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THE STORY OF
BRITAIN
From the Pre-Celtic Peoples
to the Anglo-Saxons
United Kingdom
Member States
Four nations:
GENERAL
ASPECTS
- England
- Wales
- Scotland
- Northern Ireland
Physical
map
Physical aspects of the UK
Most of the north and west of the UK is covered in high ground, knife-edged mountain ridges separated by deep valleys
In the south of England, the countryside is mostly rolling hills
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
THE PRE-CELTIC PEOPLES
They were later called Iberians (2000 B.C.)
They were pushed in the north of Britain (Scotland) by the first Celtic wave
They were pushed in Ireland by the Britons
FIRST CELTIC WAVE
submitted by
the Gaels
(seventh century)
SECOND CELTIC WAVE
submitted by
the Britons
(fourth century)
They submitted the South and the East of Britain, but they could not conquer Scotland
THE ROMANS
They conquered Britain under the Emperor Claudius
First expedition by Julius Caesar from Gaul
HADRIAN'S WALL
Built to keep invaders from the north out of the Roman province of Britain.
It stretched across northern Britain for 73 miles (118 kilometres) from coast to coast.
THE GERMANIC PEOPLES
After that Rome withdrew its legion they dividing it into seven Kingdoms:
- East Anglia
- Essex
- Kent
- Mercia
- Northumbria
- Sussex
- Wessex
At the beginning of 400 A.D. Germanic invaders from the North Sea began to settle in Britain
THE NEW INVADERS: VIKINGS
They conquer all the land in the second half of the 9th century, but they could not conquer the Wessex
Alfred the Great defeated the Danes and pushed them into the North-eastern part of England (Danelaw)
Ruled 871 to 899
Alfred was one of the greatest Anglo-Saxon kings.
After years of fighting, Alfred made peace with the Vikings. They agreed to divide up the country - the Vikings took an area in the north and Alfred controlled the south.
York: a Viking city
SOCIAL
OVERVIEW
SOCIAL OVERVIEW
IBERIANS
The Iberians had the first stages of civilization during the Bronze and Iron Ages
- BRONZE AGE
Stonehenge
- IRON AGE
They lived in large tribes
Horned shield
CELTIC CIVILIZATION
They were organized in clans. Each clan had a king
The Druids (priests)
administered justice and educated the young
Druid statue
The Battersea shield
ROMAN CIVILIZATION
The Romans civilized the South and East
PRINCIPAL COLONIES:
- York
- Lincoln
- Colchester
- Gloucester
London was the most important city with about 15.000 people
Roman's roads
The economic basis were agriculture and mineral exploitation
Public bath system
(in Bath)
THE DANES
Gradually the Vikings riders began to stay and became mostly farmers and ranchers
Besides they were expert shipbuilders
They were also skilled in working wood, metal and whalebone
Wooden bowls and cups
runic inscription
The "Thing" was an early version of today's parliament where people met to discuss new laws
There are no written records of them until the 11th century
THE ANGLO-SAXONS
After a period of plunder and destruction the invaders settled in Britain
In their society there was equality of sexes, women were in great consideration
They were farmers or fishermen and the basis of their economy was agriculture
They lived in small communities
The scop
BEOWULF
Beowulf is the only surviving Anglo-Saxon heroic poem.
It was written by an Anglo-Saxon minstrel or 'scop'.
It is an Old English heroic poem consisting
of 3182 alliterative long lines.
BEOWULF
CHARACTERS
Beowulf is the hero of the Anglo-Saxons' poem Beowulf.
He was the son of Ecgþeow, a banished warrior of the Wægmundings. He fights the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a fire-breathing dragon.
Grendel is a demon descended from Cain, one of the three antagonists in the poem.
King Hrothgar is the king of the Danes. Hrothgar enjoys military success and prosperity until Grendel terrorizes his realm.
CHARACTERS
Grendel’s Mother is an unnamed swamp-hag, Grendel’s mother seems to possess fewer human qualities than Grendel, although her terrorization of Heorot is explained by her desire for vengeance—a human motivation.
The Dragon is an ancient, powerful serpent, the dragon guards a horde of treasure in a hidden mound. Beowulf’s fight with the dragon constitutes the third and final part of the epic.
STORY
PLOT I
PLOT I
Beowulf is a noble warrior from Geatland, Southern Sweden
He decided to help Hrothgar, King of Herot and his mead-hall, from the threat of Grendel the monster.
He struggled Grendel in a fight and killed him.
Later, Grendel’s mother killed one of Hrothgar’s best fighters to avenge her son’s death.
Beowulf then tracked her down to her hiding place, a cave beneath a magical lake, and killed her with an enchanted sword.
PLOT II
PLOT II
The second part of the poem is set fifty years after the events in Denmark. A now aged Beowulf has become the King of the Geats and has to face a final challenge – a deadly fight with a fire-breathing dragon. Initially, the dragon has the upper hand in the fight, but Beowulf is aided by his faithful kinsman Wyglaf, who wounds the dragon and lets the dying King kill the monster.
The poem ends with Beowulf’s funeral and a lament for his death.