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Year 7

Local elites in medieval Norwich

I can describe the lives and roles of local elites in medieval Norwich.

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New
New
Year 7

Local elites in medieval Norwich

I can describe the lives and roles of local elites in medieval Norwich.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A 1404 charter granted Norwich a mayor.
  2. The elite had almost exclusive control over government in Norwich.
  3. The Norwich elite was mostly made up of wealthy merchants.
  4. The elite used architecture and donations to show off their status.

Common misconception

Increased powers of self government in Norwich gave all locals more control over decision-making.

Only freemen had real political power in Norwich but very few women and almost no poor people were able to become freemen.

Keywords

  • Charter - a charter is a royal document which granted certain rights

  • Mayor - a mayor is the person elected to govern a city

  • Freeman - a freeman is a person with special rights in a city

  • Elite - an elite is the richest or most powerful group in a society

  • Status - the amount of respect or importance a person has is part of their status

Begin learning cycle 3 by showing students images of any two things with the same purpose (i.e. shoes vs designer shoes). Ask students why someone might opt for the more ostentatious of the options to help them reflect on the importance of status.
Teacher tip

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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match-up the key words with the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:mayor,person elected to govern a city

person elected to govern a city

Correct Answer:merchant,person whose job is to buy and sell goods

person whose job is to buy and sell goods

Correct Answer:weaver,person who makes textiles from materials like wool

person who makes textiles from materials like wool

Q2.
True or false? Merchants in Norwich were wealthy enough to construct large new buildings in the city.
Correct answer: true
false
Q3.
Write the missing word. Kings usually took power in England because they were closely _______ to the previous king.
Correct Answer: related, Related
Q4.
Write the missing word. Worsteds were a popular type of _______ produced in medieval Norwich.
wool
Correct answer: textile
Wool
Textile
Q5.
Which description of medieval Norwich is accurate?
it was a small city in East Anglia
Correct answer: it was the biggest city in East Anglia
it was the biggest city in all of England
Q6.
Which statement is most accurate?
everybody in medieval Norwich worked in the same industry
there were only a few different industries in medieval Norwich
Correct answer: there were many different industries in medieval Norwich

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the key words with the correct definition.
Correct Answer:elite,richest or most powerful group in a society

richest or most powerful group in a society

Correct Answer:mayor,person elected to govern a city

person elected to govern a city

Correct Answer:freeman,person with special rights in a city

person with special rights in a city

Q2.
Write the missing word. The 1404 city charter allowed people in Norwich to elect a _______.
Correct Answer: mayor, Mayor
Q3.
Which group made up most of the elite in medieval Norwich by the 15th century?
Correct answer: merchants
peasants
soldiers
weavers
Q4.
What did Margaret Wetherby demand in return for paying for a new church in 1458?
that her and her husband should become mayor
Correct answer: that her and her husband's name be written on every bookcase
that her and her husband should be prayed for
nothing
Q5.
Which statement is most accurate?
nobody in Norwich could vote for who became mayor of Norwich
only churchmen could vote for who became mayor of Norwich
Correct answer: only freemen could vote for who became mayor of Norwich
everybody in the city could vote for who became mayor of Norwich
Q6.
How did building the Guildhall show off Norwich's status?
it was a new building
it was built after Norwich recieved a new charter from the king
Correct answer: it was the largest city hall in England outside of London
it was located in the centre of the city

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