New
New
Year 5

The conversion of the British Isles

I can describe how Christianity returned to the British Isles.

New
New
Year 5

The conversion of the British Isles

I can describe how Christianity returned to the British Isles.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. With the departure of the Romans and the invasion of the pagan Anglo-Saxons, Christianity had declined in Britain.
  2. The Pope sent Augustine to convert the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms to Christianity in 597CE, starting with Aethelbert of Kent.
  3. While the Anglo-Saxons settled in Britain, the Scots, a group from Ireland, began to settle in western Scotland.
  4. Irish missionaries had been converting Scotland and the north of England since the 6th century.
  5. Two forms of Christianity existed in Britain; the Synod of Whitby ruled Roman Catholic practices would be followed.

Common misconception

Pupils might think that pagan beliefs were polytheistic and all non-pagan beliefs are monotheistic.

Though many pagan religions were polytheistic, there are non-pagan religions that are polytheistic such as Hinduism.

Keywords

  • Pagan - pagan religious beliefs and practices are those that are different from the main or recognised religions

  • Convert - to convert someone to a new religion means to change their religious beliefs to that of your own

  • Missionary - a missionary is a person sent on a religious mission, especially to promote Christianity in foreign countries

  • Practices - practices are ways of doing something such as religious rituals like prayer

Augustine, Columbanus and Hilda are all mentioned in this lesson. They are now all saints and you may wish to add this in to your lesson.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a kingdom?
a place ruled by an Emperor
Correct answer: a place ruled by a king or queen
the ruler of a region
Q2.
When did the Anglo-Saxons begin to arrive in Britain?
the early 300s CE
Correct answer: the early 400s CE
the early 500s CE
the early 600s CE
Q3.
Complete the sentence: When Anglo-Saxon tribes settled in Britain, they established settlements close to water and with good...
Correct answer: farmland.
animals.
forests.
treasure.
buildings.
Q4.
Match the Anglo-Saxon tribe to the area they chose to settle in.
Correct Answer:the Jutes,Kent and small parts of the South

Kent and small parts of the South

Correct Answer:the Angles,the East Coast

the East Coast

Correct Answer:the Saxons,the South and Midlands

the South and Midlands

Q5.
The seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were Northumbria, Mercia, Essex, Kent, Sussex, Wessex and ...
Correct Answer: East Anglia
Q6.
Select all the words that could finish this sentence: The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms all had different ...
Correct answer: rulers.
Correct answer: laws.
Correct answer: traditions.

6 Questions

Q1.
Who was sent by the Pope to convert the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms to Christianity in 597 CE?
Correct Answer: Augustine, Saint Augustine, St Augustine, St. Augustine, augustin
Q2.
Match the word to its definition.
Correct Answer:pagan,religious beliefs that are different from main religions

religious beliefs that are different from main religions

Correct Answer:missionary,a person sent on a religious mission to another place

a person sent on a religious mission to another place

Correct Answer:convert,to change someone's religious beliefs

to change someone's religious beliefs

Q3.
Where did the Scots tribe come from before settling in Britain?
Correct answer: Ireland
Wales
Scandanavia
Q4.
The pagan Anglo-Saxons believed in many gods and goddesses before converting to Christianity. Which of the following were Anglo-Saxon gods and goddesses?
Saturn
Correct answer: Thor
Correct answer: Woden
Correct answer: Frig
Correct answer: Tiw
Q5.
What Christian religious festival did Celtic Christians and Roman Christians disagree on the dates of?
Christmas
Advent
Correct answer: Easter
Epiphany
Q6.
It was decided at the Synod of Whitby that people in Britain would follow…
Correct answer: Roman Christianity
a mix of Celtic and Roman Christianity
Celtic Christianity

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