Law of Æthelberht

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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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/law-of-thelberht

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. What is the designation?The first written law code in any Germanic language
2. What is the probable date of compilation?Early 7th century
3. Why did the Law of Æthelberht include special rules for the Church?It gave the Church protection and special rights, showing that Christianity was becoming powerful in Kent.
4. How did the Law of Æthelberht help people solve disputes?It used a system called wergild, where people paid money to the victim’s family, which helped stop feuds and keep peace.

Old English: The earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in Anglo-Saxon England from the 5th to the 12th century.
Germanic Law Codes: Collections of laws from early medieval societies speaking Germanic languages, often focusing on compensation and social status.
Wergild: A historical Germanic legal concept representing the monetary value of a person, used as compensation for injury or death.
Restorative Justice: A system of criminal justice that focuses on rehabilitating offenders and restoring victims, often through compensation and reconciliation.