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Disciplinary Knowledge - Change & Continuity

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Change & Continuity

History shows that some things change quickly, while other things stay the same over time. It is important to compare time periods to understand how and why change happens.

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Change

  • Change in history can happen in different ways.
  • Some changes are slow and take place over hundreds of years.
    • Technology improved slowly in early medieval England, as farming tools became better over time.
  • Other changes can happen very quickly, like when the Normans invaded England in 1066.
    • This led to a new king, William the Conqueror, and new laws.
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Different time periods

  • Historians compare different time periods to understand change.
  • Anglo-Saxon England was very different from Norman England.
    • The Anglo-Saxons ruled England before the Normans arrived.
    • The Anglo-Saxons had their own way of doing things, like their own language, laws, and buildings.
  • After the Normans took over, many things changed quickly.
    • The Normans built castles and introduced new ways of governing the country.
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Continuity

  • Even though things change, some things stay the same.
    • This is called continuity.
  • In both Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, most people were still farmers.
    • The daily lives of ordinary people did not change much, even though the rulers of the country did.
  • Religion was another example of continuity.
    • The Church remained important in both Anglo-Saxon and Norman times, though the Normans made some changes to church leadership.
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Different experiences

  • Different groups in society can experience change differently.
  • When the Normans came to power, the Anglo-Saxon nobles lost their lands and power.
    • For many peasants, life continued much as it had before.
  • The Norman conquest was a big change for the people in power, but for many ordinary people, there was continuity in their everyday lives.
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Concurrent change and continuity

  • Change and continuity often happen at the same time.
  • In England, the Norman conquest brought many changes, but some things, like farming and religion, stayed the same.
  • By comparing time periods like Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, historians can better understand how change and continuity work together to shape history.

Jump to other topics

1Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5Medieval Religion

1.6The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12European Renaissance

1.13Norman Conquest & Control

1.14Historical Skills

2The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1Anglo-Saxon England

2.2The Contest for the English Throne

2.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4King John

2.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6The Black Death

3Worldviews

4The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8Religion in the Middle Ages

9Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

18World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

19The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

20Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

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