History of English Standardization

Study Notes

William Caxton established the first printing press, promoting standardization in English.
Books became more affordable, increasing literacy rates and fixing spelling and grammar rules.
The London dialect emerged as the standard English, influenced by publishing centers.
The first English dictionary, "Table Alphabeticall," was published in 1604.
Shakespeare was born in 1564; his works, like "Hamlet," present challenges for modern English speakers.
Late Modern English (1800-Present) differs from Early Modern English primarily in vocabulary.
The Industrial Revolution and technology contributed to a significant expansion of the English lexicon.
The British Empire adopted numerous foreign words due to its vast territorial reach.
Noah Webster published his American English Dictionary in 1828, followed by the Oxford English Dictionary in 1928.

Icelandic Vikings arrived in North America led by Leif Ericson around 1000 but did not establish a settlement.
European demand for Asian goods in the late 15th century motivated navigator Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1492, leading to Spanish conquests in Central and South America.

The Puritans founded Plymouth Colony in 1620, becoming the first permanent British settlement in New England.
Puritans aimed to create a "city upon a hill," representing an ideal community and moral society.
They believed government should uphold God's morality.

The United Kingdom consists largely of pastoral land, with 70% of its territory dedicated to pastures and farmland.
Only 10% of the land is forested; the primary geographical features include the Cumbia and Pennines mountains.
England's landscape is characterized by large rolling lowlands transitioning to flat plains.

The USA is the world's third-largest country, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
Its capital is Washington D.C., and the country spans approximately 3,794,083 square miles.
Denali in Alaska is the highest point at 20,308 feet, while Death Valley is the lowest at -282 feet.
Major mountain ranges include the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains, with significant rivers like the Mississippi and Missouri.

The original English population, composed of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, took control of Britannia post-Roman Empire.
Despite invasions, Indigenous Britons remained in areas like Wales and Cornwall.
Viking invasions led to the unification of English kingdoms and the rise of Æthelstan, the first king of all England.
The Norman Conquest in 1066 connected England closely with France for about 300 years.
The French influence introduced a French-speaking monarchy and ruling class, leading to the Anglicisation of the language.
Medieval England became prosperous through trade and maintained strong ties to the Catholic Church.

Kings of England held lands in France, and King Edward III claimed the French crown, sparking the Hundred Years' War.
The conflict ultimately ended in defeat for England, leading to internal strife among nobility, known as the Wars of the Roses.
Henry Tudor emerged victorious, becoming Henry VII in 1485, centralizing governance in London.
Henry VIII's break from the Catholic Church sought to resolve his marital status, influencing religious and political dynamics.
The Tudor Era (1485–1603) marked a flourishing of English literature, with William Shakespeare contributing significantly to its development.

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