Name ______________________________________________________Date _______________ Period ________

UNIT INTRODUCTION: HISTORICAL ESSAY COPY MASTER

Note Taking
THE ORIGINS OF A NATION ‘
Use this outline to take notes on the key ideas of the Unit 1 Historical Essay. If you need more
space, you might add notes on another sheet of paper or create your own outline using this one as
a framework.

THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD

I. Historical Context
A. Centuries of Invasion (pp. 19-20)
1. Early Britain & the Romans ________________________________________________
2. Angles & Saxons ________________________________________________________
3. Vikings ________________________________________________________________
B. The Norman Conquest (p. 20)
1. Edward the Confessor ____________________________________________________
2. William the Conqueror ___________________________________________________

II. Cultural Influences & Literature of the Times

A. The Spread of Christianity (p. 21)
1. Anglo-Saxon fatalism _____________________________________________________
2. Augustine & Christianity’s rapid growth ______________________________________
3. Monasteries ____________________________________________________________
B. The Epic Tradition (pp. 22-23)
1. Epic Poems & Mead Halls _________________________________________________
2. The oral art form _________________________________________________________
C. Reflections of Common Life (p. 23)
1. Lyric poems & Exeter Book ________________________________________________
2. Early authors
a. Venerable Bede ________________________________________________________
b. Margery Kempe _______________________________________________________
c. Margaret Paston _______________________________________________________

THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

I. Historical Context
A. The Monarchy (pp. 24-25)
1. Domesday Book __________________________________________________________
2. William the Conqueror’s heirs _______________________________________________
B. War and Plague (pp. 25)
1 Black Plague _____________________________________________________________
2. 100 Years’ War & War of Roses _____________________________________________

16 Unit1
British Literature Resource Manager
II. Cultural Influences
A. Feudalism and the Church (pp. 25-26)
1. Feudalism ______________________________________________________________
2. Power of the Church ______________________________________________________
B. Chivalry and Courtly Love (p. 26)
1. Chivalry _______________________________________________________________
2. Courtly Love ____________________________________________________________

III. Literature of the Times

A. The Age of Chaucer (p. 27-28)
1. Canterbury Tales _______________________________________________________
2. Other Works ___________________________________________________________
3. Chaucer’s Legacy _______________________________________________________
B. Medieval Romance (pp. 28-29)
1. Medieval Romance ______________________________________________________
2. Legendary King Arthur ___________________________________________________
3. Two Favorites
a. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight _________________________________________
b. Le Morte d’Arthur _____________________________________________________

Making Connections

1. Though William Caxton established the first British printing press, in what countries was
printing first developed? _________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
when? ________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. Based on what you’ve learned in the introductory essay, why are there so few literary milestones
recorded for the early years in Britain? _______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Unit1 17
Resource Manager British Literature