What do these Anglo-Saxon words mean? - vocabulary task - Worksheet

The worksheet poses an educational task aimed at exploring the meanings of various Anglo-Saxon terms, each reflecting a unique aspect of their society and governance. The word 'cyning' refers to a king, the ruling monarch of a kingdom. 'Bretwalda' is a term used to describe a ruler in England who held a position of overlordship or high kingship over other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. 'Weregild' is a form of compensation, a price set upon a person's life based on their social status; it was paid to the family of a victim by the offender as restitution for murder or injury. A 'thane' was a nobleman or warrior of high rank, often a landholder, serving the king or a lord in a military capacity. 'Ceorl' denotes a free peasant or commoner, one of the lower ranks in the social hierarchy who owned or rented land. 'Blood feuds' were vendettas between families or kinship groups, where murder or injury could lead to a cycle of retaliatory violence.

The worksheet also prompts students to consider the evolution of 'crime and punishment' through different historical periods, including how Anglo-Saxon laws and practices have influenced modern legal systems. Students are encouraged to investigate which laws introduced during the Anglo-Saxon era have persisted into contemporary law. This historical inquiry allows students to understand the roots of the legal system and the continuity and change of laws over time.