Britain after 1066 · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

One thread through time: being a child

History · Britain Through Time · ages 8-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. A medieval child could help with family tasks and still have time to learn or play.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. A record lists a medieval child's jobs but says nothing about lessons. What does this record tell you?

    • It records work, but gives no evidence about lessons.
    • It records work and proves the child never had lessons.
    • It records lessons and proves the child never worked.

  3. The 1842 mine law banned underground work by boys below what age? Enter the age limit.

    Answer: ______________

  4. Which is the third selected stop in this timeline?

    MedievalTudorVictorianToday
    • Victorian
    • Medieval
    • Tudor

  5. What helped reformers press Parliament to change laws about children's work?

    • Reports said all factories had already closed.
    • Reports described dangers to working children.
    • Reports said every family could now afford school.

  6. According to the lesson, which Tudor boy had a better chance of schooling?

    • A boy whose family needed his earnings for their food
    • A boy whose family could afford his schooling
    • A boy whose family had no money to pay for schooling

  7. Who passed the laws about children's work described in the lesson?

    • Factory owners
    • Parliament
    • Local families

  8. What does compulsory mean when describing school attendance?

    • A choice made by each family
    • Required by law
    • Available only to rich children

  9. Why is the 1880 attendance law a turning point in this story of childhood in England and Wales?

    • It ended all kinds of work for every child straight away.
    • It spread a legal duty to attend school, with exceptions.
    • It gave all Tudor families equal access to school at once.

  10. Put these lesson examples in time order: Tudor schooling, the 1842 mine law and the 1880 attendance law.

    • Tudor schooling; 1842 mine law; 1880 attendance law
    • 1842 mine law; Tudor schooling; 1880 attendance law
    • 1880 attendance law; 1842 mine law; Tudor schooling
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

One thread through time: being a child W1-mt_q9nvf5GuED-s1

  1. True · Work did not mean that a medieval child never learned or played. Children's lives varied.
  2. It records work, but gives no evidence about lessons. · The record gives evidence of work. Its silence about lessons does not prove that the child never learned.
  3. 10 · The rule banned boys under ten from underground mine work. The age limit is 10.
  4. Victorian · The selected stops are medieval, Tudor, Victorian and today. Victorian is third.
  5. Reports described dangers to working children. · Reports about dangerous work helped reformers argue for changes in the law.
  6. A boy whose family could afford his schooling · Family money affected access to schooling. A boy whose family could afford it had a better chance, though some poorer boys attended too.
  7. Parliament · Parliament passed the laws. Reformers pressed for change, but Parliament made the laws described here.
  8. Required by law · Compulsory means required by law. It describes a duty, not proof that everyone followed it.
  9. It spread a legal duty to attend school, with exceptions. · The law required attendance rules across England and Wales for the stated age group, with exceptions. This changed the direction of the schooling story.
  10. Tudor schooling; 1842 mine law; 1880 attendance law · The Tudor example comes first. The mine law of 1842 comes before the attendance law of 1880.
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