The Anglo-Saxons

The Anglo-SaxonsThe Anglo-Saxons

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The British LegacyThe British Legacy• Great Britain has Great Britain has

been invaded and been invaded and settled many times settled many times by various groups.by various groups.

• Whatever is British Whatever is British today owes today owes something to each of something to each of these invaders.these invaders.

The Spirit of the CeltsThe Spirit of the Celts• The Celts saw spirits The Celts saw spirits

(gods) everywhere in (gods) everywhere in nature, and they are nature, and they are believed to control all believed to control all aspects of existence.aspects of existence.

• Priests, called Druids, Priests, called Druids, acted as intermediaries acted as intermediaries between the gods and between the gods and the people.the people.

• Sometimes participated Sometimes participated in ritual dances and in ritual dances and human sacrifice.human sacrifice.

Celtic StoriesCeltic Stories• Full of strong Full of strong

womenwomen• Leap into the Leap into the

sunlight (no matter sunlight (no matter how much blood is how much blood is spilled)spilled)

• Enchanted lands Enchanted lands where magic and where magic and imagination ruleimagination rule

Romans: The Great Romans: The Great AdministratorsAdministrators

• Built a network of roads and Built a network of roads and a great defensive wall 73 a great defensive wall 73 miles longmiles long

• Christianity gradually took Christianity gradually took holdhold

• Evacuated from Britain, Evacuated from Britain, leaving roads, walls, villas, leaving roads, walls, villas, and great public baths, but and great public baths, but no central governmentno central government

• Angles, Saxons, and Jutes Angles, Saxons, and Jutes then arrivedthen arrived

Unifying ForcesUnifying Forces• Alfred the Great helped England Alfred the Great helped England

become politically unified through become politically unified through battles against invading Danes.battles against invading Danes.

• Christianity gradually began to Christianity gradually began to convert England, providing a convert England, providing a common faith and common common faith and common system of morality and right system of morality and right conduct.conduct.

• In 1066, William, duke of In 1066, William, duke of Normandy, successfully invaded Normandy, successfully invaded England.England.

Anglo-Saxon LifeAnglo-Saxon Life• Warfare – law and order Warfare – law and order

were the responsibility of were the responsibility of the leader of the group.the leader of the group.

• Fame and success were Fame and success were gained only through loyalty gained only through loyalty to the leader, and success to the leader, and success was measured in gifts from was measured in gifts from the leader.the leader.

• Lived in clusters of Lived in clusters of buildings protected by a buildings protected by a fence.fence.

• Community discussion and Community discussion and rule by consensusrule by consensus

Anglo-Saxon ReligionAnglo-Saxon Religion• Odin, the Norse god of Odin, the Norse god of

death, was also called death, was also called Woden, from which we have Woden, from which we have Wednesday, Woden’s day.Wednesday, Woden’s day.

• Thor, the Norse god of Thor, the Norse god of thunder and lightening, is thunder and lightening, is where we get Thursday, where we get Thursday, Thor’s day.Thor’s day.

• Religion is concerned with Religion is concerned with the earthly virtues of the earthly virtues of bravery, loyalty, generosity, bravery, loyalty, generosity, and friendship.and friendship.

Bards: Singing of Gods and Bards: Singing of Gods and HeroesHeroes

•To the Anglo-Saxons, To the Anglo-Saxons, creating poetry was creating poetry was as important as as important as fighting, hunting, fighting, hunting, farming, or loving.farming, or loving.

•Poets sang to the Poets sang to the strumming of a harp.strumming of a harp.

Hope in Immortal VerseHope in Immortal Verse• For non-Christian Anglo-For non-Christian Anglo-

Saxons, whose religion Saxons, whose religion offered them no hope of an offered them no hope of an afterlife, only fame and its afterlife, only fame and its commemoration in poetry commemoration in poetry could provide a defense could provide a defense against death.against death.

• Bards, who preserved one’s Bards, who preserved one’s fame, were honored fame, were honored members of Anglo-Saxon members of Anglo-Saxon society.society.

Christian MonasteriesChristian Monasteries• Served as centers of Served as centers of

learninglearning• Preserved the Latin and Preserved the Latin and

Greek classics, as well as Greek classics, as well as great works of popular great works of popular literatureliterature

• Monks spent almost all Monks spent almost all their daylight hours their daylight hours copying manuscripts by copying manuscripts by handhand

Rise of the English Rise of the English LanguageLanguage

• Latin alone remained the Latin alone remained the language of serious study in language of serious study in England until the time of England until the time of King Alfred.King Alfred.

• Alfred instituted the Alfred instituted the Anglo-Anglo-Saxon ChronicleSaxon Chronicle, a running , a running history of England.history of England.

• English began to gain English began to gain respect as a language of respect as a language of culture.culture.