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The Anglo-Saxons. (449-1066). Magical island filled with legendary places and people: Stonehenge, Robin Hood, Shakespeare, Influences: The Industrial Revolution, popular culture, language. English common law-emphasized personal freedom and rights.
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The Anglo-Saxons (449-1066)
Magical island filled with legendary places and people: Stonehenge, Robin Hood, Shakespeare, Influences: The Industrial Revolution, popular culture, language. English common law-emphasized personal freedom and rights. America-influenced by British parliament, laws, government, and language. Great Britain/The United Kingdom
Celts- a sub group of the Brythons (Britons); Animism=their religion. Saw spirits in all of nature. Priests=Druids/Stonehenge-lunar and solar cycles. Celtic Mythology-influenced Arthurian legends/poets. Celtic Stories: full of strong women, magical animals, love affairs, adventures. Invaders of Great Britain:
Romans: (55 B.C.-409 A.D.) • Came under Caesar-Claudius • Great administrators. • Built roads, baths, Hadrian’s Wall-73 mi., aqueducts • Brought Christianity/Celtic religion died
Anglo-Saxons • Came from Germany and Denmark via the North Sea • Brought their language=“Engla Land” • King Alfred-Wessex (871-899) A.D.-unified A/S tribes, fought the pagan Danes, published the first history of England-TheAnglo-Saxon Chronicles (900-1066).
Women in Anglo-Saxon Culture: • Could inherit property from husbands/fathers • Some became abbesses-ran convents and were educated. • Hilda of Whitby Abbey was one of these.
Sutton Hoo Treasure (found in 1939) Suffolk, England • What was it?- A Viking treasure ship/grave filled with gold, silver, and bronze artwork and jewelry from the Anglo-Saxons. • Treasures show artistry of the A/S culture. • Warlike society/Values included: law and order,loyalty to a clan leader, success-judged via gifts from a leader, and community discussion/consensus.
Dark, fatalistic Warrior gods-Norse mythology: Odin-death, poetry, and magic- “Woden” Thor-Thunder, lightning, hammer or swastikam “Thor’s Day” Dragon-Protector of treasure, guardian of the grave mound. Values: Bravery, loyalty, generosity, and friendship Anglo-Saxon Religion:
Bards/Scops in A/S Society: • Poets as important as warriors • Sang in mead halls of heroes and gods • Accompanied by a harp told of heroic tales • Poems stressed transience of life • Preserved the culture of the tribe • Only fame/poetry could preserve memory
Influence of Monasteries: • Augustine Christianized Britain- 597A.D. • Supplied hope in a dark time of history • Centers of learning-Scriptorium=writing room where monks worked • Recorded/preserved great written works such as Beowulf from oral tradition • Monks wrote in the vernacular, later Latin