Prehistoric Ireland

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/prehistoric-ireland

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 location?Island in the North Atlantic Ocean
2. What is the estimated start of permanent human residence?Circa 10,500 BC
3. When did people first start living in Ireland?People first lived in Ireland around 10,500 BC after the last Ice Age, though there were occasional visitors as early as 31,000 BC.
4. What are megalithic tombs and why were they built?Megalithic tombs, like Newgrange, are large stone structures built by Neolithic people for burial and ritual. They were often aligned with stars to mark important celestial events.

Anaerobic Conditions: Environments lacking oxygen, which significantly slows down the decay of organic materials.
Megalithic: Relating to structures, especially prehistoric ones, built with large stones.
Metallurgy: The science and technology of metals, including their extraction, processing, and use.
Passage Tombs: A type of Neolithic tomb characterized by a narrow passage leading to a central burial chamber.