British History Timeline: Key Events

Early Britain and Invasions

• 43 CE: Roman Invasion of Britain
• 430 CE: Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain, displacing Romano-British population and establishing their own kingdoms
• 865 CE: First Viking Invasions of Britain

Migration Patterns in Great Britain

• 3000 BCE: Neolithic people from Africa and the Middle East
• 700 BCE: Celts from Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, etc.)
• 43 CE: Romans from Italy
• 400 CE: Anglosaxons from Northern Denmark (Jutes), Southern Denmark (Angles), and Germany (Saxons)
• 800 CE: Vikings from Norway and Sweden
• 1066 CE: Normans from France

The Celts

• Ancestor of many people from Scotland, Wales, and Ireland
• Bronze-age culture
• Early priests were called Druids
• Subjugated by the Romans
• Church brought Christianity to the ordinary people

Roman Britain Heritage

• Roads, Villas, and Towns
• Administrative system and Comfortable homes
• Farming and Central Heating
• Baths
• Entered Britain when the Romans left
• Fought the population and drove them to the furthest edges of the land
• Days of the week were named after their gods

Anglo-Saxons

• Established the Witan
• Divided the country into shires
• Augustine preached Christianity to them
• Edward the Confessor belonged to this group
• Initially, they destroyed many monasteries
• King Alfred held out against them
• The area they ruled was known as Danelaw
• They were a nuisance to King Ethelred
• King Canute belonged to this group
• They founded York and Dublin

Vikings

• Defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066
• Came from Normandy
• Were disliked by the Godwinsons
• William I (the Conqueror) was crowned on Christmas Day 1066
• Were descended from the Vikings (Norsemen)

The Battle of Hastings

• King Harold II of England was defeated by the invading Norman forces of William the Conqueror on October 14, 1066
• Harold was killed, and his forces were destroyed

The Middle Ages

• Magna Carta (1215) established the principle that the king and his government were not above the law
• Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) between the monarchs of France and England
• Black Death (1348) killed between a third and half of the population

Beowulf

• A poem combining Anglosaxon and Viking cultures
• Suggests a coherent, shared cultural identity for peoples with very different cultural backgrounds and political interests
• Written in Old English (a mix of Old Saxon and Old Norse)

English Kings and Queens

• William the Conqueror (1066-1087)
• William II (1087-1100)
• Henry I (1100-1135)
• ... (list continues until Charles III, 2022-present)

Early British History

• The Neolithic people were the first invaders of Britain, arriving around 3000 BC, and were small, dark, and long-headed.
• They settled in Western Britain and Ireland, growing crops, keeping animals, and making pottery.
• After 3000 BC, people started building henges, circles of earth banks and ditches, which were centers of religious, economic, and political power.
• The Beaker people arrived in southeast Britain from Europe around 2400 BC, and were taller and round-headed, with a distinct culture and metalworking skills.
• The Celts arrived around 700 BC, and were tall, with red or fair hair and blue eyes, and knew how to work with iron.

Roman Invasion and Occupation

• The Romans occupied Britain from AD 43 to AD 409, and conquered the whole south of Britain, but a symbol of resilience, strength, and hope.
• Hadrian's wall was built during the Roman occupation to mark the northern boundary of the Roman Empire.

Anglo-Saxon Invasion

• In 430 CE, the Anglo-Saxon invasion refers to the arrival of Germanic tribes from regions such as modern-day Denmark and Germany to Britain.
• These tribes gradually migrated and settled in various parts of Britain, displacing the Romano-British population and establishing their own kingdoms.

Viking Invasions

• The first Viking invasions of Britain occurred in 865 CE.

Norman Conquest

• The Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066, marked a significant turning point in English history, with William the Conqueror defeating King Harold II of England.
• The Norman conquest brought about a significant cultural, economic, and military transformation, and helped to create the modern English language.

Magna Carta and the Hundred Years' War

• The Magna Carta was issued in June 1215, and was the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government were not above the law.
• The Hundred Years' War was a conflict between the monarchs of France and England, lasting from 1337 to 1453, with three phases: the Edwardian War, the Caroline War, and the Lancastrian War.

The Black Death and the War of the Roses

• The Black Death, a catastrophic plague, hit Europe in 1348, killing between a third and half of the population, and leading to significant social and economic changes.
• The War of the Roses was a series of dynastic civil wars between the houses of Lancaster and York for the English throne.

Other Important Dates

• 1492: Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas
• 1534: Establishment of the Church of England
• 1620: Puritan colonization of America
• 1760: Start of the Industrial Revolution
• 1776: American Declaration of Independence
• 1789: French Revolution
• 1815: Battle of Waterloo
• 1837: Start of Queen Victoria's reign
• 1861: Start of the American Civil War
• 1914: Start of World War I
• 1929: Wall Street crash (Black Tuesday)
• 1940: Start of World War II
• 1945: First detonation of a nuclear device
• 1947: Independence of India and Pakistan
• 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis
• 1979: Election of Margaret Thatcher as PM
• 2013: Completion of the Freedom Tower

Early British History

• The Neolithic people were the first invaders of Britain, arriving around 3000 BC, and were small, dark, and long-headed.
• They settled in Western Britain and Ireland, growing crops, keeping animals, and making pottery.
• After 3000 BC, people started building henges, circles of earth banks and ditches, which were centers of religious, economic, and political power.
• The Beaker people arrived in southeast Britain from Europe around 2400 BC, and were taller and round-headed, with a distinct culture and metalworking skills.
• The Celts arrived around 700 BC, and were tall, with red or fair hair and blue eyes, and knew how to work with iron.

Roman Invasion and Occupation

• The Romans occupied Britain from AD 43 to AD 409, and conquered the whole south of Britain, but a symbol of resilience, strength, and hope.
• Hadrian's wall was built during the Roman occupation to mark the northern boundary of the Roman Empire.

Anglo-Saxon Invasion

• In 430 CE, the Anglo-Saxon invasion refers to the arrival of Germanic tribes from regions such as modern-day Denmark and Germany to Britain.
• These tribes gradually migrated and settled in various parts of Britain, displacing the Romano-British population and establishing their own kingdoms.

Viking Invasions

• The first Viking invasions of Britain occurred in 865 CE.

Norman Conquest

• The Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066, marked a significant turning point in English history, with William the Conqueror defeating King Harold II of England.
• The Norman conquest brought about a significant cultural, economic, and military transformation, and helped to create the modern English language.

Magna Carta and the Hundred Years' War

• The Magna Carta was issued in June 1215, and was the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government were not above the law.
• The Hundred Years' War was a conflict between the monarchs of France and England, lasting from 1337 to 1453, with three phases: the Edwardian War, the Caroline War, and the Lancastrian War.

The Black Death and the War of the Roses

• The Black Death, a catastrophic plague, hit Europe in 1348, killing between a third and half of the population, and leading to significant social and economic changes.
• The War of the Roses was a series of dynastic civil wars between the houses of Lancaster and York for the English throne.

Other Important Dates

• 1492: Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas
• 1534: Establishment of the Church of England
• 1620: Puritan colonization of America
• 1760: Start of the Industrial Revolution
• 1776: American Declaration of Independence
• 1789: French Revolution
• 1815: Battle of Waterloo
• 1837: Start of Queen Victoria's reign
• 1861: Start of the American Civil War
• 1914: Start of World War I
• 1929: Wall Street crash (Black Tuesday)
• 1940: Start of World War II
• 1945: First detonation of a nuclear device
• 1947: Independence of India and Pakistan
• 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis
• 1979: Election of Margaret Thatcher as PM
• 2013: Completion of the Freedom Tower