Overview of Anglo-American History

This flashcard set covers the key vocabulary, historical figures, and major periods of Anglo-American history as discussed in the lecture notes.

Germanic language

The ancient language of Britain introduced by the Britons or Celts which eventually replaced Latin and from which English, German, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages evolved.

feudal system

A hierarchical structure established during the Middle Ages wherein vassals show obedience and loyalty to their lord in exchange for security and protection.

vassal

A tenant under the protection of a feudal lord in return for loyalty and service.

chivalric code

The basis of morals and manners for the nobility class during the Middle Ages used to keep knights under control.

bubo

An inflammatory swelling of a lymph gland, especially in the groin, associated with the deadly plague.

Britons (Celts)

The original inhabitants of the land found by the Romans, later conquered by the Anglo-Saxons.

King Alfred

The first king who brought order and prosperity to the land during ancient times.

1066

The year the Normans, under William, Duke of Normandy, conquered the land.

St. Augustine

The first bishop of Canterbury who converted the Saxons to Christianity.

Dark Ages

A tragic period marked by the Hundred Years’ War and the bubonic plague that killed half of England’s population.

The Renaissance Period

A period between the $1300s$ and $1500s$ characterized by a rebirth of culture and renewed interest in the humanities and sciences.

Caxton

The person who introduced the printing press into England.

King Henry VIII

The monarch who established the Church of England.

Virginia company

A company chartered by King James I of England to establish a colony in America.

Puritans

A group that intended to establish colonies in America with no desire to separate from England, unlike the Pilgrims.

Age of Enlightenment

A period between $1685$ and $1815$ also known as the Age of Reason or The Restoration.

Industrial Revolution

A period of great economic and scientific achievement occurring as a result of capitalism, which also caused social issues like child labor.

Victorian Age

The period of Queen Victoria’s reign characterized by stability, prosperity, and increased consciousness of class and morals.

1776

The year the Declaration of Independence was signed in the United States.

13th Amendment

The amendment to the US Constitution that abolished slavery.

Modern to Contemporary Period

The period from $1900$ to the present, encompassing World Wars I and II and the rise of Modernism.

NATO

An international organization of which the UK was a founding member after World War II.

Caedmon’s Hymn

A literary text translated from Old English attributed to the poet Caedmon.

Edmund Spenser

The author of the poem Ice and Fire.

William Wordsworth

The author of the poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.