Evolution of language, Old English, Anglo-Saxon Literature, Beowulf

The Evolution of English Language

THE COSTITUTION NATIONSSYMBOLS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

A legend tells that some Viking warriors wanted to ambush a Scottish camp during the night. A Viking trumped with barefoot a thistle plant and he started screaming for the pain for the painful thorns. The scouts awakened the Scottish and they defeated the Vikings. From that moment, Scottish decided to elect the thistle as their symbol onward banners.

The shamrock is linked to the figure of St. Patrick. Druids used the shamrock to drive away evil spirits from homes. Legend tells that one day St. Patrick illustrated the concept of the Trinity to the Celts using the leaves of a shamrock and since that day the shamrock became the national symbol of Ireland.

The leek is the symbol of Wales because Welsh soldiers used to wear leeks to identify them during wars.

The Tudor Rose is the symbol of the union between the English families of Lancaster and York. It is the result.

of theand its background is green and white (like the marriage between Henrycolours of the leek). Tudor and Elizabeth of York.

Wales is the land of King Arthur and the red dragon After this wedding, the War ofrefers to a Merlin's vision. He saw a red dragon, the Two Roses ended.symbol of the Brythons that fought against a whitedragon, symbol of Saxons.

The Union Jack is the symbol of the unionamong the British Nations and it includes threeflags into one:

1. St. Andrew's cross, flag of Scotland
2. St. George's cross, flag of England
3. St. Patrick cross, flag of Ireland

The Welsh symbol (the dragon) is missingbecause Wales was already united to Englandat the time when the Union Jack was designedin 1606.

THE HISTORY OF

The Anglo-Saxon Period(650-1066)

(during Old English)

Timeline

CELTS (1000 B.C.- DANES/ ANGLO-SAXONSIBERIANS ROMANS (55 ANGLO-SAXON55 B.C.) VIKINGS (793 A.D.) (871-900 A.D.)B.C.-409 A.D.) INVASION (410 A.D.)

Gauls (Northen Julius Caesar ( 55-54 b.C.) Alfred

(849-901) France

Gaels (Ireland, Scotland)

Edward the Confessor (1042-1066)

Brythons (Wales, Cornwall)

Harold II (1066)

THE IBERIANS

b.C.2000

About for Iberians as (known people pre-Celtic origin) presumed their and Age Bronze civilization: of stage first metals, of introduction (gradual Age Iron the and huts wooden of building the agriculture) of beginning the uplink to trade-routes made they tribes distant Stonehenge built they them about things many know don't we hunters good and dark-haired were they shepherds, became they years the During and weaving in skills some acquired they they and agriculture knew they crafts, organization political some acquired primitive and temples huge built They fortifications

THE CELTS

Celtic of wave first ab.C., century 7th the about In in entered Europe Northen from Gaels) (the tribes North: the in settled they and Britain on customs and language laws, their imposed they peoples Iberian the own an with clans, or tribes in organized were they and justice of form primitive own an and king habits sun the god: important Most Druidism; Religion:

Theypower.greathadDruids,thepriest,their alsobutreligion,ofministersonlynotwere theeducatedTheyjustice.ofadministrators politicalthethanpowerfulmorewereTheyyoung. tribes.theofchiefs andhuntingfishing,ironworks,ingoodwereTheyagruculture withrelationscommercialingoodweretey tribesCelticotherwithandtradersMediterranean Iberiansthantallerandblondewerethey Theycentury.4ththeinBritaninvidedwavesecondA theinsettledtheyandBrytons/britonscalledwere WestandSouth-WestTHE ROMANS Christianityand(Latin)languagetheirbroughtThey Britons.againstbeganwaraBritain,inarrivedRomansWhen failure.awasexpeditionfirstthisbutb.C.,55inBritaininvadedCaesarJulius obtainonlybutland,thesubduetowantdidn'tHeb.C.54inagaintriedHe Rome.inenemieshisthanstrongerbetoorderinslavesandtributes BritishtheinfluencedconquestRomanthebutindependent,remainedBritaincivilization. relations.commercialstartedRomansandBritains HeClaudius.Emperorthewitha.D.,43inRomansbyconqueredfullwasBritain

Hadrian, Emperor of Rome, was the reason for the stop to the invasion of Scotland. Due to difficulties, some had the idea to subdue the country and divide it. In 121 A.D., a wall was erected in Welsh to stop the invasion. The Romans, who were actually civilized, were part of Britain. The principal Roman colonies were Glouchester, Colchester, Lincoln, and York. Each of these colonies had its own magistrates, Senate, and market square. The economic basis of London was agriculture, and the Romans built very good roads. The Romans tolerated the Celtic gods but practiced their own Roman cults. Christianity settled well in Wales. Then, in 410 A.D., the Romans came back to Italy and the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain. The Anglo-Saxons were good fishermen and farmers, but they were also warriors and pirates. In the 5th century, when the Romans withdrew their legions, the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain. Women often held great consideration in Saxon society. The Saxons, Angles, and Jutes (Germans) were often singing songs and liked music. The Saxons crossed the North Sea.

Orminstrelaby relaxation of moments in performed Wales into them drove or inhabitants British killed They story-tellers)(or bards called be would they Then "scop". Cornwall and and adventures war, about stories tell would they and elements: 3 for except out, wiped was civilization Roman royal the in or festivals during past the of legends heroic Roman paved the London, of centre commercial the formed it and oral originally was material this All courts. Christianity Welsh and roads "Anglo-Saxon as known Literature English earliest the and Canterbury (even abandoned were towns Some literature". London) primitive morea and destroyed was civilization Latin up. came civilization contacts the and much so Saxon the hated Welsh Welsh So few. very were cultures two the between and folklore its with Celtic, mainly remained civilization Round the of Knights the and Arthur King as (such legends Table) St. to thanks Rome from Britain to returned Christianity 597 in Great the Gregory Pope by sent monk a Augustine, Ireland. from century 5th the in Patrick St. to thanks and later he where Canterbury, in church a built Augustine

Archbishop. First, the country was called England and it was divided into 7 kingdoms: Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, and Sussex. The most important kingdom was Wessex.

In the 9th century, the Danes/Vikings invaded England. In Wessex, the king Alfred, also known as Alfred the Great, restored the Anglo-Saxon throne and defeated the Danes. He was the greatest English king before the Norman Conquest in 1066. Alfred was not only a great warrior, but also a great scholar. He introduced Latin culture into England and translated some Latin works into Anglo-Saxon.

After his death, the Danes/Vikings returned to England and ruled until the English king Edward the Confessor (1042-1066) restored the English throne. Edward the Confessor lived in Normandy and introduced the French language and Norman habits into England.