Past Simple Learning English Through History

Learning English through

p e t e S 2 g g O B n

a r n e t

C

o n t e n t s

Introduction 4

Timeline 5

Chronological chapters

C ivilizing the barbarians: The Rom ans in B ritain 6 1066 and all that: The N o rm a n C onquest 12 M ajesty and m arriages: King H enry VIII 18

4 G ood Queen Bess: Elizabeth I 24

5 R oundheads and Cavaliers: The English Civil W ar 30 6 Fire and plague: Sam uel Pepys' London 36 7 The lo n g e st reign: The V icto ria n s 42 8 A long w a y fro m Tipperary: T he First W o rld W ar 48

9 B ritain can take it: The Blitz 54

10 From th e cradle to the grave: The w e lfa re state 60 11 C ultural re v o lu tio n : The s w in g in g sixtie s 66 12 The Iron Lady: M arg are t T h a tch e r 72

Thematic chapters

13 From barons to b a llo t box: The long road to dem o cra cy 78 14 The Bard o f A von: W illia m Shakespeare 84 15 The sun never set: The B ritish E m pire 90 16 A special re la tio nship? B ritain and th e USA 96

17 A fu n n y old gam e: Cricket 102

18 Seen and not heard: B ritish c h ild h o o d 108 19 A u ld enem ies: England and S co tland 114 20 T ha t clo ud in th e W est: Ireland 120 21 A safe haven? Im m ig ra tio n to B ritain 126 22 An e n d u rin g obsession: Social class in B ritain 132

Glossary Index

138 142

INTRODUCTION

‘Life is one-tenth here and now,

nine-tenths a history lesson /

G raham Sw ift (E nglish n o v elist)

This book is based on the idea that learning about a country's history is a wonderful way to learn its language. English was born in Britain, and has both shaped and reflected British history over many centuries. History and language are intimately bound together. You cannot truly understand one without knowing something about the other.

History is traditionally narrated in the past simple tense of our title, but its richness and variety mean that all sorts of other language and structures are used, too: idioms and conditionals, for example, as well as the full range of perfect and continuous tenses. All of these (and more) appear and are explored in the book.

Past Simple consists of 22 chapters on selected aspects of British history, 12 of them on key episodes or periods such as the Elizabethan Age or First World War, the other 10 on some of the big themes (imperialism, the growth of democracy) that run through the story of these islands. Each chapter is based around a central reading text, which is followed by comprehension and critical thinking exercises, additional primary source material and a focus on relevant language points. Plenty of opportunity is also given for skills work - speaking and writing as well as reading - and there are follow-up research tasks to be done on the Internet and in libraries.

Within this regular structure, the texts themselves are presented in different ways - as conventional factual accounts, as magazine-type articles, and in the style of webpages - to ensure a varied diet for the learner.

Our aim has been to create a book on British history for learners of English, and not in any sense a definitive History of Britain. We have included the material that we consider most interesting and useful for learners of English to know, keeping the needs of would-be British citizens in mind. The book can be dipped into at will - and the timeline should help anyone doing so to keep their bearings - but the largely chronological arrangement means that learners can acquire an overall sense of the development of British history by starting at the beginning and working through to the end. That way they will also cover most of the main English language areas studied at intermediate level and above.

People learn best when they are engaged by the subject matter. Past Simple delivers English through the culturally vital medium of British history, which offers so much stimulating material that the hard part for us was choosing what to leave out. In our view, history's great advantage as a language-learning topic is that it is just so much more interesting than the typical subject matter you find in most English language textbooks. Our message to anyone using this book is: enjoy and learn.

David F\onder, Peter 'Thompson

of key events in British history

This timeline is selective, focusing on the key events and reigns covered in Past Simple.

We suggest you build on it and create your own, more extensive timeline of British history.

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THE ROMANS IN BRITAIN

Section 1: Reading

A Before you read — think and discuss

The Rom an C onquest w as th e firs t m a jo r in va sio n o f the B ritish Isles. B ritain at th a t tim e w as not a u n ifie d coun try. It w as p o p u la te d by a c o lle c tio n o f trib e s know n as the Celts. ■ Who were the original inhabitants of your country?

