Anglo-Saxons and Vikings: the struggle for England quiz game: what children learn
This game checks the people, places and events in that story: Viking raids and longships, Alfred the Great’s victory over Guthrum in 878, the Danelaw, Viking York (Jorvik), Athelstan, often called the first king of England, and Edward the Confessor. In the game, children put events from AD 410 to 1066 on a timeline, to build a secure sense of chronology; the Quick quiz asks about the people and places.
Suggested grade 4 practice, selected by skill and reading demand. US states and schools teach these topics in different grades; this is not a state-standards alignment claim. This is world-history enrichment; it is not a US-history sequence.
NCSS C3 Framework teaching connection: Historical chronology and inquiry. Ordering events gives learners a starting point for questions about change and cause. Follow the timeline with two sources and discuss what each reveals. A quiz does not replace source evaluation or a complete historical inquiry. Read the framework.
How to play
Put the events on the timeline from the earliest to the latest, then press Check. Tap an event, then a space on the timeline, or drag it there. Each game has 3 rounds with no timer. When you press Check, the events in the right place stay and show their dates, and you get one more try for the others. You get a point for each event placed right first time. For a quicker go, choose Quick quiz: 10 multiple-choice questions in 150 seconds (choose Relaxed for more time).
Step by step
- Who, from where?. Anglo-Saxons came from what is now Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands after the Romans left. Vikings came later, from Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
- Build the timeline. 793 Lindisfarne; 878 Alfred defeats Guthrum; the Danelaw; the 920s Athelstan; 954 Eric Bloodaxe driven out of York; 1042 Edward the Confessor; 1066 Edward dies.
- Use a map. Shade Wessex and the Danelaw on a map of England. Find Lindisfarne, York and Edington.
- Raiders and settlers. Vikings were not only raiders. Many came to farm and trade, and Viking words such as “sky” and “egg” are still in English.
- Ask about evidence. Much of what we know comes from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, written by monks, and from archaeology at places such as York. Ask whose side the monks were on.
Worked examples
Example 1: Which monastery was raided in 793?
Working: It is on Holy Island, off the coast of Northumbria, and the raid shocked people across Europe.
Answer: Lindisfarne.
Example 2: What was the part of England ruled by the Vikings called?
Working: It was the area where Danish law applied after Alfred made a deal with the Vikings.
Answer: The Danelaw.
Example 3: Which came first: Athelstan becoming king or Alfred defeating Guthrum?
Working: Athelstan was Alfred’s grandson, so Alfred came first. Alfred beat Guthrum in 878.
Answer: Alfred defeating Guthrum.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Thinking Vikings wore horned helmets. There is no evidence for this. The idea comes from costumes made in the 1800s.
- Thinking the Anglo-Saxons were already in Britain when the Romans were. Large-scale Anglo-Saxon settlement came after the Romans left around AD 410.
- Thinking 1066 is the end of the Vikings in this unit. The curriculum unit ends with Edward the Confessor, whose death in 1066 led to the Norman Conquest, which is studied later.
Activities to try at home
- Look for Viking place-name endings near you, such as “-by” (Whitby, Derby) and “-thorpe”.
- Visit York or look at the Jorvik Viking Center website.
- Draw a longship and label the sail, oars and dragon prow.
- Print the game sheet and play it after reading about the Vikings.
Ideas for the classroom
- Mark the Danelaw on a map and find local Anglo-Saxon and Viking place names.
- Read a translated extract from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle about Lindisfarne and discuss its point of view.
- Debate: were the Vikings raiders or settlers?
- Use the quiz before and after the unit.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a color-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Why is Athelstan called the first king of England?
He was the first king to rule all of the English kingdoms together, after pushing English power north into the Viking lands.
How should I choose this game for my learner?
Suggested grade 4 practice, selected by skill and reading demand. US states and schools teach these topics in different grades; this is not a state-standards alignment claim. This is world-history enrichment; it is not a US-history sequence.
How should I choose this game for my learner?
Suggested grade 4 practice, selected by skill and reading demand. US states and schools teach these topics in different grades; this is not a state-standards alignment claim. This is world-history enrichment; it is not a US-history sequence.