1. Anglo – Saxon Period
History

2. Historical Background
BC 2800 - Stonehenge
Observatory? Temple? Calendar?
Link to video about Stonehenge:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6oxmxPKoSE

3. 2000 - 800 BC
s First people on the island came from Iberian
peninsula (Spain & Portugal).
s Still used Stone Age weaponry and tools.
s Most important of early conquerors were Celts
(two groups).
s Brythons settled on large island, Gaels on small
island (Ireland).
s The modern name of the large island, Great
Britain, evolved from the Brythons: Brython =
Briton = Britain

4. 800 - 600 BC
s Druids - Celtic priests with
many responsibilities.
s Duty of priests to
memorize and recite
heroic poems in order to
pass along tribal history
and values.
s They worshipped
Germanic gods.

5. Druids, con’t
s Religious, political, cultural leaders of Celtic tribes
s Believed all natural elements had a spirit (rocks,
trees, water, etc.) Oak=power of life,
Mistletoe=balancing power of death
s Came to an end with the influx of Christianity
(monotheism-belief in one true god) briefly during
Roman occupation, permanently in 597 AD when
Pope Gregory sent emissaries to convert Anglo-
Saxon kings and establish monasteries in G.B.
(Augustine was principal emissary)

6. 55 BC
s In 55 BC, Julius
Caesar made a
hasty invasion and
declared land.
s True Roman
invasion occurred
in 45 AD.

7. Romans brought
s Art
s Architecture
s Organized religion
s Roads
s Legal system (laws)
s Latin Language
s Towns/cities (London=Londinium)
s Military infrastructures (Hadrian’s Wall-built and patrolled
by Romans to keep Vikings out)
Romans called home in 5th century because of continued
attacks to the territory-needed for defense
s Bad news for the remaining inhabitants on G.B.!

8. Anglo-Saxon Period 449-1066 AD
s Next invaders of British Isles--Anglos, Saxons, and Jutes.
s This is where we get the modern term for England:
Angloland = Angland = England
s Sailed from Denmark and Germany in 449--in search of
farm land.
s Drove Britons to west portion of island and to the smaller
island.
s There were resistance groups--villagers who tried to fight
off the invasion. One such group was led by a Roman
descendant by the name of Artorius who may be part of
the basis for the fictional King Arthur.

9. Christianity
s Although present since 45 A.D., not
strong until:
s St. Augustine, along with 50
monks, arrived in England in 597
A.D., and converted King Ethelbert
(King of Kent) to Christianity.
s Effect: building of churches and
monasteries (educational places).

10. Conversion of England changed the
language in three main ways:
s introduced large church vocabulary
s introduced words and ideas from as
far away as India and China
s gave incentive for Anglo/Saxons to
apply existing words to new concepts.
s Also played role in unifying people--
beliefs about wives, children, slaves

11. The Danish (Viking) Invasion
s Occurred in 793 A.D. Invaders were more
barbaric than the previous Anglo-Saxon
invaders--killing, raping, and setting fire to
entire villages
s Norwegians to N. Eng. and Ireland
s Danes to E and S England
s By 850 half of England was in hands of
Danes; it was then they turned to Wessex
s Link to video about Viking Invasion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLPlmo3SS_0

12. Barbarian Influence
Britain’s inhabitants were greatly influenced by Viking
and tribal invaders eradicating any Roman influence
Barbarians lived in a tribal community structure:
s King=AKA ring-giver
s Witan=Elders or wise men/king’s advisors
s Earl/thane=nobility of tribe-can trace lineage to
king’s family
s Scop=bearer of history
s Warriors=central figure of society
s Freemen/Churls=independent landholders
s Thralls=Slaves
s Women=of no importance unless queen of tribe

13. Unification of Great Britain
s King Alfred-871-899 AD- responsible for
unifying all warring territories of Great Britain
s Negotiated Danelaugh (treaty name) with King
Canute, leader of the Danish Vikings-gave
England 50 years of peace
s Intended to unify all tribes and territories through
religion and education-encouraged writing in
Anglo-Saxon language, not Latin
s Responsible for The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and
the Ecclesiastical History of the English People

14. End of the Anglo-Saxon Era
s In January 1066, King Edward "the Confessor" died. He
was succeeded by the Earl of Wessex, Harold. This
bothered a duke named William across the English
Channel in Normandy. The royal family at Wessex had
intermarried with royalty in Normandy. William had been
the cousin of Edward the Confessor, and Edward had
promised to make him his heir. William believed that he
had a right to rule in England. Link to Youtube video of
re-enactment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF0U7olkPPg
s Harold and William, the Duke of Normandy met in battle
in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings
s William was victorious (only because he and his troops
were positioned on the TOP of a hill as Harold and his
troops attempted to climb it to defeat William), and the
Anglo-Saxon era came to an end