Anglo Saxon Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Anglo Saxon?
The Anglo-Saxons were a group of Germanic tribes who inhabited Great Britain from the 5th century until the Norman Conquest of 1066. They were composed of three main tribes: the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. The culture and language of these people is known as Old English, or Anglo-Saxon. This period in history saw the emergence of England as a nation state and had a major influence on the development of modern English language and culture. The origin of the Anglo-Saxons is somewhat mysterious, but it appears that they may have come from northern Germany or Scandinavia during the 5th century CE. Many scholars believe that they may have been invited by King Vortigern to help defend Britain against invading Picts and Scots in return for land grants. It is also possible that they migrated voluntarily in search of new lands to settle in. In any case, by 600 CE they had established control over much of what would later become England (as well as parts of Wales and Scotland). The Anglo-Saxon period was an important part of British history it was during this time that England became a unified nation state with its own laws, customs, language, and literature. The early kings such as Alfred the Great laid down many laws which set out how society should be organised some aspects (such as trial by jury) remain part of British law today. Anglo-Saxon literature was mostly oral in nature but there are some surviving written texts from this period such as Beowulf (the oldest surviving epic poem written in Old English). Other works include heroic poems about famous battles or legendary heroes like King Arthur; Christian miracle stories; riddles; Ëświsdom’ poems; elegies for dead warriors; and many more. These works demonstrate how richly developed their culture had become by this time – something which still influences us today. In conclusion, it is clear to see why we owe so much to our Anglo-Saxon ancestors not only did they lay down many laws which are still applied today but their literature has also been an important influence on our own culture and language over time.