History of the English Language

By cbernard
  • Period: 400 to

    English Language

  • 450

    Old English Era begins

    Old English Era begins
    This era spans from 450-1100
    Examples of writing:
    "‘Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name;"
  • Jan 1, 1000

    Beowolfs suspected date of writing

    Beowolf is suspected to start writing at about this time, but has nto become famous for it.
  • Sep 25, 1066

    The Norman Invasion

    The Invasion of England by the people of Norway happened on this day and for days following.
  • Jan 1, 1100

    Middle English Era

    Middle English Era
    This era spans from 1100- 1500
    Example of Writing:
    "Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
    The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,"
  • Oct 25, 1204

    England is the only home of Norman English

    The king of England loses to the French and so the only place that Norman English has is England
  • Jan 1, 1205

    First book in English appears

    SInce the conquest they had not been able to find a book in English and finally in 1205 one appreasr.
  • Oct 25, 1362

    English becomes official

    English becomes the official language of the law courts and more authors begin writing in English.
  • Jan 1, 1387

    Chaucer's Canterbury Tale

    The frame story is a great tale that was written between 1387 and 1400.
  • Jan 1, 1452

    The invention of the Printing Press

    This press took a very long time to perfect, but once it was, the bible was printed.
  • Oct 12, 1492

    Discovery of the Americas

    Discovery of the Americas
    Christopher Columbus Discovered the Americas and settled here.
  • Jan 1, 1500

    Early Modern English

    This era spans from 1500-1800.

  • More people learn to read

    Books become cheaper and more people begin to read in the 16th century.

  • The first Dictionary was published

  • Shakespeare dies

  • Shakespeares First Folio

    Shakespeares first folio was first published on this day in 1623 and about 500 copies were printed.

  • American Revolution

    This is also called the war of Independce, and last until about 1783

  • Late Modern English

    This era spans from 1800- Present.
    Example of Writing:
    "Porfirio drove Mami and me
    to Cook's mountain village
    to find a new pantry maid."

  • Works Cited

    http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~kemmer/Words/chron.html http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/resources/shakespeare-old-english/ http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/gchaucer/bl-gchau-can-genpro-m.htm http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/alvarez-audition.html

  • First serious Viking Incursion

  • Alfred Builds a Navy

    He finds prime soldiers and prepares to attack, this takes about 5 years.

  • Aethelred "the Unready" becomes King

    He is only 11 years old and becomes king of Essex.