V The term DzMiddle Agesdz was first used by

historians almost 300 years ago. It described

the time between what were considered two
more important civilizations- DzAncientdz and
DzModerndz
V The word DzMedievaldz is used to describe
people, objects, and ideas originating in the
Middle Ages
A Knyght ther was, and that a worthy man
That for the tyme that he first bigan
To riden out, he loved chivalrie,
Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie
-Geoffrey Chaucer
˜ust as the period of the Middle Ages
throughout continental Europe saw sweeping
changes and cultural diversity, so too in
England did a rich complexity influence daily
living. Linguistic, religious, literary, and
political shifts occurred rapidly.
V 066- The Norman Conquest: William Dzthe
Conquerordz defeats King Harold and the
Normans take over England.
V 086- William commissioned a census called
the 
 .
V 
- Norman rule ended when Henry II
came to the throne. Henry II known as one of
Englandǯs Dzablest kingsdz.
V 0- Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, is
murdered

V  - King ˜ohn signed the Magna Carta. Many

historians believe this document marked the
beginning of constitutional government in England.
This document laid the foundation for rights such as
trial by jury and legislative taxation
V 33-
3-The 00 years War took place. This was
the first national war. England attacked France.
This war developed a British national
consciousness- no longer Anglo-Saxons or
Normans. The English now saw themselves as
green-clad yeomen with longbows and arrows
rather than by the chivalric knight in honor (a figure
imported from continental Europe
V 3
- 3 - Black Death, also known as the
Bubonic plague swept through England
killing a third of the population. This disease
was spread throughout Europe on trading
ships from China by rats and fleas that had
the disease. Twenty-five million people in
Europe were killed by the plague.
V 38- The Peasantǯs Revolt took place. Serfs
revolted against taxes and serfdom was
eventually abolished. The Peasantǯs Revolt
was a building block to a democratic society.
It led the way for the Renaissance.
V 
3- War of the Roses, an English civil war
took place. King Henry VI suffered a bout of
madness. His cousin, Richard of York, was
appointed acting king. Henry recovered
quickly but Richard would not give up the
throne. A civil outbreak ensued.
V 
6- Although the printing press was
invented by ˜ohannes Gutenberg in Germany,
William Caxton, an English traveler, saw it
and set up a printing press in London. The
printing press dramatically changed society-
books no longer had to be hand-copied and
were more widely available and less
expensive.