The history of the English language timeline

Period: 450 BCE to 480 BCE

early old English
500

St. Augustine arrives in Britain.

https://www.magnificat.ca/cal/en/saints/saint_augustine_of_canterbury.html
580

The suspected date of Beowulf's writing.

https://books.google.com/books?id=kWs1Wvp0otAC&pg=PA187&lpg=PA187&dq=Suspected+date+of+Beowulf%27s+writing&source=bl&ots=KA-yo5EXIE&sig=BdotGAozc4DOFqRRXYiqcI9sjw4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwizpsbDgOTJAhUT62MKHUJ_BmoQ6AEIKzAB#v=onepage&q=Suspected%20date%20of%20Beowulf's%20writing&f=false
Jan 1, 600

Anglo- Saxton language cover (Modern English)

http://www.thehistoryofenglish.com/timeline.html
Jan 1, 700

vikings raid of britian being.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse_activity_in_the_British_Isles
Jan 1, 800

Old English epic poem "Beowulf" composed

https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/beowulf
Jan 1, 871

Saxon Chronical

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/medieval/angsaxintro.asp
878

Danelaw established, dividing Britain into Anglo-Saxon south and Danish north
1000

The oldest surviving manuscript of “Beowulf” dates from this period
Period: 1066 to 1399

middle english
1100

London becomes de facto capital of England
1154

“The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle” discontinued
1209

Cambridge University established
1362

English is used in English Parliament for the first time
1388

Chaucer begins “The Canterbury Tales”
1450

The Great Vowel Shift begins
Period: 1450 to 1755

Early Modern English
1500

Start of English Renaissance
1549

First version of “The Book of Common Prayer” published
1623

First Folio of Shakespeare’s works is published
1755

Samuel Johnson publishes his “Dictionary of the English Language”
1763

Britain wrests control of Canada from the French
Period: 1763 to 1989

Late Modern English
1777

Last native speaker of the Celtic Cornish language dies
1788

British penal colony established in Australia
1804

Lewis and Clark document exploration of routes to American West
1840

British colony established in new Zealand
1922

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) founded
1989

Second edition of the “Oxford English Dictionary” is published

early old English

St. Augustine arrives in Britain.

The suspected date of Beowulf's writing.

Anglo- Saxton language cover (Modern English)

vikings raid of britian being.

Old English epic poem "Beowulf" composed

Saxon Chronical

Danelaw established, dividing Britain into Anglo-Saxon south and Danish north

The oldest surviving manuscript of “Beowulf” dates from this period

middle english

London becomes de facto capital of England

“The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle” discontinued

Cambridge University established

English is used in English Parliament for the first time

Chaucer begins “The Canterbury Tales”

The Great Vowel Shift begins

Early Modern English

Start of English Renaissance

First version of “The Book of Common Prayer” published

First Folio of Shakespeare’s works is published

Samuel Johnson publishes his “Dictionary of the English Language”

Britain wrests control of Canada from the French

Late Modern English

Last native speaker of the Celtic Cornish language dies

British penal colony established in Australia

Lewis and Clark document exploration of routes to American West

British colony established in new Zealand

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) founded

Second edition of the “Oxford English Dictionary” is published