The History of Great Britain

Exercises page 9

Exercise 1. THE EUROPEAN SCENE (LATE 4^TH C.-1485)

•1.    The Middle Ages in Europe begin with the end of the CLASSICAL  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 expansion of CRISTIANITY and the predominance of FEUDALISM as a social system.

•3.    INVASIONS  were a factor of change because they started settlements that gave origin to new KINGDOMS.

•4.    CRUSADES  and voyages opened new routes to TRADE and to the discovery of new lands.

•5.    Medieval society was mainly RURAL but towns started to grow along trade ROUTES, while some city-dwellers became part of the new MIDDLE CLASS in society.

Exercise 2. THE BRITISH SCENE: EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIOD (MAIN FACTS)

•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 Hastings was fought between Anglo-Saxons and Normans. TRUE

Exercise 3. THE ANGLO-SAXONS  (LATE 4^TH C.-1066)

Origin of tribes: German.

Invaded Britain: 5^th and 6^th centuries.

Social structure: chief or king, earls, thegns and finally freemen.

Kind of life: mainly rural, land owned communally.

Origins of towns: boroughs built as military bases, centres of trade.

Cities founded by Anglo-Saxons: Winchester, York, London, Norwich and Southampton.

Language: old English.

Type of culture: oral.

Influence of Christianity: united the kingdom, introduced writing.