GCSEHistoryEdexcelExam QuestionsAnglo-Saxon & Norman England, c1060-1088Anglo-Saxon England under Edward the Confessor

Anglo-Saxon England under Edward the Confessor (Edexcel GCSE History)

Exam Questions

20 mins20 questions
Easy
Medium
Hard
11 mark

When did Edward the Confessor become the King of England?

  • 1016

  • 1042

  • 1050

  • 1066

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21 mark

What was a major challenge Anglo-Saxon England faced?

  • Norman invasions.

  • Viking invasions.

  • Scottish rebellion.

  • Roman invasions.

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31 mark

Which Viking King of England established the Danelaw in Anglo-Saxon England?

  •  Edward the Confessor.

  • Æthelred the Unready.

  • Cnut.

  • Harthacnut.

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41 mark

Which area of England was governed by Danish laws under the Danelaw?

  • Southern England.

  • Eastern England.

  • Western England.

  • Northern England.

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51 mark

What was a 'burh' in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • A fortified town.

  • A Viking settlement.

  • A royal palace.

  • A church.

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61 mark

Who was responsible for selecting the next King of England in Anglo-Saxon times?

  • The current king.

  • The bishops.

  • The earls.

  • The Witan.

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71 mark

What was the fyrd in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • A type of feud between families.

  • The king’s council.

  • The local militia for military service.

  • A tax system based on blood feuds.

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81 mark

Which group made up the majority of the Anglo-Saxon population?

  • Slaves.

  • Peasant farmers.

  • Thegns.

  • Earls.

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91 mark

What was a 'hide' in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • A unit of land used for taxation.

  • The area that used Danish laws and customs.

  • The community's effort to hunt down a criminal.

  • A fortified town.

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101 mark

Who were the thegns in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • Peasant farmers.

  • Local lords who held land.

  • Religious leaders.

  • Slaves.

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11 mark

What was the role of earls in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • They were religious leaders who advised the king.

  • They were peasant farmers who were free to work for another lord.

  • They were local lords who lived in manor houses.

  • They controlled areas of England on behalf of the king.

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21 mark

What was the role of shire reeves in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • To lead the army.

  • To collect taxes.

  • To participate in the Witan.

  • To trade with foreign merchants.

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31 mark

How was the local area divided in Anglo-Saxon England, from biggest to smallest?

  • Shires, hundreds, tithings and hides.

  • Hundreds, tithings, shires and hides

  • Hides, tithings, hundreds and shires.

  • Tithings, shires, hides and hundreds.

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41 mark

What caused a limit to the power of the earls in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • A weak king.

  • Supporting the king.

  • Thegns could demand that the king remove an earl from his position.

  • Ceorls could demand that the king remove an earl from his position.

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51 mark

What was a consequence of Edward the Confessor’s control over money?

  • Forging coins received a harsh punishment.

  • All money was stored in the royal treasury in London. 

  • Shire reeves had a very powerful role in Anglo-Saxon England.

  • Edward's wealth was unrivalled.

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11 mark

What trade was the most significant for the Anglo-Saxon economy?

  • Coal mining.

  • Iron production.

  • Sheep farming, especially for wool.

  • Shipbuilding.

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21 mark

What event showed the limits to King Edward's power in 1050?

  • The exile of Earl Godwin.

  • The Viking invasion of Lindisfarne.

  • The rebellion against Tostig Godwinson.

  • Edwin and Morcar’s revolt.

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31 mark

What was a key change did Edward the Confessor make to the legal system in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • The use of trial by jury.

  • The Wergild.

  • The hue and cry.

  • The tithing.

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41 mark

How important were monasteries in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • Monasteries were very important in Anglo-Saxon England. Monasteries were becoming more religious and influential in politics.

  • Monasteries were important in Anglo-Saxon England. The government defended monasteries from Viking raids, showing how important they were. 

  • Monasteries were important in Anglo-Saxon England. Monks lived a separate, holy life from the rest of the world, setting an example to others.

  • Monasteries were not important in Anglo-Saxon England. The number of monasteries was declining in England at this time.

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51 mark

How important were burhs in Anglo-Saxon England?

  • Burhs were very important in Anglo-Saxon England. Burhs were an important source of income for the king.

  • Burhs were important in Anglo-Saxon England. If a Norman attacked a person or a settlement, people could flee to another burh.

  • Burhs were important in Anglo-Saxon England. Burhs were connected to other burhs by sea.

  • Burhs were not important in Anglo-Saxon England. About 1% of the population lived in burhs by 1066.

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