"Evolution of the English language" By toast8906 450 Anglo-Saxon invasion on Britain Period: 450 to Jan 1, 2000 The Evolutioin of the English language 476 The fall of the Roman Empire Jan 1, 700 Beowulf Publication Jan 1, 1066 The Viking and Norman/French invasion of Britain Jan 1, 1343 The Birth of Geoffrey Chaucer Jan 1, 1386 The publication of the Canterbury Tales Jan 1, 1400 The Death of Geoffrey Chaucer Jan 1, 1509 The Beginning of the Reign of Henry VIII Jan 1, 1547 The end of the Reign of Henry VIII Jan 1, 1564 The Birth of William Shakespeare Jan 1, 1594 First performance of Romeo and Juliet Jan 1, 1603 The End of the Reign of Elizabeth I Jan 1, 1603 The Beginning of the Reign of James I Jan 1, 1603 The Beginning of the Reign of Elizabeth I Jan 1, 1616 The Death of William Shakespeare Jan 1, 1625 The end of the Reign of James I Jan 1, 1828 The First Webster's Dictionary Publication Jul 8, 1997 The Birth of Stephen Donahue