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they didn't succeed
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the celts were great warriors
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then William the Conqueror brought french people to court and the French language brought an end to the old english era
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european tribes (west-germanic) tried to conquer GB, the Angles and the Saxons succeeded. The celts were driven away. Scotland and Ireland stayed celtic. They called the conquered land Anglaland → Old Engelish era: 450-1066 (anglo-saxon). the language didn’t mix with the celtish language. Reasons to invade:
- they weren’t scared of the celts
- land was fertile
- GB was safer than europe -
Original belief was pagan (multiple gods) so there was a lot of trouble. the anglosaxons were taught The Lord’s Prayer. Christianity was spread by Roman and Scottish monks. Literacy brought back by Christians: writings were primarily religious
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the vikings were from Norway and Denmark but they were called Danes. The land in which they settled was called Danelaw. It was good farmland. They raided monasteries because monks were wealthy. They broughts new words to the english language.
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the vikings surrendered to be ruled by the british king Alfred the Great.
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this was because Edward the Confessor, king of England, died without heirs. He had promised the throne to William of Normandy, but king Howard, who was british, wanted the throne. In the battle of hastings William won and he was called William the Conqueror. He decided to speak french at court. In GB 3 languages were spoken: English (common people), French (court) and Latin (church). In 1066 the language changed to Middle English under this french influence.
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humanism and reformation (church) fundamentally changed culture: no “momento mori” but “carpe diem”
renewed interest in the greek and roman classics
ongoing influence and literacy of middle classes
main literary forms were poetry and plays --> shakespeare -
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the puritans were highly religious and wanted to ban the plays because there was too much entertainment in them.
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that was because a civil war from 1642 - 1649: charles I (monarchy) - Oliver Cromwell (parliament-puritan). charles got beheaded. Oliver Cromwell became head of the state and decided to close the theatres.
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→ restoration of theaters
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the emphasis was on reason and rationality. isaac newton: discovered gravity. church was not important anymore. individual was centered. a lot of new inventions. there was an industrial revolution. it opened a way for independence and democracy for america.
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first best selling novel because it was for common people.
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by Samuel Johnson
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Because the emphasis had been on science for a long time and everyone was busy with work and reason and there wasn’t much fun, people sought refuge in poetry. there they could express their feelings and flee from reality. Poems were often about nature. they were written in simple language.
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