1. Name two sources of information on medieval Ireland. 2. What kinds of site did the Vikings choose for their settlements? Give two examples. 3. How did the Vikings become wealthy? What evidence do we have for this? 4. Why did the Normans conquer Ireland relatively easily? 5. Which parts of the island were left under Gaelic control after the conquest? 6. What was the role of Dublin Castle in the Middle Ages? Why did it need high walls? 7. What areas were built outside the walls of medieval Dublin and who lived there? 8. Name two streets in medieval Dublin and what went on there. 9. What impact did the Normans have on Ireland? Give two examples.
10. Find out the correct year the following events took place and then place them in order on a timeline in your copy, starting with the earliest.
• Dermot MacMurrough is expelled from his kingdom in Leinster
• The founding of a university at St Patrick’s Cathedral
• The arrival of the Black Death in Dublin • Dublin is founded by the Vikings
• The Battle of Hastings • The Battle of Clontarf • The Normans invade Ireland • The fi rst Viking raid on Ireland • A great fi re destroys Dublin • A Scottish army lays siege to Dublin
Exploring History
1. Imagine you lived in medieval Dublin after the Norman Conquest. Write an account of what life is like in the city. In your account, write about the following:
• The main buildings in the city • The jobs people do in the city • Life on the streets • The areas around the city
2. Write an account of how Dublin changed and developed from the Viking settlement to the Middle Ages. 3. Write an account describing how the Normans came to Ireland and the impact they had on the island.
KEY TERMS Normans The Pale Anglo-Irish
descendants of the Vikings who settled in Normandy in France and conquered England and Ireland
the area around Dublin directly under the control of the English king
descendants of the Norman conquerors who adopted many Irish customs and intermarried with the leading Gaelic families
Go to page 40 of your Sources and Skills Book for more exercises.
Go to page 12 of your Research Portfolio for a task based on this chapter.
