medicines. Nurses were in charge of healing wounds.

Women concocted ointments, salves and tonics from plants and herbs. They used lucky charms too.

Men were in charge of healing wounds. They used stitches, bandages and antiseptics. Drugs like pain killers had just been invented.

They hanged people by the neck until they were dead.

They cut liars’ tongues out.

They made people pay money to those they had wronged.

They tested people with dangerous feats. If they survived, they were declared innocent. They never punished women or children because they were always seen as innocent.

They put them in jail.

They worshipped lots of different gods and goddesses.

They were all Christians, just like the Roman Britons had been.

They came to England with their own belief system but were converted to Christianity.

They worshipped nature, including the sun, moon, wind and rain.

Now read the Fact Sheet to see how many of your predictions were correct!

Documents

Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons W1 (1)