1. The Story of the Cyrillic Alphabet Alex Marinov Toastmasters Speech #7 10/12/09

2. What we’ll learn today 1.Why was Cyrillic alphabet invented? 2.Who invented it and when? 3.Who is using it today and where?

3. The division of the Roman Empire - 395 AD

4. Formation of Bulgaria – 681 AD

5. Bulgaria 893-927 AD Paganism Multiple gods. Couldn’t understand Latin/ Greek Bible. L arge but culturally isolated from its Christian neighboring countries.

6. St. Cyrill and Methodius – 886 AD St Clement  Cyrillic –to translate the Bible, convert Pagans to Christians

7. Indi-European Languages

8. 3 Lessons 1.Cyrillic was invented  To translate the Bible from Latin to Slavic language and help conversion to Christianity. 2.By  St Clement, a disciple of St Cyril and Methodius in 893. First introduced in Bulgaria. 250 years later adopted in Ukraine and Russia. 3.Currently used in  Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Belorussia and in other Slavic languages

9. Thank you!

10. Map of Slavic Peoples

11. Distribution of the Cyrillic Alphabet

12. References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Cyrillic_alphabet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_I_of_Bulgaria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization_of_Bulgaria#Reasons_for_the_Christ ianization http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization_of_Bulgaria#Reasons_for_the_Christ ianization http://www.russianlocalization.com/Texts/History.htm http://bgclub.sa.utoronto.ca/cyrillic.htm http://ivodimitrov.com/bulgarian-students-ryerson-version1/cyrillicalphabet.htm http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/legacy/highschool/socstud/global2_review/byzantine_ empire.htm http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/legacy/highschool/socstud/global2_review/byzantine_ empire.htm http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/17212/alphabet/53649/Cyrillic-and- Glagolitic-alphabets#ref=ref664700 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/17212/alphabet/53649/Cyrillic-and- Glagolitic-alphabets#ref=ref664700 http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/First_Bulgarian_Empire_- _Establishment_and_development_of_the_Bulgarian_state/id/5049691 http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/First_Bulgarian_Empire_- _Establishment_and_development_of_the_Bulgarian_state/id/5049691