Harold Godwinson

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/harold-godwinson

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Harold Godwinson born?Circa 1022
2. When did Harold Godwinson die?14 October 1066
3. Who was Harold Godwinson and why was he important?Harold Godwinson was the last king of England before the Normans. He was chosen to keep the country stable after the previous king died without an heir.
4. How did Harold become king?The Witenagemot, a group of England’s leading men, elected him after King Edward died. He was crowned on January 6, 1066, probably the first king crowned in Westminster Abbey.

Anglo-Saxon England: The period of English history from the 5th century to the Norman Conquest in 1066, characterized by Germanic settlement and rule.
Earl of Wessex: A powerful noble title associated with the southwestern region of England, held by Harold's father and then by Harold himself.
Witenagemot: The supreme council of Anglo-Saxon England, composed of leading churchmen and nobles, responsible for advising the king and electing his successor.
Norman Conquest: The military invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy, in 1066, resulting in the overthrow of Anglo-Saxon rule and the establishment of a Norman monarchy.