English Through the Ages

  • 700

    Beowulf's Writing

    Through 750
    An alliterative style poem with 3,182 lines.
  • 1066

    The Norman Invasion

    through 1075
    Led by the Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, the invasion and occupation of England resulted in political, administrative, and social changes throughout the British Isles.
  • 1150

    Oldest Surviving Manuscripts

    Later found, and recovered, the oldest manuscripts contained Orosius's History against the Pagans. It's called Tollemache Orosius
  • 1154

    The "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" Discontinued

    A collection of Old English documents regarding the history of the Anglo-Saxons.
  • Oxford University Established
    1167

    Oxford University Established

    Oxford University is widely known for publishing many pieces of literature that define the use of English as a language.
  • 1362

    The Statute of Pleading Replaces French with English

    This is an obviously big step for the English language. This allowed the common people to understand and be fairly treated in court.
  • 1362

    English Used in Parliment

    The chancellor first opened parliament with an English speech. Henry V ended up being the first King to to use English instructions since the Anglo-Saxon times.
  • Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
    1387

    Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

    A collection of 24 stories resulting in 17,000 lines written in Middle English.
  • 1440

    The Printing Press Invention

    Johannes Gutenberg is credited as the inventor for the printing press. It is said to be one of the most important creations of our time, based on the ability to copy information for mass distribution later.
  • 1492

    Discovery of North America

    The discovery of North America was monumental because the colonials that inhabited that land ended up putting a pause on true English from Britain. American English of today is closer to Old English than British English today.
  • 1500

    Start of English Renaissance

    A cultural and artistic movement in England. This showed the beginning of a new era for language, art, and culture
  • Shakespeare's Death

    Shakespeare was a writer, screenwriter, and poet. He influenced the art of literature with every piece he displayed.
  • Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio

    Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio

    Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies was published in 1623. It is a collection of plays popularly referred to as the First Folio. It is a very influential publication for its time.
  • Samuel Johnson Publishes Dictionary of the English Language

  • The American Revolution

    Through 1783
  • "The Times" First Published in London

    Previously known as The Daily Universal Register, published in 1785, then changed to The Times in 1788. A well known news paper to the current day.