“The Norman invasion in 1066 had little impact on the people of England.” Discuss.

Candidates will offer a considered and balanced review of the suggestion that the people of England were little affected by the Norman invasion in 1066. Candidates may fully agree, partially agree or disagree with the statement. They may briefly contextualize the situation in England on the eve of the Norman invasion and compare it to the situation in the decades following the invasion. Alternatively, candidates may identify a range of social and/or geographical factors and discuss the impact in terms of these. For example, they may suggest that elites were affected to a far greater extent than the peasantry, for whom the change may have been as simple as the swapping of one landowner for another. Whichever method is used, candidates must focus on the impact of the invasion.