A Long and Illustrious History: practice questions

1. When was Britain first permanently separated from continental Europe?

• About 2,000 years ago
• About 10,000 years agoCorrect
• About 100,000 years ago
• About 1,000 years ago

Why: Britain only became permanently separated from the continent by the Channel about 10,000 years ago.

2. What is Stonehenge believed to have been used for?

• A military fort
• Seasonal ceremoniesCorrect
• A trading market
• A royal palace

Why: Stonehenge was probably a special gathering place for seasonal ceremonies.

3. When did the first farmers arrive in Britain?

• About 500 years ago
• About 2,000 years ago
• About 6,000 years agoCorrect
• About 20,000 years ago

Why: The first farmers arrived in Britain about 6,000 years ago, probably from south-east Europe.

4. When did Julius Caesar first invade Britain?

• 1066
• 55 BCCorrect
• AD 43
• AD 410

Why: Julius Caesar led a Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC, though it was unsuccessful.

5. Which emperor led the successful Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43?

• Julius Caesar
• Emperor Hadrian
• Emperor ClaudiusCorrect
• Emperor Augustus

Why: In AD 43 the Emperor Claudius led the Roman army in a new invasion, and they were successful in occupying almost all of Britain.

6. Who was Boudicca?

• A Celtic goddess
• The first Queen of England
• Queen of the Iceni who fought against the RomansCorrect
• A Roman empress

Why: Boudicca was the queen of the Iceni in eastern England who fought against the Romans. There is a statue of her on Westminster Bridge in London.

7. Why was Hadrian's Wall built?

• To keep out the Picts from the northCorrect
• To mark the border with France
• To protect London
• To store military supplies

Why: Emperor Hadrian built a wall in the north of England to keep out the Picts (ancestors of the Scottish people).

8. How long did the Romans remain in Britain?

• About 100 years
• About 1,000 years
• About 400 yearsCorrect
• About 50 years

Why: The Romans remained in Britain for 400 years. They left in AD 410.

9. Which tribes invaded Britain after the Romans left?

• The French and the Spanish
• The Jutes, the Angles and the SaxonsCorrect
• The Greeks and the Persians
• The Vikings and the Normans

Why: After the Romans left in AD 410, Britain was invaded by the Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons from northern Europe.

10. Who was St Augustine?

• A Viking leader
• The first Archbishop of CanterburyCorrect
• A Roman emperor
• The first King of England

Why: St Augustine led missionaries from Rome who spread Christianity in the south of Britain. He became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.