Important Dates
1066 - Battle of Hastings 1564-1616 - William Shakespeare 1620 - The Mayflower 1776 - American Revolution 1837-1901 - Victorian Period 1914-1918 - World War I 1939–1945 - World War II |
Part I
The Iberians The Iberians came to Britain from Spain and Northern Africa around 3000 B.C. They were rather short and dark haired and built henges which functioned as the centers of political and economic powers. One of the most famous henges is Stonehenge. The Beaker People The Beaker People came to Britain from Northwest Europe around 2400 B.C. They are named after their pottery skills. They buried their dead in separate graves and added a beaker in each one. They are responsible for the second building of Stonehenge. The Celts The Celts came to Britain from Northwest Europe around 700 B.C. because they were persecuted by the Romans. They consisted of several tribes: Scots, Picts and Brits - the latter gave its name to the land. They were illiterate and didn't make an impact on the English language. They were, however, skilled metal workers and made weapons and jewellry. Their spiritual and political war leaders were called "Druids". The Romans The Romans first came to Britain in 55 B.C. but did not conquer it until in 43 A.D. They built the city of London and brought reading and writing skills to the Brits who began adapting to the Roman way of life. The Romans could not, however, conquer Scotland and built Hadrian's Wall to keep the Picts out. The Germanic Invasion The Angels, Saxons and Jutes invaded Britain in the middle of the 5th century. The Celts fought against the tribes but were pushed back and either fled or swore allegiance to the Germanic lords. The Jutes settled in the south, the Saxons conquered both parts of the south and the middle of Britain and the Angels settled in the north. The Angles land later became England. The Vikings The Vikings came to Britain near the end of the 8th century. By the end of the 9th century they conquered the land except for Wessex which was ruled by King Alfred. The Vikings signed a treaty with the British king which allowed them to settle in the Danelaw. Jorvik (modern day York) was an important Viking center. The Battle of Hastings & William the Conqueror When Edward the Confessor died without an heir in 1066, 3 men claimed the right to the throne: William, Duke of Normandy; Harold, Earl of Wessex; and the Viking king, Harald Hardrada. William won the Battle of Hastings and was crowned King. This was the last time England was succesfully invaded. |
Part II
King Arthur King Arthur is considered a fabled king since there is no official proof that he actually existed but if he did he was most likely a Celtic king during the Anglo-Saxon invasions in 450 A.D. The first written document about him was found in "Historia Brittonum" in 820 A.D. The Domesday Book When William the Conqueror became king of Britain, he wanted to know more about his kingdom, specifically how much taxes he could collect. He sent his men to different parts of the land in order to assess people's land and fortune. All these records were collected in the Domesday book which was completed in 1086. Feudalism During the Middle Ages, Britain was ruled by the Feudal system which meant that the King owned all the land. The Nobles, such as the Barons, were granted control of specific portions of the land in exchange for loyalty. The Nobles could give some land to the Knights who had to pay taxes and offer military aid. In the lowest level of Feudalism you had the Serfs who were owned by the land and had to work for the Knights and the Nobles. Struggle for the Throne When William the Conqueror died in 1087, he gave Normandy to his oldest son, Robert and Britain to his second son, William II. The youngest son, Henry was left with some gold. When William ll died in a hunting accident in 1100, Henry crowned himself king. Robert attempted to invade Britain but was defeated and Henry conquered Normandy. England and Normandy was then untied under one king, Henry I. Reform of the Legal System During the 12th century, King Henry II introduced the jury system and the idea that people should be tried by their peers. He stopped the ancient tradition of “trial by death” and instead introduced the idea of witnesses and evidence. A caselaw system with travelling professional judges was established along with crown courts and church courts. Thomas Becket During the 12th century, King Henry II wanted everyone to be tried by the crown courts and not the church courts. The King's childhood friend: Archbishop Thomas Becket, was opposed to this. Becket was murdered by Henry’s men in 1170 during a church service which greatly shocked the nation and had great consequences for the King who was severely punished. Becket was declared a saint. Richard the Lionheart & King John Henry II had two sons: Richard and John. Richard I was a popular king even though he spent little time in Britain. One reason for his absence was his participation in the Third Crusade in 1190. When Richard I died in 1199, John became king but was not as popular as his late brother. John was greedy and did not help the Nobles when the French king invaded Normandy. Magna Carta In 1215, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta which meant that the King must be ruled by law and cannot raise taxes without the council’s approval. The document also prohibited the King from unjustly imprisoning or executing anyone. The Magna Carta was the first step towards the collapse of the Feudal system. |