The Origins of Britain

Context is a word made up of something which goes with the text. The book presents the culture background view from an European prospective.

The key words of the Middle Ages Christianity and Feudalism.

The feudalism is a political and military hierarchy dated back to the Medieval period. The hierarchy permits our society: in every institution there is a hierarchical structure.

Feudalism:

1. Pope

2. The Emperor

3. Knight, Earls...

4. Serfs: they depend on the land they cultivate.

Christianity was introduced in the Anglo-Saxon world by St. Augustine in Ireland, where monasteries became centre of culture. In facts, Ireland nowadays is Catholic. Presbyterianism, Anglican are other forms of religion presents in Great Britain.

In the Middle Ages the most important code of values was religion and the aim of men was to obtain salvation, so they got all sufferings to get it.

Women were not allowed in monasteries because they were considered sins. So culture were in the hands of men. They were supposed to be nuns, mothers and, if not, were considered dangerous temptresses because they tended men. If a woman didn't get married, she was considered a spinster.

The Iberians are the first inhabitants of Great Britain of which we have records. They settled in Britain in the Neolithic period. They were known as the "beakers" because they used cups of pottery, called beakers. Nowadays we can say something about them with archaeological remains. For example, the Stonehenge is a circle structure where they worshipped the Gods.

With the Celts we move from the stone period to the metal one. The Celts were compiled to do such activities to survive (farmers, hunters, fishermen and metal workers). They worshipped Gods that coincide with nature because old populations were terrified by nature. Druidism, a primitive nature, were not only a religion but it was also medicine, justice and education skills.

Primitive people cannot use technology.

In England there are some areas where some populations speak the old Celtic language (Welsh in Wales and Gaelic in Scotland)

VOCABULARY:

Survival= sopravvivenza

To survive= sopravvivere

To dig= scavare

Flood= innondazione

To worship= adorare

Sage= saggio

To dye= tingere

To serve a purpose= servire a uno scopo

To develop= sviluppare

Development= sviluppo

"ment" = suffisso che riguarda cose valutate come maschili e che danno l'idea di qualcosa che va avanti

"ship" = suffix which gives idea of a relationship

Reference= riferimento

Relevant= importante

Several= diverso

To unify= unity

Features= characteristics -> to characterize

To bring about= to make the development of something possible

To notice= notare con gli occhi

To note= notare con la mente

Sin= peccato

Nun= suora

Spinster= zitella

To set= ambientare

To set in= insiedarsi

Chariot= carro

To avenge= vendicare

Revenge= vendetta

Humiliation= umigliazione

To be important in something= essere importanti in qualcosa

Mistletoe= muschio UN

To make sense= avere senso

Chief= capo

Skill= capacità

To take pain= preoccupies

To reconcile= rimettere a posto due punti di vista (riconcigliare)

Incursion= incursione