Chapter 3 - A Long and Illustrious History

Early Britain

Hunter gatherers
Separated in 10,000 years ago
Farming in 6,000 years ago
The building of Stonehenge, county of Wiltshire
Skara Brae on Orkney

Bronze age 4,000 years ago
Followed by Iron age, where coins are minted, round house and hill forts are built (Maiden castle, Dorset). Sophisticated life: farmer, craft worker, warrior.

The Romans
55BC Julius Ceasar led an invasion but failed, for 100 years
45AD Emperor Claudius led an invasion and although there were resistance from the tribes, the Romans successfully occupied most of Britain, except Scotland. Boudicca, queen of Inceni, was one of the tribe leaders who fight the Romans, burning down Bath.
Emperor Hadrien built wall, what left is known as Vindolanda and Housteads.
Romans remain in Britain for 400 years.
Effect:

• Public roads and buildings
• Structure of law
• Art and architecture
• Christian communities (3rd and 4th century)

The Anglo Saxon

410AD Roman leaves Britain to defend other parts of the Roman empires and never come back

600AD Britain was invaded by tribes: Jutes, Angles, and Saxons (Northern Europe)

Christiany: Anglo Saxon originally has no religion. Missionaries spread Christiany, St Columba, St Patrick, St Augustine becomes archbishop of Cantebury.

The Vikings (Norway, Denmark)

789AD Vikings visited East Britian for taking goods and slaves. Anglo-Saxons kingdom was united in England under King Alfred the Great.

Keneth McAlpin unite the North under threat of the Vikings, and form what is known today as Scotland.

Norman conquest

1066AD an invasion led by William, Duke of Normandy (northern France) is successful. Anglo-Saxons king Harold was killed in the battle. William became king of England, and is known as William the Conqueror. Beyeux tapestry describes/glorifies the battle.

Norman French language, of the ruling class, influence the English language.

Invasion of Wales but gradually fails

Invasion of Scotland, take some land but did not invade.

Draw up list (village, production, land), known as Domesday. Domesday still exists and gives a good picture of Britain after the Norman conquest.

Middle Age (1066-1485)

1200 English help Irish king and maintain power around Dublin, maintain a permanent settlement 

1284 King Edward I of England, Statute of Ruddlan

1314 Scottish, Robert the Bruce defeated the English at battle of Bannockburn 

Norman-French 100 year war. King Henry V defeated the French whilst being vastly outnumbered.

1450 English left France

Black death (1348) one third population died. Strong middle class.

Legal and political changes:

• 1215, Magna Carta was formed, limiting King's power (King is under law, and any law has to be involved with nobles)
• House of lords (noble and bishop), House of common (knights and wealthy individuals), House of clergy (Scotland)
• Independent judicial system was also developed. England, common law. Scotland, codified.

A distinct identity:
Merge of the two languages: Norman French and Anglo-Saxons, known as English today. All official documents were written in English as a preferred language.
Up to 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a series of poem, describing people during the Canterbury pilgrimage. This is known as 'The Canterbury tales'. Caxton press printed the poems as one of the first press-printed book.
In Scotland, John Babour wrote Bruce in battle of Bannockburn

King Henry VII War of rose
1455 civil war between two houses, with roses as symbol.
1485 King Richard, House of York, was killed in battle of Bosworth by King Henry Tudor, House of Lancaster. Henry became King Henry VII

Tudors and Stuarts King Henry VIII
King Henry VII strengthened centralised power in England, reduced power of the nobles.
King Henry VIII reform the church and found Protestantism, allowing him to appoint bishop. The bishop then approved his divorce.

Protestants and Catholics, Bloody Mary,
1588, English defeated Spanish Armanda, Queen Elizabeth I became one of the popular monarchs in English history.