The English lost the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
William of Normandy is now king of England.
You are an English (Saxon) farmer.
The land round your village used to belong to an English lord. William has given the land to a Norman knight who does not speak your language and treats your people with cruelty. They force people to work for them and punish them violently. Many have been killed.
The Normans have built a castle to control your village and the surrounding area. Many soldiers live in the castle.
How do you react? Four villagers give you advice....
1. "The Normans are so strong. You can't resist them. If you go against them they will punish you and your family in horrible ways. The best thing to do is keep quiet, do what they say and hope you can survive and live your life."
2. "Get real! The Normans are in charge now so make the most of it. Join them, help them and you can have a better life for yourself and your family."
3. "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees! The only noble thing is to resist the Normans in any way you can. Don't let them beat you down. Join the fight for freedom!"
4. "People are being tortured and killed. Do whatever you can to support and save them. Stand with them and try to get others on your side. If enough people protest the Normans may change. Of course you put yourself in danger but that is a price worth paying if you oppose evil."
So what would you do?
YOUR PRESENTATION:
- Describe how William and the Normans controlled England
- Tell the stories of the rebellions in the north and east
- Explain what you would have done and why
The textbook 'The Norman Conquest' will help you a lot(pages 32-40) but here also are some links:
Rebellion in the east:
Rebellion in the north:
No comments:
Post a Comment