Timeline: 1.07 History of the English Language Timeline

401

401 CE

Beginning of the 5th century.

449

Old English Era [BEGINNING] - 499 CE

According to Langster, the Old English period began in 449 CE, and started with the arrival of 3 Germanic tribes. These tribes had settled in the South and East of Britian, and became neighbors to the Celtics who lived there. There were four kinds of Old English:

Northumbrian
Mercian
Kentish
West Saxon

The language consisted of a complex grammar and pronoun system, and two numbers (singular and plural).

600

King of Kent's Baptism - Late 6th Century

According to ThoughtCo., "Ethelbert, the King of Kent, is baptized. He is the first English king to convert to Christianity."

672

Birth of Venerable Bede - 673

According to ThoughtCo., in 673 "Venerable Bede, the monk who composed (in Latin) The Ecclesiastical History of the English People (c. 731), a key source of information about Anglo Saxon settlement, was born".

Jan 1, 701

Beowulf Poem

Beowulf is an Old English poem that was suspected to have been written in the early 8th century, although it depicts events in the 6th century. The only scribed version of the poem we have today states back to 1000 CE, and was scribed by two differing individuals. We know not of whether the story has remained the same, or has been altered.

900

England's Foundations - Early 9th Century

According to ThoughtCo., "Egbert of Wessex incorporates Cornwall into his kingdom and is recognized as overlord of the seven kingdoms of the Angles and Saxons (the Heptarchy): England begins to emerge."

1065

Old English Era [ENDING] - Roughly 1100 CE

According to Langster, the Old English era of history had ended roughly in the 11th century.
(5th century - 11th century) The language, why it lasted, was mainly Germanic, and is not at all similar to the modern English we have today.

1066

Middle English Era [BEGINNING] - 1066 CE

12th Century

1066

The Norman Invasion - 1066 CE

The Norman Invasion took place on October 14th, 1066, with The Battle of Hastings, and marked a significant point in history for the English language and the social, administrative, and political changes in the British Isles.

1200

English Becomes the Dominant Language - Late 13th Century

According to ThoughtCo., "Under Edward I, royal authority is consolidated in England and Wales. English becomes the dominant language of all classes."

1209

University of Cambridge is Formed - 1209 CE

Scholars from Oxford created the University of Cambridge in 1209, and it is a currently standing school even these 8 hundred years later.

1387

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales - 1387 CE

Canterbury Tales, but Chaucer, was written in 1387 as part of the Middle English Era, and is a set of stories. The story is about 30 pilgrims who undertake the journey across Thames to London.

1397

First Monarch Speech - 1399 CE

From ThoughtCo.,"At his coronation, King Henry IV becomes the first English monarch to deliver a speech in English."

1440

Invention of the Printing Press - 1440 CE

In 1440, during the Middle English Era, the printing press was invented. It's believed that the machine was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in Germany, and is one of the most influential and important man-made machines in human history.

1499

Middle English Era [ENDING] - Roughly 1500 CE

According to several sources, it is believed that the Middle English period of history ended in 1500 CE.

1500

Modern English Era [BEGINNING] - 1500 CE

It is believed that the beginning of the Modern English Era was after 1500, and is still used today!
Why English has FOR SURE changed throughout these many years, even our version of "old English" like Shakespeare's writings, those are still apart of the Modern English Era.

1501

Discovery of the America's - 1501

In 1492 Christopher Columbus is thought to have discovered the America's on behalf of Italy, but actually landed in the Caribbean. The true discovery of the America's goes to Amerigo Vespucci, another Italian explorer. He'd discovered the continent as his boat sailed by the tip of South America, and realized that it was not in fact India that was there, as Chrispher Columbus had claimed. The names of the America's is credited to him as well, striving from his first name.

1604

First Dictionary Publication - 1604

The first English Dictionary was published in 1604 by Robert Cawdrey.

1607

First "American" Settlement - 1607

Jamestown, Virginia, is officially made in 1607, being the first "American" settlement.

1623

Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio - January 1st, 1623 CE

The Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio is, as said, the publication of Shakespeare's first Folio. His First Folio is a published work of many of Shakespeare's plays, comedies and tragedies, and was published 7 years after Shakespeare himself passed away.

1765

American Revolution - 1765 CE

The American Revolution, having started between 1765 and 1775, was the time in which Americans in the old colonies finally went to war with England for their freedom and independence from the UK. The American Revolution was finally won by the Americans in 1783, when the United States began building it's country.