The History of the English Language

  • Period: 450 to 480

    Earliest Old English Inscriptions

  • 660

    “Cædmon's Hymn” composed in Old English

    “Cædmon's Hymn” composed in Old English
  • 750

    Beowulf's writing

    Beowulf's writing
  • 792

    Viking raids of Britain begin

    Viking raids of Britain begin
  • Period: 1066 to 1071

    The Norman Invasion

  • 1167

    Founding of Oxford University

    Founding of Oxford University
  • Period: 1337 to 1453

    Hundred Years' War

  • 1348

    Black Death

    Black Death
  • Period: 1387 to 1400

    Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

  • Period: 1400 to

    The Great Vowel Shift

  • 1436

    The invention of the printing press

    The invention of the printing press
  • 1492

    The discovery of the Americas

    The discovery of the Americas
  • The First English Dictionary "Table Alphabeticall" by Robert Cawdrey

    The First English Dictionary "Table Alphabeticall" by Robert Cawdrey
  • King James Version (King James Bible) Completed

    King James Version (King James Bible) Completed
  • Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio

    Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio
  • Period: to

    The American Revolution

  • Period: to

    World War II