2.2　课后习题详解

1. What do you know about the Roman invasion of Britain?

Key: ①Julius Caesar, the great Roman general, invaded Britain for the first time in 55 BC. For nearly 400 years Britain was under the Roman occupation. ②The Romans built a network of towns, mostly walled, many on the sites of Celtic settlements or their own military camps. ③The Romans also brought the new religion, Christianity, to Britain. ④The Roman impact upon the Britons was surprisingly limited.

2. Why was the Roman influence on Britain so limited?

Key: ①Some parts of the country resisted. ②The Romans always treated the Britons as a subject people of slave class. ③Never during the 4 centuries did the Romans and Britons intermarry. ④The Romans had no impact on the language or culture of ordinary Britons.

3. Who were the Anglo-Saxons and how did the Heptarchy come into being?

Key: In the mid-5th century a new wave of invaders, Jutes, Saxons, and Angles came to Britain. They were three Teutonic tribes.

Jutish chief Hengist became the King of Kent in 449. Then the Saxons from northern Germany, established their kingdoms in Essex, Sussex and Wessex. In the second half of the 6th century, the Angles, settled in East Anglia, Mercia These seven principal kingdoms of Kent, Essex, Sussex, Wessex, East Angtia, Mercia and Northumbria have been given the name of Heptarchy.

4. How were the early Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity?

Key: In 597, Pope Gregory Ⅰ sent St. Augustine to England to convert the heathen English to Christianity. Ethelbert, King of Kent, soon became a Christian himself. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. Augustine was remarkably successful in converting the king and the nobility, but the conversion of the common people was largely due to the missionary activities of the monks in the north.

5. What contributions did the early Anglo-Saxons make to the English State?

Key: ①They divided the country into shires, with shire courts and sheriffs. ②They devised the narrow-strip, three-field farming system. ③They also established the manorial system. ④They created the Witan, which was the basis of the Privy Council.

6. Who were the Vikings and how did they invade Britain?

Key: The Norwegian Vikings and the Danes from Denmark attacked various parts of England from the end of the 8th century. They even managed to capture York, an important center of Christianity in 867. By the middle of the ninth century, the Vikings and the Danes were posing a threat to the Saxon kingdom of Wessex. Alfred, King of Wessex defeated the Danes and came to a relatively friendly agreement with them in 879.

7. What do you know about King Alfred? What makes him worthy of the title of “Alfred the Great”?

Key: Alfred, King of Wessex (871—899), was strong enough to defeat the Danes and came to a relatively friendly agreement with them in 879.

①Alfred is known as “the father of the British navy” as he founded a strong fleet which first beat the Danes at sea. ②He also reorganized the fyrd, making it more efficient. ③Alfred taught himself Latin at the age of 40 and translated into English Bede’s History of the English People. ④He established schools and formulated legal system. This, as well as his admirable work with the army and the navy, makes him worthy of his title “Alfred the Great”.

8. Why did William the Conqueror invade England after Edward’s death?

Key: When Edward died, the Witan chose Harold as king. King Harold was in the south to resist the attack from Normandy and won a victory. Then Harold brought his exhausted troops back to the Sussex Downs. On October 14, 1066 the two armies clashed near Hastings. Harold’s men had no experience of fighting against William’s cavalry, the finest fighting horsemen in Europe. Towards the end of the day Harold was killed, and William won.

9. What were the consequences of the Norman Conquest?

Key: The Norman Conquest of 1066 is perhaps the best-known event in English history. ①William the Conqueror confiscated almost all the land and gave it to his Norman followers. ②He replaced the weak Saxon rule with a strong Norman government. So the feudal system was completely established in England. ③Relations with the Continent were opened, and civilization and commerce were extended. ④Norman-French culture, language, manners, and architecture were introduced.

10. Why do we say that the English nation is a mixture of nationalities of different origins?

Key: There are many invasions in English history. Each invasion had a certain influence on England. For example, during the roman invasion, the Romans also brought the new religion, Christianity, to Britain. Under Norman Conquest, Norman-French culture, language, manners, and architecture were introduced. Thus the English nation is a mixture of nationalities of different origins.