The Iron Age: hillforts and tribes

Discovering how Iron Age people lived in tribes, built hillforts and used iron tools

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Try each question. If you're stuck, leave it and come back. The answer key is on the last page.

1
Why was iron a better material than bronze for tools and weapons? A) Iron is stronger and harder B) Iron is much lighter C) Iron is softer D) Iron is brightly coloured
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2
What is a hillfort? A) A settlement built on top of a hill for safety B) A small hill made of stone C) A type of Iron Age weapon D) A cave used for storage
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3
True or false? Iron Age people in Britain lived in groups called tribes. A) True B) False
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4
What metal gives the Iron Age its name? A) Iron B) Gold C) Bronze D) Silver
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5
Fill in the blank: The religious leaders of Iron Age Celtic tribes were called ___.
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6
Which famous Iron Age hillfort is found in Dorset, England? A) Maiden Castle B) Buckingham Palace C) The Tower of London D) Stonehenge
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7
Match each Iron Age word to its meaning. Match each item on the left to one on the right. Left: Hillfort, Druid, Tribe, Celt Right: Settlement on a hill, protected by ditches and walls, A Celtic religious leader, A large group of families with one leader, A person living in Iron Age Britain or Europe
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8
Which group of people lived in Iron Age Britain? A) The Celts B) The Vikings C) The Anglo-Saxons D) The Romans
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9
Put these in order from earliest to latest. Put these in order: Iron Age, Bronze Age, Stone Age, Roman Britain
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10
Fill in the blank: Iron Age tribes built ___ on top of hills to protect themselves from enemies.
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Answer key

The Iron Age: hillforts and tribes · for parents and teachers

1
Iron is stronger and harder
Iron is stronger and harder than bronze, so it made better tools and weapons. It was also easier to find than tin.
2
A settlement built on top of a hill for safety
A hillfort is a settlement built on top of a hill, surrounded by walls and ditches to keep people safe from enemies.
3
True
True. Iron Age people in Britain lived in tribes, which were large groups of families with their own leaders.
4
Iron
The Iron Age is named after iron, the strong metal that replaced bronze for tools and weapons.
5
druids
Druids were the religious leaders, teachers and wise people of Celtic tribes in the Iron Age.
6
Maiden Castle
Maiden Castle in Dorset is one of the largest Iron Age hillforts in Europe, with huge banks and ditches.
7
Hillfort → Settlement on a hill, protected by ditches and walls; Druid → A Celtic religious leader; Tribe → A large group of families with one leader; Celt → A person living in Iron Age Britain or Europe
These are all important words about Iron Age life: hillforts for safety, druids as religious leaders, tribes as groups and Celts as the people.
8
The Celts
The Celts lived in Iron Age Britain. The Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Romans came later.
9
Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman Britain
The order is Stone Age, then Bronze Age, then Iron Age, then Roman Britain after the Romans invaded in 43 CE.
10
hillforts
Iron Age people built hillforts, large settlements on hills surrounded by ditches and walls, for protection.