The Anglo-Saxons Flashcards
Who were the Anglo-Saxons?
group of Germanic warrior tribes
Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from?
northern Germany
Which tribes were known as the Anglo-Saxons?
Angles, Saxons and Jutes
When did the Anglo-Saxons arrive in Britain?
5th-6th century
The Anglo-Saxons exploited the absence of Roman defenses after 409
The Anglo-Saxon conquest was gradual rather than a swift invasion
How was the alphabet used by the Anglo-Saxons called?
runic alphabet
How was the runic alphabet used?
short inscriptions on metal, wood or stone
Most Anglo-Saxons were initially illiterate
Which language evolved from the languages spoken by the Anglo-Saxons?
Old English
Old English is a Germanic language and the first form of English
Many everyday English words come fromOld English, such as the days of the week
What was the base of the Anglo-Saxon economy?
agriculture, deep-sea fishing, whale and sea hunt
What did the Anglo-Saxons build at the center of theri villages?
great halls
Great halls were beautifully decorated with carvings and paintings
What was the basic unit of Anglo-Saxon society?
tribes/clans
What were the main values of Anglo-Saxon society?
love for beauty, personal freedom, courage and loyalty (to the tribe and to its leader)
The Anglo-Saxons enjoyed drinking and feasting
What was the first religion of the Anglo-Saxons?
polytheism/paganism
The Anglo-Saxons worshipped Germanic deities, such as Thor and Odin
When did Christianity come back to Britain? Who brought it back?
6th century, the monk Augustine/St Augustine
Pope Greogory I the Great sent Augustine on his mission to England.
Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury
Which were the main cultural and social centers after the spread of Christianity?
monasteries
Where does the word England come from?
“Angle Land” (land of the Angles)/from the “Ecclesiastical History of the English People” by Venerable Bede
The “Ecclesiastical History” is the main sources for Anglo-Saxon history
