Exercise 1

1. The Middle Ages in Europe begins with the end of ancient cultures of Rome and Greece and end with the beginning of the Renaissance.

2. The main features shared by many European countries in the Middle Ages were the expansions of Christianity and the predominance of feudalism as a social system.

3. Invasions were a factor of change because they started the settlements that gave origin to new kingdoms.

4. Crusades and voyages opened new routes to trade and to the discovery of new land.

5. Mediaeval society was mainly feudal but towns started to grow along trade routes, while some city-dwellers became part of the new bourgeoisie in society.

Exercise 2

1. The early Middle Ages in Britain started with the Viking invasion False

2. Anglo-Saxon England  was always divided into seven kingdoms False

3. The spread of Christianity in Britain began in the 6^th century True

4. The Danes, of Viking origin, founded a kingdom in East Anglia True

5. Alfred the great and King Cnut were both of Anglo-Saxon descent False

6. The battle of Hasting was fought between Anglo-Saxons and Normans True

Exercise 3

The Anglo-Saxons were a Germanic tribe and invaded Britain in the 5^th and 6^th century.

The Anglo-Saxon king or chief was the military leader. He was followed by the "earls" (nobles) and the "thegns" (companions of the king), while "Freemen" belonged to the lowest social class.

The Anglo-Saxons had their own religion, a code of values based on fidelity and on a high sense of honour to their chiefs, peculiar fishing and farming methods.

In the 8^th and 9^th century Anglo-Saxons founded military bases that  grew and became centres of trade and cities.

The most important Anglo-Saxons cities are: Winchester, Norwich, London, Southampton and York.

The Anglo-Saxons spoke Old-English and their culture was based on oral tradition.

Christianity began to spread throughout pagan Anglo-Saxons from the end of the 6^th century. The Church influenced the culture with the introduction of  written tradition.