The Anglo-Saxon Period Stonehenge (c BC)

Celtic Invasion Between 800 and 600 BC, two groups of Celts moved into the British isles: The Britons settled in Britain. The Gaels settled in Ireland. Julius Caesar described the Celts as: Light-skinned, fair-haired, and blue eyed Shepherds, farmers, fierce fighters Artistic, imaginative, loved beauty Skilled with tin and iron

The Celts Farmers and hunters Organized into tightly knit clans Skilled artisans Introduced the use of iron to Europe Highly developed religion, mythology, and legal system that specified individual rights

Celtic Religion Druids presided over religious rituals (sacrifices and prayers) Druids acted as intermediaries between the gods and people. Spirits or gods controlled all aspects of existence. Ritual dances or human sacrifice were thought necessary to satisfy the gods.

Question 1 Celtic religion had all of the following characteristics except a.Priests called Druids b.Ritual dances and human sacrifice c.Worship of ancient Greek gods of wisdom d.Belief in spirits who controlled all aspects of existence

The Roman Conquest The Roman emperor Claudius conquered Britain in 43 AD. Roman rule of Britain lasted for nearly 400 years. The last Roman legions left for Rome in 407 AD.

Roman Rule Constructed a system of well-paved roads and founded cities Brought skills in the art of warfare Introduced Roman law and order Used Latin Introduced Christianity (597 AD) Failed to teach the Britons much about self-defense

Roman Rule (con’t) Roman Roads: 5,000 miles of stone roads Linked tribal capitals and towns, especially London, York, Winchester Facilitated trade, the collection of taxes, and the movement of troops

Question 2 After the Romans evacuated their troops, Britain was left with a.A strong army b.Italian as its official language c.A system of roads and architecture d.A strong, centralized government of its own

Early Anglo-Saxon Life The next invaders of Britain were the Anglo- Saxons: the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes came from Denmark, Holland, Germany, and Scandinavia. The Celts resisted the invaders for a number of years under the leadership of a great king, possibly the inspiration for the legendary King Arthur.

Dispersal of the Britons To flee the Anglo-Saxons, the Britons fled to other parts of the island: Cornwall Wales Some join the Gaels in Ireland and formed a splinter groups known as the Scots (This group later settled in what is now Scotland). In all areas, the people spoke the Celtic languages (Cornish, Welsh, Irish, and Scottish Gaelic). All but Cornish are still spoken today.

Anglo-Saxon Society Highly organized tribal units (kingdoms) Each tribe ruled by a king chosen by a council of elders (witan) The king formed close alliances with his followers, and loyalty was valued above all else.

Anglo-Saxon Society (con’t) The Anglo-Saxons farmed, maintained local governments, and created fine crafts, especially metalwork. Eventually, the small kingdoms developed into seven large ones: Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, Sussex, Essex, East Anglia, and Kent. This development produced a new language: Old English. Lived close to their animals (to protect animals and provide warmth) Lived in single-family homes surrounding a communal hall and protected by a wooden stockade fence

Question 3 Anglo-Saxon life was dominated by a.Devotion to religious principles and beliefs b.Industry and dedication to a strict work ethic c.A new emphasis on education and the arts d.Close alliances between leaders and their followers

Anglo-Saxon Village

Characteristics of the Anglo-Saxons Hard fighters and bold sea warriors Admired physical strength, bravery, loyalty, fairness, and honesty Great love of personal freedom Boastful, reckless, cruel, and bloodthirsty Enjoyed conflict, swimming matches, horse races, banqueting, drinking mead, singing songs, and storytelling Also flyting, a conflict of wits between two warriors where each praises his own deeds and belittles the other’s

Anglo-Saxon Poets & the Communal Hall The communal hall offered shelter and a place for council meetings. It was also a place for storytellers or poets who shared (orally) the stories of the Anglo-Saxons and their gods and heroes. The Anglo-Saxons valued storytelling as equal to fighting, hunting, and farming because it preserved the deeds of heroes in the people’s collective memory.

Types of Anglo-Saxon Verse Heroic Poetry: recounts the achievements of warriors involved in great battles Elegiac Poetry: sorrowful laments that mourn the deaths of loved ones and the loss of the past Anglo-Saxon poets: Caedmon, Cynewulf

Question 4 Anglo-Saxon poets held an honored position in society primarily because they a.Preserved heroic deeds in the collective memory b.Became great warriors for their lords c.Doubled as priests and scribes d.Read old books and attained great wisdom

The Beowulf Legend Beowulf is an epic, a long, heroic poem, about a great pagan warrior renowned for his courage, strength, and dignity. Beowulf is the national epic of England, because it was the first such work composed in the English language. The poem includes references to Christian ideas and Latin classics but also present are the values of a warrior society, dignity, bravery, and prowess in battle.

