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400
Beginning of Timeline
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Period: 450 to 1100
Old English
This link directs to an example of what Old English writing looked like: https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto,h_1248,w_2220/v1582736028/shape/mentalfloss/53027-britishlibrary.png?itok=Lm4_bur6 -
673
Birth of the Venerable Bede
The Venerable Bede was a monk who composed "The Ecclesiastical History of the English People." -
700
Earliest Date of Old English Manuscript Records
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800
Scandinavian Settlements Begin in Great Britain and Ireland
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Period: 975 to 1025
Suspected Date of Beowulf's writing
Beowulf is an epic poem written in Old English. It tells the tale of a Germanic heroic legend. It is one of the most translated and important pieces of Old English literature. -
1066
The Norman Invasion
The Norman Invasion occurred when the Duke of Normandy invaded and conquered England. The Normans introduced a language similar to French which was spoken among the Royal Court. Eventually, the French-type language became integrated into the pre-existing English language. The new language consisting of predominantly English mixed with French words became known as Middle English. -
Period: 1100 to 1500
Middle English
This link directs to an example of what Middle English writing looked like: https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.bd804ab33f36b649989af1685097aefa?rik=qPmqUS9OFAlSuQ&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.worldlanguage.com%2fLanguageSamples%2f263.gif&ehk=jU2KwvisU6YCtwTWnesxPD%2fp0ecCENK1uytqDzNBq%2bU%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0 -
1209
The University of Cambridge Formed by Oxford Scholars
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1215
Magna Carta is Signed by King John
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1375
Great Vowel Shift begins
The Great Vowel Shift began in the mid to late 14th century. It marked the loss of "pure" vowels sounds and phonetic pairings of most short and long vowel sounds in the English language. -
Period: 1387 to 1400
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four Middle English stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer. The stories tell of a group of pilgrims that travel from London to Canterbury. Along their journey, they visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at the Canterbury Cathedral. When they return from their quest, they are promised a free meal at the Tabard Inn at Southwark for their troubles. -
1440
The Invention of the Printing Press
The invention of the printing press allowed the English language to become stabilized and standardized. Less and less changes were made to the language as time went by. -
1492
The Discovery of North America
Christopher Columbus discovered North America in 1492 which opened the doors for the English language to develop in a melting pot society. -
Period: 1500 to
Modern English
This link directs to an example of what Early Modern English looked like: https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.edeb7a3698a882d35b3b0bdeeb0a8e27?rik=hkd5c0v62XRTxQ&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.englishclub.com%2fimages-esl%2fenglish-what-shakespeare.gif&ehk=ZqJNATmHGaI2eWix4HvRbSzqqnKYkWwoRfSI3hdulGQ%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0&sres=1&sresct=1 This link directs to an example of what Modern English looks like: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/20/be/a5/20bea599fe3366b076c0f62f67f0aaad.jpg -
Apr 23, 1564
Birth of William Shakespeare
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First permanent settlement in America established (Jamestown)
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King James Version of the Bible is Published
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First English Newspaper, the "Weekly News" is Published in London
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Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio
The First Folio is a collection of plays consisting of William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. It was published about seven years after Shakespeare's death and was printed in folio format. It contained a total of 36 plays. -
Period: to
The American Revolution
The American Revolution helped break off America from its parent country, Great Britain. This allowed the English language to develop differently in both locations. -
End of Timeline
