CBA
British Literature Name: ________________________________
Mr. Huvane
Beowulf Webquest
Most questions can be answered by the provided links, but there will be questions that require self-directed research. Although you can help each other during the activity, each student is responsible for the submission of a Webquest. This quest is not in chronological order, but you should information that will help you appreciate the poem more.
Please visit this site: http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/beowulf/ and answer the following questions based on the information you read on the website.
1. What language was Beowulf composed in?
2. When was it composed and what type of poem is it?
3. What are the three battles? And how is the poem divided?
4. Where do the events in the story take place geographically?
5. Briefly explain the story behind the manuscript of the poem.
6. What is a scop?
1

7. The above map offers a review of the geography of Beowulf. Find a world map
(online) to identify Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Poland as they exist today and label on the above map. A hard copy will be provided and needs to be submitted in class on Tuesday, September 17 th .
2

Please Note : This webquest is not
in chronological order: The Vikings became and important group in Britain AFTER they attacked the settled Anglo/Saxons.
VIKINGS! VIKINGS! VIKINGS!

Find the answers to questions 8-10 at http://www.42explore2.com/viking.htm
8.
Where were the three Viking homelands?
_____________________ ___________________________ ______________________
For #9 and #10 place correct letter on line next to number.
9.
________When would you have been most likely to meet a Viking (not in
Hollywood or Halloween!)? Circle answer. a.
Yesterday b.
Two hundred years c.
A thousand years ago d.
A hundred years ago
10.
________Which of these places was NOT visited by Vikings? Circle answer a.
South America b.
North America c.
England d.
Iceland
11.
Go to http://gorm.com/factory/assembly.htm
12.
Find a Viking Proverb for “School”?
________________________________________________________________________

Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/vikings/timeline.shtml
13.
When did the Vikings first raid England? ________________________________
14.
What year did Normans (from France) conquer England? ___________________
15.
What part of Great Britain (England, Scotland, Ireland) was ruled for the longest time by Vikings? ___________________________________
3


Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/launch_gms_viking_quest.shtml

Launch the Game
16.
What is the year? ____________________ From your history research, why was this year important? _______________________________________________________
17.
Which city did you choose for building your ship and why? _________________
________________________________________________________________________
18.
Name three parts of building a “long ship”: ______________________________
_______________________________ ____________________________________
19.
Who did you add to your crew and why? ________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
20.
What kinds of “loot” did you get from the monastery? ______________________
________________________________________________________________________
21.
Was burning down the monastery the right or wrong choice? Why? ___________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
22.
If you could play again, what decision would you change and why?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
23.
Based on this “game” and other information, what attitude did Norse raiders
(Vikings) have about life and death?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4

Anglos-Saxons: They inhabited England BEFORE the Vikings; see the timeline , click on “Saxon”
Go to the following website to learn more about homes and halls: http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/saxons/houses.htm
(this links helps you with questions 25- 28)
24. What happened to many of the towns set up by the Romans? Approximately when did the Romans leave England? And who conquered England soon after the Romans left? (above timeline link will help)
25. What materials were homes constructed from?
26. Describe how the houses were set up.
27. Who lived in the Hall (mead hall)? And why was it an important part of the culture?
Food and Drink;Go to: http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/saxons/food.htm
28. What types of food did Anglo-Saxons grow?
29. What did they drink instead of water? Why?
30. Why were many Anglo-Saxons vegetarians?
31. What was the only type of animal used just for its meat?
Go to: http://www.marga.org/food/int/anglosaxon/
32. Scroll to the bottom and click on the three recipes. Of these three, which would you most prefer to eat? Why?
5

Social Structure
Learn about the social structure of the Anglo-Saxons . Go to: http://www.britainexpress.com/History/anglo-saxon_life-kinship_and_lordship.htm
C.
C.
33. How did the pagan kings use the advent of Christianity to their advantage?
34. Explain how the Anglo-Saxon court system follows some of the same “rules” as social media sites like Twitter and Facebook
.
.
Discover how the Anglo-Saxons lived in their daily lives; go to: http://www.wikitree.com/articles/year-1000/
35. At what age was a boy considered old enough to swear and oath to the king?
36. (A) At what age did most girls marry? __________
(B)What is the legal age to marry in N.J.? ________ (you have find a site to answer this)
37. (A) At what age did most adults die in Anglo-Saxon England? _____________
(B) What is the current life expectancy for a U.S. man?____________ ( find info .)
38. If you were to go back in time to the year 1000 and meet an Anglo-Saxon, what is the first thing you would notice?
39. What happened to people after the year 1000 and before today that made them smaller?
6

Religion
Use the following website to answer the following questions http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/nordic/index.htm
40. Click on one of the gods listed in the left column. Write a sentence about that god.
41. Click one of the stories in the right column, read the story and provide a three sentence story summary.
42. We get the names of six days of the week from Saxon gods. Fill in the blanks below:
Monday= _____________’ s day (god of _____________________________)
Tuesday= _____________’ s day (god of _____________________________)
Wednesday=_____________’ s day (god of _____________________________)
Thursday=_____________’ s day (god of _____________________________)
Friday=_____________’ s day (goddess of _____________________________)
Sunday=_____________’ s day (god of _____________________________)
Use the below link to help with the following questions http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/saxons/religion.htm
7