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Anglo-Saxons Facts & Worksheets

Anglo-Saxons are people who reigned in Britain for approximately six centuries, from 410 AD to 1066 AD.

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Anglo-Saxons are people who reigned in Britain for approximately six centuries, from 410 AD to 1066 AD. The period of their invasion is also recognized as the Dark Ages, owing to the scarcity of references for the initial periods of the Saxon uprising.

See the fact file below for more information on the Anglo-Saxons or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Anglo-Saxons worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

  • The Anglo-Saxons were no strangers to Britain, having served in the Roman army on the island.
  • They began slowly colonizing Britain even before the Roman legions left. Despite this, historical evidence suggests that they were invited with the intention of defending the country from invasion.
  • Following the departure of the Roman legions, Germanic-speaking Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians spontaneously showed up in Britain.
  • They started out as small groups of invaders, but their numbers quickly grew.
  • Despite their defenselessness, the people of Britain responded immediately with firm resistance.
  • However, the invaders were firmly rejected by the Romano-British around 500 AD.
  • Even so, in the mid-sixth century, a British Christian leader named Ambrosius, now known as “Arthur,” mobilized the Romano-British against the invaders.
  • The writings of the monk Gildas were held up as solid evidence for this, along with Ambrosius’ victory in twelve battles during the rally.
  • After successfully invading Britain, the Anglo-Saxons were divided into groups that settled in various parts of the country.
  • They formed several kingdoms, which frequently changed and were constantly at odds with one another. These kingdoms occasionally recognized one of their rulers, the Bretwalda, as a “High King.”

THE ANGLO-SAXON KINGDOMS

  • By the year 650 AD, the groups of Anglo-Saxons agreed to the distinction under seven kingdoms.
  • Kent was formed as a result of the Jutes’ settlement. St. Augustine converted the very first Anglo-Saxon king, Ethelbert of Kent, to Christianity around 595 AD.
  • Mercia was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom that spanned the Midlands between Wales and England. This large kingdom was famous for the Offa’s Dyke, which was built by its most famous ruler, Offa.
  • Northumbria is the kingdom where the Ecclesiastical History of Britain was written by its dweller, the monk Bede.
  • The famous Sutton Hoo ship burial was found in East Anglia. The Angles ruled the kingdom.
  • Essex or East Saxons is where the famous Battle of Maldon was fought against the Vikings in 991.
  • The South Saxons established the kingdom of Sussex.
  • Wessex or the West Saxons was later referred to as King Alfred’s kingdom. King Alfred was the only English king to be referred to as “The Great.” His outstanding grandson, Athelstan, was the first to claim the title “King of the English.”

KING ALFRED THE GREAT

  • King Alfred, a king of the kingdom of Wessex, earned the title of being “the Great” due to various reasons.
  • In 878, he led his troops to victory over the Vikings at the Battle of Edington. As a result of this, he was able to retake London from the Vikings.
  • He was successful in establishing boundaries between the Saxons and the Vikings. The Viking-dominated region was known as the Danelaw.
  • His kingdom’s defenses were strengthened by the construction of a series of fortresses (burhs) and a strong army.
  • He also pioneered the English navy as he constructed ships against the sea attacks from the Vikings.
  • King Alfred recognized the importance of education. For this reason, he even translated some books into English.
  • He commissioned the writing of a historical record of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
  • When the Vikings stormed Lindisfarne Monastery in 793, the Anglo-Saxons’ history became intertwined with the Vikings’. They were similar in many ways, including language, religious belief, and Northern European ancestry, but they were not the same. The fact that they infiltrated Britain at varying periods distinguishes them as two distinct groups of people in our history.

ANGLO-SAXONS IN POETRY

  • Some English poems offered fascinating insights into the Anglo-Saxons.
  • Beowulf is the story of a great hero who fought and killed the monster Grendel and his mother, rose to become a great king, and died in a battle with an outraged dragon.
  • The Ruin is an untraceable poem about the decay and ruin of a Roman town.
  • The Battle of Maldon is a poem about the Saxons’ valiant defense against a looting Viking force in Essex.

Anglo-Saxons Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Anglo-Saxons across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Anglo-Saxons worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Anglo-Saxons who are people who reigned in Britain for approximately six centuries, from 410 AD to 1066 AD. The period of their invasion is also recognized as the Dark Ages, owing to the scarcity of references for the initial periods of the Saxon uprising.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • United Kingdom Anglo-Saxons Facts
  • Ang-Look Saxon
  • Anglo-gy Test
  • The Great Inspiration
  • King-dom Map
  • Venn Diagram
  • Historical Treasure
  • Draw the Helmet
  • Fill in the Beo-lanks
  • The Poet in You
  • Brought-tain

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Link will appear as Anglo-Saxons Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 4, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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