EnglandTracing the Path of the People

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EnglandTracing the Path of the People

• Early History, Culture,
• and Language

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OBJECTIVES

• Review early historical and cultural eventsmany
  are referenced on the Timeline in your text, page
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• Relate these events to the development of the
  English language
• Provide greater understanding of English
  literature as it reflects peoples lives

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People Their Contributions

• Celts--Britons in Wales England Gaels in
  Ireland

• Druid religion, pagan gods (Woden, Thor) runic
  alphabet, sacredness of writing, Stonehenge
• King Arthur

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Runic Alphabet, Celtic Art and Stonework
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People Their Contributions

• Romans
• 56 BC invaded under Julius Caesar
• 300-year military occupation
• 407 AD withdrew to Rome

• Brought Christianity
• Latin language
• Roman alphabet
• Rule of law
• Road systems
• Hadrians Wall

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Hadrians Wall
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People Their Contributions

• Fierce, warrior people
• Took advantage of the good harbors, navigable
  rivers, fertile lowlands of southern England
• Their language became the foundation for
  English--Old English or Anglo-Saxon

• 449 AD Angles and Saxons--from Germany
• Jutes--from Denmark, then called Jutland

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Anglo-Saxon Farms Livestock--recreated in
Northumbria at Bedes World
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The Anglo-Saxon Christian Church
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People Their Contributions

• Missionaries who could read and write came from
  the Christian Churches on the European continent
• 597 AD St. AugustineEstablished a monastery at
  Canterbury and converted King Ethelbert of Kent

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• 731 AD The Venerable Bede--
• Wrote A History of the English Church and People
• (written in Latin)
• 975 AD Monks began to compile The Exeter Book
• --A written collection
• of Anglo-Saxon
• Poetry Riddles

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The Early Christian Church in England--
1. Provided shared values, hope and spiritual
strength 2. Unified the people 3.
Counseled rulers and promoted peace 4. Brought
Latin language and writing--recorded
history, laws, and literature
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People Their Contributions

• 792 AD Vikings and Danes

• Warlike invaders
• Challenged established citizens
• Brought new words to the English language and
  pagan religious beliefs

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People Their Contributions

• Created the Danelaw
• Ruled by a code of laws
• Brought peace and unity
• Established public schools
• Encouraged the use of written English
• Sponsored The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (in English)

• 871 AD Anglo-Saxon King Alfred the Great

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People Their Contributions

• 1066 AD William the Conqueror and the Normans

• Defeated A-S King Harold at the Battle of
  Hastings
• Brought 10,000 French words into the English
  language--Middle English
• Established feudalism
• Sponsored The Domesday Book

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A British Tradition The Sacredness and
Importance of of Literature and Writing

• Beginning with the Druid priests
• Continuing with the Scop (the poet who recited
  and sang poems from memory)
• Reinforced by the Christian monks
• who preserved the Anglo-Saxon
• stories and poems