Notes on the history of the English language

The Conquest of Britain
-2 groups of celts invaded the British isles between 600 and 800 bc
-next came the Romans, they conquered Britain in about 55 bc
-300 years later the Roman empire collapsed, thus forced to leave Britain
- Next came the Anglo-Saxons, from Germany, they took over what is now England.

The coming of Christianity
- Christianity somehow managed to stay on the isles
- people established monasteries in the north
-St. Augustine set up more monasteries in the south
- the church helped unify the English people

The Norman Conquest
- William of Normandy claimed he had the right to the English throne
-William of Normandy set up the system so that the Normans could basically run stuff in the country

The Reign of the plantegents

- Henry II ended the Norman rule when he came to the throne

The Magna Carta

- Richard I spent most of his time staging conquests
- This made debt which King John inherited.
- John tried to raise taxes on the Barons but the Barons resisted. This prompted the signing of the magna carta
-this marked the first constitutional government in England.

Lancasters, Tudors and Yorks

The War of the Roses was a series of conflicts between these familys to gain control over the throne.

Decline of Fuedal System

- in 1381 peasants staged a revolt against fiefdom. Eventually free peasants replaced serfs in the middle ages