History Teacher Notes The Literacy Key

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HOMEPAGE    HISTORY    GEOGRAPHY    R.E.

Roman Britain - Celts

1. The Celts came to Britain between 500 and 100 BC.

2. The Celts were divided into different tribes, each ruled by a king or chief.

3. The Celts worshipped their own gods, often linked to natural sources, such as trees, rivers etc.

4. Most Celts were farmers who lived on small farms or in villages.

5. They grew corn and kept animals such as cows, pigs, sheep and goats.

6. The Celts built circular houses in Britain, made out of arched timbers with walls of wicker and roofs of thatch.

7. The houses were very dark inside, fires were lit in the middle for cooking and rush lights used for lighting.

8. The Celts retreated to hill forts for protection when attacked, from where they threw missiles and spears at their enemies.

9. The forts were surrounded by wooden fences on the top of steep banks, or mounds of earth.

10. Deep ditches were also dug and large wooden gates constructed to block the entrances of the forts.

11. Celtic men wore their hair long and had beards and moustaches.

12. The Celts wore brightly-coloured and patterned clothes made from wool.

13. Men wore long shirts, trousers, belts, shoes and cloaks, women dresses or long skirts, shoes and cloaks.

14. Jewellery was worn for practical purposes such as fastenings.

15. The Celts loved fighting and made themselves as fierce as possible in battle.

16. The warriors painted their bodies with patterns using blue dye and stuck their hair up in spikes using clay and water.

17. They also shouted insults and war cries to frighten their enemies.

18. The Celts were wild, but disorganised fighters who went for individual, personal glory.

19. The Celts used swords and spears in battle and carried oval shields.

20. The armies used light chariots from which the warrior threw spears at the enemy, before jumping down to fight on foot.

21. The chariots were pulled by two horses and driven by very skilled charioteers.

22. If the warrior got into trouble the charioteer would return to pick him up.

23. Warriors were often buried with their chariots.

24. The Celts could not stop fighting amongst themselves and this cost them control of Britain.