Survey of British History
From the Anglo-Saxons to today
The Anglo-Saxons, 449–1066
From the fall of Roman rule to
William the Conqueror
Reading Review
Who settled and ruled Britain for over 400years before leaving to fight at home?
What is a ‘scop’?
Which king united Britain against the Jutes orDanes?
Which icon brought Christianity to KingEthelbert?
Who preserved the literature and language ofthe Anglo-Saxons?
Extra credit: Who defeated the Anglo-Saxonsin 1066 at Hastings?
Britain’s ‘Dark Ages’
5th century – Many Germanic elementshad already settled in Britain.
5th & 6th centuries – Roman legionswithdraw from the island. Germanicmercenaries are increasingly hired forcity protection.
English presupposed Celtic as thedominant language.
Individual cities strive to survive andsubdue potential threats: tribalism.
7th – 9th centuries
Anglo-Saxon (Germanic andScandinavian) Britain forms multiplesmaller kingdoms.
Constant in-fighting keeps the islandseparated into these smaller kingdoms.
Vikings continually invade and sackBritish towns. 100 years of invasions.
King Alfred the Great unites anddefends the island from the DanishVikings, 878.
10th and 11th centuries
Alfred’s defense against the Danessecured southern England from thepagan invaders.
Danes settled northern England.
Britons show signs of nationalismthrough stories, art, and religion.
Alfred’s use of the common tongue,English, promoted education to all.
The consolidated kingdom broughtstability and safety.
Religions of the Anglo-Saxons
Animism – spirits live everywhere andcontrol everything. Mystery and theunknown dominate thought, actions,and art.
Christianity – Pope-centered, mostBritish kings were converted along withtheir subjects. Unifying force forEngland against outside pagans.
Social Considerations
Tribalism and Animism propagate fear,but make for fascinating myths andlegends. Stories remain today.
Christianity, brought by Augustine,helps develop literacy, although much ofit is in Latin. Also brings the Bible andother works of literature to England.
Women held property even aftermarriage; they were considered equalsby most men.
Literary Contributions
English language, Old English, writtenusing Latin letters in phonetic style;
Beowulf and “The Seafarer”;
Celtic myths and legends;
Monastic life: both women and mencontributed significantly to educationand literary development;
Libraries in the monasteries.
Questions for Consideration
Living in this environment, what wouldbe some of your primary dailyconcerns?
What were some of the motivations forart? How do we know?
Why was development and generalprogress slow during this period?
What, would you say, was the biggestadvancement during this age? Why?