The Development of Modern English: Background Notes

Questions

1. Why was 1066 a disaster for the English language?

2. Who replaced the Anglo-Saxon aristocracy?

3. What was the Black Death?

4. When did the Black Death occur?

5. How did the Black Death have a good effect on English?

6. What was the Peasants’ Revolt?

7. Why was the Peasants’ Revolt shocking for the establishment?

8. In which part of England was the Peasants’ Revolt particularly strong?

9. What did “The Canterbury Tales” show us?

10. What was the Great Vowel Shift?

11. Why did the Great Vowel Shift happen?

12. What was Henry VIII’s most important historical contribution?

13. Where did Henry VIII’s first wife come from?

14. Who was Anne Boleyn’s daughter?

15. What was the advantage of Protestantism over Catholicism?

16. What was the Industrial Revolution?

17. Why did England lead the Industrial Revolution?

18. What energy form drove the Industrial Revolution?