Celtic Britain and Roman Invasion
The Celts conquered Britain around 1000 BC, crossing from France and Belgium. They formed three main groups: the Gauls in northern France, the Britons in Wales and Cornwall, and the Gaels in Ireland and Scotland. These groups spoke a common ancient language and practiced Druidism, worshipping the sun god.
Highlight: The Celts were divided into three main groups: Gauls, Britons, and Gaels.
In 43 CE, the Romans invaded Britain under Emperor Claudius, following Julius Caesar's earlier attempts. To defend against the Picts of Caledonia Scotland, the Romans built Hadrian's Wall. The Romans brought significant advancements to Britain during their nearly 400-year rule.
Example: Roman contributions included towns, roads, aqueducts, and the worship of the sun.
After the Romans left in 410 CE, Germanic tribes of Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invaded, speaking dialects of Old English. By 660-800 CE, Anglo-Saxon England was divided into seven kingdoms, known as the Heptarchy.
Vocabulary: Heptarchy - The period of Anglo-Saxon England when the land was divided into seven kingdoms.