Disciplinary Knowledge - Change & Continuity
History: KS3, topic 1.13.21
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Test yourself on Disciplinary Knowledge - Change & Continuity
Which of the following represents continuity between Anglo-Saxon and Norman England?