Anglo-Saxon Religion Pagan, polytheistic Very pessimistic view of life (due to the ever-present dangers of death by accident or warfare) Did not believe in an afterlife Immortality only earned through heroic actions Bravery and loyalty were the most valued traits.

Question 5 The Old Anglo-Saxon religion a.Had much in common with the beliefs of Christianity b.Advanced an optimistic, cheerful outlook on life c.Primarily encouraged ethics and earthly virtues such as bravery d.Emphasized the worship of gods associated with the home

The Coming of Christianity In 432, the whole of Celtic Ireland was converted by Patrick, a Romanized Briton. In 563, a group of Irish monks established a monastery on the island of Iona off the West coast of Scotland. Later, the Roman church began to send missionaries throughout Europe. In 597, Saint Augustine converted the King of England and establish a monastery at Canterbury. By 650, most of England was Christian in name, if not in fact.

Christianity and Literature The church brought education and written literature to England. It also provided a cultural link between England and the rest of Europe. Monks established churches, monasteries, and libraries. Monks recorded and duplicated important manuscripts, at first only written in Latin. Monks preserved not only Latin and Greek classics but also popular literature (Beowulf).

Question 6 The Christian monasteries served Anglo-Saxon society by A.Developing innovative agricultural theories and methods B.Reforming criminals and housing the homeless C.Abolishing the last remnants of the Anglo-Saxon religion D.Fostering learning and preserving literary works

Question 7 An important effect of Christianity’s spread throughout Britain was that a.Monasteries no longer had to be located in Italy and France b.The Anglo-Saxon religion immediately died out c.The long, Roman defensive wall was demolished d.Britain became culturally linked to Europe

The Venerable Bede ( ) A monk Considered the “father of English history” Wrote A History of the English Church and People: the clearest account we have of Anglo-Saxon times.

Anglo-Saxon Manuscript

The Danish Invasion Due to rising population and limited farmland, many Scandinavians (the Norse and the Danes) took to the seas – these were the Vikings. In 800, Danish raiders attacked Britain. The Norse settled in Northumbria, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The Danes targeted eastern and southern England.

Restored Viking Vessels

Viking Raids: “From the Fury of the Northmen, O Lord, Deliver Us” Sacked and plundered monasteries Stole sacred religious objects Burned entire communities Murdered villagers Halted the growth of learning By the middle of the ninth century, most of England had fallen. The Vikings called their territory Danelaw.

Alfred the Great Only the Saxon kingdom of Wessex managed to fight the Danes to a standstill. In 871, Alfred ascended to the Wessex throne. He resisted further Danish encroachment. A 886 truce formally divided England: the Danish ruled the east and north; the Saxons ruled the south. Alfred translated the Bede’s History and other works from Latin into English, as well as instituted the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a history of England from the earliest days through He was the first to promote the written form of Old English.

King Alfred the Great

Question 8 Through the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, King Alfred promoted the use of written a.Latin b.Celtic c.Old English d.Danish

Danish Contributions Built their Danelaw communities as military fortresses and trading centers Generated growth of English towns Expanded English vocabulary as Norse words crept into the language For example, law is Danish, and its use reflects the Danes’ interest in legal procedures.

The Norman Conquest In 1042, the throne returned to a descendant of Alfred, King Edward the Confessor, a Christian. Edward’s association with the Normans weakened Saxon power. Upon his death in 1066, Edward was succeeded by Harold. William of Normandy challenged Harold’s right to the throne and defeated Harold in the Battle of Hastings. William was crowned King on December 25, 1066.

Question 9 Great Britain has been invaded and settled by all of the following except a.Romans b.Vikings c.Normans d.Greeks

Question 10 The cultural heritage of the United States has been profoundly influenced by English a.language, law and literature b.Political analysts, consultants, and humorists c.Trading policies, regulations, and exchange rates d.Climate, landscape and geography

Written Response Review your notes and the Elements of Literature (pp. 2-16) and write a paragraph describing specific examples of how the language, law and literature of the United States has been influenced by the early inhabitants of England. Include a topic sentence, at least one specific, text-based example of each feature (English language, law and literature), AND how the language, law and literature of the U.S. reflects that influence.