1. The Anglo-Saxons

2. The British Legacy
Stonehenge, Robin Hood, Shakespeare, Theory of Gravity, the Industrial Revolution, radar, penicillin, the Beatles
American democracy stemed from British common law – personal rights and freedom

3. Invasion First by the Iberians Then the Celts The Romans
The Angles and Saxons
The Vikings
And the Normans

4. The Celts Tall blond warriors – the Brythons (Britons)
Religion: form of animism – saw spirits everywhere – in rivers, trees, stones, ponds, fire, and thunder.
these spirits controlled all aspects of existence and had to be constantly satisfied
Priests, called Druids, communicated between the gods and people
Ritual dances, human sacrifice, stonehenge

5. Celtic Heroes Celtic legends are full of strong women
Stories are full of fantastic animals, passionate love affairs, and incredible adventures
The myths take you to enchanted lands where magic and imagination rule
Celtic legends: King Arthur

6. The Romans The great administrators Conquered the Celts
Provided armies and organization
Built a network of roads and a defensive wall
Brought Christianity – old Celtic religion died
Evacuated and left the country to be invaded by non-Christian peoples

7. The Anglo-Saxons Invade
Angles and Saxons from Germany
Jutes from Denmark
They drove out the old Britons
Their language became dominant: now called England
Defeated the Danes – fierce Viking peoples

8. Anglo-Saxon Life Warfare was the order of the day
Law and order were the responsibility of the leader
Fame and success were gained only through loyalty to the leader, especially during war
Success was measured in gifts from the leader

9. Women in Anglo-Saxon Culture
Inherited and held property
Even when married, still retained control over their own property
A prospective husband had to offer a woman a substantial gift of money and land
The woman (not family or husband) had personal control over everything

10. Anglo-Saxon Religion Odin – the god of death, poetry, and magic
Woden could help humans communicate with spirits,
Wednesday came from “Woden’s Day”

11. Thor’s Day Thunor – the Norse god of thunder and lighting
His sign was the hammer and twisted cross
“Thor’s Day” survives as Thursday

12. Dragons Protector of Treasure Symbol of death
Guardian of the grave mound where a warrior’s ashes and his treasure lay
Religion on the whole was concerned with ethics and earthly virtues of bravery, loyalty, generosity, and friendship

13. Anglo-Saxon Communal Hall
Shelter, meetings, space for storytellers,
Bards (scops) sang of gods and heroes
They were equal to warriors
Poetry was as important as fighting, hunting, farming or loving
Sang to a harp
Religion did not offer hope of an afterlife, only fame and its commemoration in poetry could provide a defense against death

14. The Danes
In their Dragon-prowed boats, plundering and destroying everything in their path, took over parts of northeast and central England
constant battle with the Anglo-Saxons

15. Light from Ireland Not invaded by Germanic invaders
Celtic Ireland converted to Christianity by the Romanized Briton Patricius
Patrick was seized by Irish slave traders as a teenager and was a sheepherder for 6 years
He escaped, became a bishop, and converted his former captors

16. Christian Monasteries
Hope
Heroic deeds
Christianity
Christianity served as centers of learning
Preserved Latin, Greek, and English Literature
Monks spent daylight hours copying manuscripts while in rule of silence; it was so cold the ink would freeze.

17. King Alfred
Started the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a history of England that covered the earliest days and continued until 1154.
English began to gain respect as a language of culture
Only then did the OE stories and poetry preserved by the monks become recognized as great works of literature