A distinct identity

Question 1

What languages did English evolve from?

Answer 1

Gradually the following 2 languages combined to become one English language:

• Norman French - which was spoken by the King and his noblemen since the Norman conquest
• Anglo-saxon - which was still spoken by peasants

Question 2

Name some English words that originated from Norman French?

Answer 2

• Park
• Beauty

Question 3

Name some English words that originated from Anglo-Saxon?

Answer 3

• Summer
• Apple
• Cow

Question 4

The Norman French and Anglo-Saxon origin of English has resulted in a number of examples of 2 different words with a similar meaning.

Give an example of this?

Answer 4

• Demand (French)
• Ask (Anglo-Saxon)

Question 5

By which date did English become the preferred language of the Royal Court and Parliament for official documents?

Answer 5

15th Century

1400

Question 6

Who wrote “The Canterbury Tales”?

Answer 6

Geoffrey Chaucer

Question 7

When were “The Canterbury Tales” written?

Answer 7

Chaucer began the tales in 1387 and continued until his death in 1400

Question 8

What are “The Canterbury Tales”?

Answer 8

• A book by Geoffrey Chaucer
• 24 tales (poems)
• About a group of people going to Canterbury on a pilgrimage

Question 9

Who was the first person in England to print books using a printing press?

Answer 9

William Caxton

Question 10

What was one of the first books printed by William Caxton?

Answer 10

The Canterbury Tales

Question 11

Which Medieval Scottish author wrote “The Bruce”?

Answer 11

John Barbour

Question 12

When did John Barbour write “The Bruce”?

Answer 12

14th Century

1375

Question 13

What is John Barbour’s “The Bruce” about?

Answer 13

The Battle of Bannockburn

Question 14

The Middle Ages saw a change in the type of buildings in Britain.

Name 2 types.

Answer 14

• Castles
• Cathedrals

Question 15

Name two British castles still in use today.

Answer 15

• Windsor
• Edinburgh

Question 16

Name a British Cathedral famous for its stained glass?

Answer 16

The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe

Question 17

What resource was an important export for Medieval Britain?

Answer 17

English wool

Question 18

In the Middle Ages, people came to England from abroad to trade and work.

Name 4 special trade skills and the country they were likely to have come from.

Answer 18

• Weavers from France
• Engineers from Germany
• Glass manufacturers from Italy
• Canal Builders from Holland

Question 19

When did the Norman conquest end?

Answer 19

11th Century

1075

Question 20

The Middle Ages saw the development of a national cultural and identity. After the Norman Conquest, the king and his mates spoke Norman French, and the peasants had continued to speak Anglo-Saxon. What language did these two combined create?

Answer 20

An English language.

Question 21

“Park” and “beauty” in modern English are based on which of these two?

Answer 21

Norman French words.

Question 22

“Summer”, “apple”, and “cow” in modern English are based on which of these two?

Answer 22

Anglo-Saxon words.

Question 23

In modern English there are often two words with similar meaning, one from French and one from Anglo Saxon. What are some examples?

Answer 23

“Demand” from French and “Ask” from AngloSaxon.

Question 24

What happened regarding the English language by 1400AD?

Answer 24

Official documents were being written in England, and English had become the preferred language of the royal court and Parliament.

Question 25

In the years leading up to 1400, what did Geoffrey Chaucer do?

Answer 25

He wrote a The Canterbury Tales.

Question 26

What are the Canterbury Tales? What is significant about it?

Answer 26

A series of poems in English about a group of people going to Canterbury on a pilgrimage. The people tell each other stories on the journey and the poems describe the travelers and some of the stories they told. Some of the stories are still told today and have been made into plays and television programs.

Question 27

Who is William Caxton, and what is his relationship to the Canterbury Tales?

Answer 27

He is thought to be the first person to introduce a printing press into England, in 1476. The book was one of the first to be printed by William using a printing press.

Question 28

What language was being spoken in Scotland around this time?

Answer 28

Gaelic but the Scots language was developing.

Question 29

The Middle Ages also saw a change in the type of buildings in Britain. Castles were built in many places in Britain and Ireland, party for defence. Many are in ruins, but which one are still in use today?

Answer 29

Windsor and Edinburgh.

Question 30

Great Cathedrals were also built, many of these still used for worship. What is an example of one of these?

Answer 30

Lincoln Cathedral

Question 31

Several of the cathedrals had windows of stained glass, which told stories about what? What is a famous example?

Answer 31

The Bible and Christian saints. The glass in York Minster.

Question 32

During this period, England was an important trading nation. What became a very important export?

Answer 32

English wool.

Question 33

People came to England came from abroad to trade and to work, many of which had special skills. Where were these people from, and what skills did they have?

Answer 33

France - Weavers Germany - Engineers Italy - Glass manufacturers Holland - Canal Builders

Question 34

What is the House of Tudor’s symbol; what did it represent?

Answer 34

Red rose with a white rose inside it. It showed that York and Lancaster were now allies.

Question 35

How long did the Hundred Years war actually last?

Answer 35

116 years

Question 36

When was the Battle of Agincourt?

Answer 36

15th Century

1415

Question 37

Why was the outcome of the Battle of Agincourt surprising?

Answer 37

King Henry V was victorious

even though his English army

was vastly outnumbered by the French