1. What can you remember about why the Normans won the Battle of Hastings from last lesson?

2. Historic environment: battlefield analysis
Size
Topography – natural and physical features of the area (rivers, bridges, hills etc.)
Position of the armies
Tactics
Proximity to the coast
Other features/issues

3. Learning outcomes:
Analyse the site of the Battle of Hastings and evaluate how the environment affected the outcome of the battle.
Reach a supported conclusion to explain the most important reason why the Normans won the Battle of Hastings.

4. How did the battlefield affect the outcome?
Annotate your own copy of the battlefield maps explaining how each of these factors affected the outcome of the battle. Use page 26 in the pink Oxford textbook and your notes from last lesson to help you.
Size, topography, positioning, tactics, proximity to the coast, other features/issues.

5. Position of the armies –
Topography –
Hill
Marshy land
Position of the armies –
Harold has height advantage, Norman archers found it too steep initially to shoot their arrows up
Tactics –
Feigned retreat vs. shield wall
Cavalry
Other features/issues –
William’s leadership
Harold’s mistakes
Luck
L/O: Analyse the site of the Battle of Hastings and evaluate how the environment affected the outcome of the battle.

6. ‘Luck was the main reason for the outcome of battles in this period’
‘Luck was the main reason for the outcome of battles in this period’. How far does a study of the battle of Hastings support this statement? Explain your answer. You should refer to the battlefield and your contextual knowledge. 16 marks
Luck
Tactics
The environment – topography (hills, marshy land) what impact did this have on the battle?
William’s leadership/ Harold’s mistakes
This question is asking ‘how far’ the battle shows that Norman battles were often decided by luck, so you will need to say whether the outcome of the Battle of Hastings was decided more by luck or other factors, such as tactics.

7. E.g. tactics and William’s leadership.
‘Luck was the main reason for the outcome of battles in this period’. How far does a study of the battle of Hastings support this statement? Explain your answer. You should refer to the battlefield and your contextual knowledge. 16 marks
Now write a supported conclusion to this question – was luck the main reason why the Normans won the Battle of Hastings?
Remember for a good conclusion you need to support opinion with evidence. Don’t just argue why your chosen factor is the most important, argue why others are less important and try to make links between them.
E.g. tactics and William’s leadership.
L/O: Reach a supported conclusion to explain the most important reason why the Normans won the Battle of Hastings.