History of the English Language 400-2012 A.D.

By gunsoverglory
  • Period: 400 to

    400-2012 A.D.

    This is a timeline from Old to Modern day English.
  • 600

    Rise of Saxon kingdoms [Old English]

    Irish and St. Augustine missionaries have success in converting Anglo-Saxons to Christianity.
  • 800

    Ireland and Britain Colonization [Old English]

    The Danish and the Scandinavians become part of what is now Ireland and Britain.
  • 900

    Danish Intrude England [Old English]

    The Danish intrude England and establish a kingdom at York which results in a Danish influence on English.
  • The Norman Invasion [Old English]
    1066

    The Norman Invasion [Old English]

    The Norman Invasion involved William the Conqueror, the Duke of
    Normandy which is a part of France invading and eventually conquering England brings about a new type of French aspect to the evolving Middle English Language which was at that time still Old English.
  • 1100

    Suspected date of Beowulf's writing [Old English]

    Beowulf was an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet that wrote sometime during the Old English era likely between 450 A.D. and 1100 A.D.
  • 1150

    Earliest Surviving Text [Early Middle English]

    1150 A.D. is known to hold the earliest form of the written text in Early Middle English.
  • 1171

    Oxford University [Early Middle English]

    In 1171, the University of Oxford was founded.
  • 1362

    English becomes Official Language [Middle English]

    English became the official language for laws, schools, and courts as opposed to any other language influencers.
  • 1400

    Chaucer's Canterbury Tales [Middle English]

    Chaucer Canterbury Tales are a Middle English era collection of 24 stories written by Chaucer himself sometime between 1340-1400.
  • 1440

    The invention of the Printing Press [Middle English]

    The invention of the printing press slowed language evolution as there was now a common language in documentation printed.
  • 1525

    Tyndale Bible [Early Modern English]

    In 1525 William Tyndale published the first publication of the New Testament in English.
  • 1534

    Act of Supremacy [Early Modern English]

    The Act of Supremacy establishes Henry VIII as "Supreme Head of the Church of England."
  • 1564

    Birth of Shakespeare [Early Modern English]

    Shakespeare is born.

  • The Discovery of North America [Early Modern English]

    The discovery of America and colonization resulted in a multi-variety of English. In some way, American English is more like the English of Shakespeare's writing as opposed to British English.
  • Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio [Early Modern English]

    Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio [Early Modern English]

    Shakespeare's First Folio was published in 1623 and was full of iconic plays such as Julius Caesar, Macbeth, The Tempest, and many others.
  • The American Revolution

    The American Revolution

    The American Revolution was a political war fighting for Independence from Britain.