The History of the English Language

By lacey.ellison
  • Old English
    400

    Old English

  • Angelo-Saxon migrations to Britain begin
    450

    Angelo-Saxon migrations to Britain begin

  • Intro of the Latin Alphabet
    600

    Intro of the Latin Alphabet

  • Suspected date of Beowulf's writing.
    750

    Suspected date of Beowulf's writing.

  • Reign of Alfred the Great; promotes the use of English in writing
    871

    Reign of Alfred the Great; promotes the use of English in writing

    The start of this was 871 but ventured through to 899 AD
  • The Norman Invasion
    1085

    The Norman Invasion

  • 1150

    Middle English

  • 1150

    The end of Old English Period

  • The Black Death in England significantly impacts society and language.
    1348

    The Black Death in England significantly impacts society and language.

  • English becomes the language of law in England.
    1362

    English becomes the language of law in England.

  • Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
    1400

    Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

  • The invention of the printing press by William Caxton.
    1476

    The invention of the printing press by William Caxton.

  • 1500

    The end of the Middle English period

  • 1500

    Modern English

  • William Shakespeare's lifetime; influences the development of Early Modern English.
    1564

    William Shakespeare's lifetime; influences the development of Early Modern English.

  • Founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America

    Founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America

  • Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio

    Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio

  • The American Revolution

    The American Revolution

  • Treaty of Paris recognizes the independence of the United States

    Treaty of Paris recognizes the independence of the United States

  • World War II

    World War II

  • End of World War II

    End of World War II

  • The World Wide Web is introduced, revolutionizing global communication.

    The World Wide Web is introduced, revolutionizing global communication.

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