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Anglo-Saxon England 450-1066

Anglo-Saxon England 450-1066. Anglo-Saxon Background Christianity and Old English Culture. I. Anglo-Saxon England A. Background. 1. Desired by many 2. Hardships & new cultures 3. Celts (600 B.C.) a. tribes fought each other = instability b. farming culture.

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Anglo-Saxon England 450-1066

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  1. Anglo-Saxon England 450-1066 Anglo-Saxon Background Christianity and Old English Culture

  2. I. Anglo-Saxon England A. Background 1. Desired by many 2. Hardships & new cultures 3. Celts (600 B.C.) a. tribes fought each other = instability b. farming culture

  3. I. Anglo-Saxon England B. Roman Britain • Julius Caesar (55 B.C.) a. First attempt to conquer Britain • Begins Britain’s recorded history • Claudius (43 A.D.) a. Successful invasion • Celts push back and are kept in Wales and Scotland

  4. I. Anglo-Saxon England B. Roman Britain (cont) 3. Life in Roman Britain a.Prosperous b. Growing population c. Rural society with Roman influences • Decline and fall of Rome • Left Britain alone • Weak and divided = easy prey

  5. I. Anglo-Saxon England C. Anglo Saxons • Background a. Germanic tribes = Angles, Saxons, Jutes b. Tribesman= warriors, skilled at sea c. Drove remaining Celts into Wales d. “English” comes from Angles (6th century)

  6. I. Anglo-Saxon England c. Anglo Saxons (Cont) • Culture a. Tribal society (Violent) b. Warrior kings (bretwalda); men often battled c. Threat of death is high • Battles with neighboring tribes; capture=death or slavery • No Afterlife—live on in infamy by doing well in battle • ***Wyrd= fate -everyone dies but one can prolong death by being brave in battle

  7. I. Anglo-Saxon England C. Anglo Saxons (Cont) 2.Culture (cont) C. King and his duties 1.) Protection -thanes: fighting men who pledged to defend kings 2.) Rewards for faithful service -rings, gold, weapons as symbols of HONOR (wealth came from stealing) 3.) Revenge -must avenge death of thane or king. . . Lots of bloodshed, feuds **Wergild **COMITATUS CODE **Culture of arrogance and violence

  8. I. Anglo-Saxon England C. Anglo Saxons (Cont) 2.Culture (cont) • Royal living quarters 1.) Mead Hall (main structure) *mead= fermented drink made from honey, water, malt & yeast -place for royalty, thanes and servants to gather -Warriors sleep quarters -Feasting & fellowship took place here.

  9. I. Anglo-Saxon England C. Anglo Saxons (Cont) 2.Culture (cont) E. Feasting 1.) sign of wealth 2.) sustenance for battle and upon return 3.) fellowship 4.) entertainment -Scop (singing poet) told stories through poetry, a way of record-keeping -importance of fame and honor told through stories

  10. I. Anglo-Saxon England C. Anglo Saxons (Cont) • Competition and Unity a. Many kingdoms; some began assertive authority b. Aethelbert (560-616) -wanted unified, peaceful kingdom -King Arthur

  11. I. Anglo-Saxon England C. Anglo Saxons (Cont) • Competition and Unity (Cont) • Christian Church aided efforts in unification 1.) St. Augustine (597) came from Rome to Canterbury & est. first archbishop 2.) Missionaries successfully converted Anglo-Saxons to Christianity (early 600s) 3.) Development of Anglo-Saxon culture -contact with outside world -writing aided illiteracy -values (compassion & cooperation NOT arrogance & violence)

  12. I. Anglo-Saxon England C. Anglo Saxons (Cont) • Peak of the culture a. 8th century (Mercian bretwaldas ruling) b. Most poetry and prose from this time c. Combination of Anglo-Saxon and Christian cultures (blending)

  13. I. Anglo-Saxon England D. English Viking Era • Invasions from Denmark & Norway • Danelaw—most Anglo-Saxon land taken over • Opponents of Vikings—Alfred the Great (849-899) • Wessex (South) • Built first English Navy • Burns bergs = fortified towns • Fostered a 2nd great era of Anglo Saxon literacy culture before England is taken over -**Anglo Saxon Chronicle (891) a year by year account of happenings in the kingdom (important historically)

  14. I. Anglo-Saxon England D. English Viking Era (cont) • Split England a. North & East = Scandinavians b. South & Southeast = Anglo-Saxons • William the Conqueror (1066): -All of England under his control -**end of Anglo Saxon England

  15. I. Anglo-Saxon England E. Achievements of Anglo-Saxons • Language • Literature • Established traditions in law, government and religion • **First real “English” people

  16. II. Christianity and Old English Culture • Literature -Oral tradition until conversion, then written records • Background • Celts and Romans were Christian • After A-S invasions (next 150 yrs), Christianity kept in remote regions

  17. Christianity and Old English CultureB. Background (cont) 3. Pope Gregory (567) Sent St. Augustine as a missionary to King Aethelbert of Kent south) a. First convert b. Relationship between and literacy -1st written specimen of Old English (A-S language) is a code of laws created by Aethelbert -Alfred the Great united all kingdoms and translated various Latin works and made copies w/ Bede 4. Irish monasteries preaching at the same time as St. Augustine 5. Island is converted within 75 years

  18. Skits Assignment (20 points) Take your notes and synthesize the information in the form of a skit to demonstrate your understanding.

  19. Christianity and Old English CultureC. Christian Influences in Beowulf

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