1. Unit 2: The Anglo-Saxon Period

2. Ancient Britain Early civilization: Egypt & Rome (Italy)
Britain (far away & mysterious)
largest isle = Britons
2nd largest = Gaels
these were Celts from Europe (date unknown)
Some Celtic languages still spoken: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, & Breton
Celts: farmers & hunters
Druids: mysterious pagan priests
Stonehenge: place of Druid rituals?
Lots of myths: maybe were warriors, naked with blue paint (Braveheart???)
75 BC Britain invaded by Belgae - agriculture

3. Roman Britain 54 BC Julius Caesar defeated Britain, but they went home
53 BC same thing
AD 43 Claudius defeated British & stayed
this is why Latin tradition
Celts - Latin - Germanic
2 big colonies: Colchester & London

4. Boadicea, The Celtic Warrior Queen
AD 60 Prasutagus (king of Britons - Iceni) died
his wife Boadicea revolted against Rome
killed 70,000 Romans
she was defeated

5. The Coming of the Anglo-Saxons
Early 5th century: Rome is at war, needs its warriors - withdraws
leaves Britain vulnerable
for 100 years Germanic forces invade
AD 449 Jutes (Danish)
then Anglo-Saxons
Anglos establish 3 kingdoms in North & midland
Saxons establish 3 kingdoms in the South
Modern England was Angle-lond

6. Anglo-Saxon Culture Anglo-Saxons: warlike, seafaring
lots of Germanic legends
Beowulf (dragons, monsters, giants, trolls…)
warriors, songs, big feasts, mead (fermented honey)
Oral Tradition
Scops (singers)
Lays/lais (songs)
Anglo-Saxon society: king, warriors (thanes), freemen (churls), slaves (thralls)
believed in FATE “wyrd”
“wergild” = man money

7. The Coming of Christianity
Christianity = Catholicism
by 5th c. Ireland was converted by St. Patrick
England was converted by St. Augustine
Changes culture
Create education systems
monasteries & monks
Begin keeping history

8. Alfred the Great Becomes first King of Britain
created a system of education
spread English as language
rebuilt monasteries
is responsible for translation of: Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Bede’s Ecclesiastical History
AD 8th-9th c.
Danes (Vikings) (Scandanavia) invaded Anglo-Saxon England
bad news…would have won if not for Alfred the Great (ruler of 4th largest kingdom)
AD 878 defeated the Danes, unified England

9. The End of the Anglo-Saxon Era
AD King Athelstan conquered the rest of England, making it one nation
AD 960 Danish invade again
1016 Canute (Danish) crowned king…Danish control
Doesn’t last long…back to English rule
1066 Norman duke William the Conqueror defeated King Harold
end of Anglo-Saxon Era

10. Rulers Egbert Ethelwulf Ethelbald Ethelred I Alfred the Great
Edred
Edwy the Fair
Edgar the Peaceful
Edward the Martyr
Ethelred II the Unready
Edmund II
Canute
Harold I
Hardecanute
Edward the Confessor
Harold II
Egbert
Ethelwulf
Ethelbald
Ethelred I
Alfred the Great
Edward the Elder
Athelstan the Glorious
Edmund I