History

The Anglo-Saxon period lasted from 410-1066. Most Anglo-Saxon people lived in villages, and they enjoyed telling stories and riddles.

Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury, the most powerful bishop in England. In 1170, he was brutally murdered in Canterbury Cathedral.

In 1215, following disputes with barons and war with France, King John signed one of the earliest bills of human rights into existence: the Magna Carta.

The medieval Islamic Empire was a collection of regions in which Islam was practised. It flourished with trade, invention and innovation.

In 1348, the Black Death reached Britain. Medieval medicine was incapable of finding a cure, and it is estimated that over 2 million people lost their lives during the outbreak.

In 1381, peasants rebelled against King Richard II. They were angry about a range of issues, such as low wages, and demanded change.

The Wars of the Roses was a conflict between two rival sides of the Plantagenet family. Both sides descended from King Edward III and claimed they had the right to the throne.

In 1665, the plague arrived in England once again. In London alone, at least 68,596 people died from the disease, and thousands across the country were killed.

In 1666, a fire broke out in London. It raged for around five days and caused widespread destruction.

The Industrial Revolution in Britain brought huge technological advances, which had a big impact on people’s lives. However, not all of these changes were positive.

The Victorian period was one of great social change in England. There were lots of new discoveries, inventions and technological developments.

The Treaty of Versailles severely punished Germany for its involvement in World War One. From 1918 to 1933, the German people lived through much economic hardship.