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597
Introduction of Christianity
As a result of the Anglo-Saxon invasions, these Christians, like the non-Christian Celts, were obliged to find shelter in the bleak forests and mountains in the northern and western parts of England. The tide turned in 597, however, when St Augustine arrived in Kent with about forty Christian missionaries under his leadership. -
700
Specially Trained Scribes
By and large, they were well-known for their military prowess, and not for their sophisticated culture. They were concerned with ordinary day-to-day living, and there was a lot of in-fighting until they were united by King Alfred the Great (871–899). As a result of this a standard began to be developed based on the Wessex (‘West Saxon’) dialect. Writing was very, very limited (first text: around AD 700), and generally, only specially trained scribes (usually monks) could write. -
1016
The Scandinavian Influence
These Vikings destroyed the kingdom of East Anglia and Northumbria and firmly established themselves in those kingdoms, the most well known Viking king of England being King Cnut (1016-1035). Though these Vikings plundered and slaughtered Anglo-Saxons mercilessly for years, they were more or less of the same tribal origin and were from the same part of Europe which was the original homeland of the Anglo-Saxons. -
1066
Norman Conquest of England
The major events that define the Middle English Period are at the cusp of the era, the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 and marking the close of the time was the arrival of printing in Britain and the English Reformation. In 1066 the King of England, Edward the Confessor died with no heir leaving the throne to Harold Godwinson. Harold was soon after attacked by the Duke of Normandy, William who overthrew the new king in the Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066 (Littlefield, 2013) -
1209
University of Cambridge is formed
The University of Cambridge is formed by scholars from Oxford. The scholars had migrated to Cambridge from Oxford to escape hostile townsmen. By 1226 the scholars were numerous enough to have set up an organization represented by a Chancellor. The school had arranged regular courses of study and taught their own members (about.com, 2013). -
1215
Magna Carta
King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta to avoid a rebellion. The Magna Carta, or the Great Charter, is the start of a constitution government in England and was the first document that limited the power of the monarchy. This new system is what leads to the foundation of the English Parliament (Alchin, 2012). The Magna Carta gave constitutional law to the English. -
1476
The Printing Press
In 1476, William Caxton set up the first printing press in England. Two improvements resulted directly from the use of this machine. First, books could be produced at a faster rate and higher quantity, becoming more widely available to people who could in turn, begin to learn to read. The rate of literacy went up, and this led to a more knowledgeable and capable population. -
Expansion
From the beginning of the 17th century, colonists began settling in America. Eventually, a uniquely American style of English evolved. Noah Webster published his dictionary in 1828, in an effort to standardize the American language. Of course, there are more similarities than differences in the various dialects of English. If you make a trip to modern day Britain, you will instantly recognize the differences, although you will easily be able to speak and be understood. -
The Great Vowel Shift
Took place in England
-Long vowel sounds were made higher and further forward in the mouth
-English lost the purer sounds of vowels which most European languages possess
-English lost phonetic pairing between short and long vowel sounds
-Responsible for many of the peculiar spellings of words which are found in the English language today