■ Does your country today have any connection with its ancient inhabitants?

■ Did the Romans ever rule your country?

■ What, if anything, do you know about the Romans and the Celts in ancient Britain?

B Read the text

WHAT THE ROMANS DID FOR US

1

1From the year 400 to the year 1900,

no one had central heating ayid very

fe w had hot baths

. '

Winston Churchill

I

n 1980, the National Theatre in London staged a play that caused outrage for its violent and explicit scenes. Although it was called

The Romans in Britain

, it told only part of the story. A truly historical play would feature much more in the way of dull practical achievement; there would be graphic road-building scenes, shockingly good engineering, and all the drama of flushing toilets.

Julius Caesar made the first official contacts between Rome and Britain in 55-54 BC, but the full Roman Conquest

10 came nearly a century later. The Emperor Claudius decided to invade in AD 43 because he was the new Emperor of Rome and needed to prove he was a strong ruler. In order to be sure of defeating the Celts, Claudius landed with 50,000 men at the site of modern-day Richborough in Kent. The Roman occupation of ‘Britannia’ (most of modern-day England and Wales) was to last from AD 43-410.

Although the occupation of Britain lasted nearly 400 years, it remained incomplete. The more developed south­ east was conquered quickly, though there were later rebellions. This success was due to diplomacy as well as 20

arms. The Romans benefited from alliances with sympathetic native rulers, who then enjoyed favoured status. The advancing Roman army built fortresses, camps and roads and helped with construction in towns such as Camulodunum (Colchester), Britannia’s first capital. The earliest towns, dating from the mid-1st century, reveal wooden houses and shops as well as stone public buildings such as temples and administrative headquarters. The Romans also brought their particular style of architecture to the countryside in the form of villas, the most impressive 30

of which contained garden-courtyards, mosaics, wall paintings and Mediterranean statues.

Many of the native tribes in Britannia - including the Iceni, the Brigantes and the Atrebates - were initially given semi-independence by the Romans. In AD 60, the king of the Iceni died, and the Romans decided to remove this independence. They seized property and raped his

CIVILIZING THE BARBARIANS: THE ROMANS IN BRITAIN

«

daughters. The girls’ mother, the tall, flame-haired Queen Boudicca, rose up in fury against the Romans. The Iceni

40 destroyed the towns of Camulodunum, Verulanium (St

Albans) and the flourishing port of Londinium (London). The Romans eventually defeated the rebels in a battle during which, according to one Roman report, 80,000 Britons and just 400 Romans were killed, though it is difficult to judge the accuracy of this report. After the battle, Boudicca was determined not to be captured. She gave her daughters deadly poison before taking her own life. According to popular legend, she is buried under Platform 9 of Kings Cross. To this day, Boudicca remains so a symbol of revolt against occupation.

After the Boudiccan revolt, the Romans began to expand their area of control. The Roman province now included Wales, northern England and, briefly, southern Scotland. In AD 122, the Emperor Hadrian visited Britain. He ordered the construction of a 117 km-long stone wall from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth. Hadrian’s Wall separated the Roman province from the barbarian north, and was a visual demonstration of the power of Rome. However, its true historical significance is that it symbolizes

60 the failure of the Romans to conquer the whole of Britain. The Romans brought many architectural splendours to Britain and also a money economy. The Roman troops had cash wages and were able to purchase items with them. The Romans started charging taxes and creating markets for their goods. Consequently, by the late 1 st/early 2nd centuries AD people commonly used coins, even on the humble farms where most of the native population lived.

Cultural life in Roman Britain was complex yet harmonious. Romans and incomers from other provinces introduced their

70own religious customs, such as the worship of the fertility

goddess Isis and the god of wine Bacchus, without destroying indigenous Celtic beliefs. Britons adopted romanized names, e.g., Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus, and the elite spoke and wrote the Roman language, Latin. (Ironically, Latin still

had no word for ‘grey’, even after the Romans had suffered 400 years of British weather.) People also continued to speak the native language of Britannia. It survives today in Wales and Cornwall as Brythonic.

The end of Roman Britain followed a series of Empire- wide crises. Barbarians began to attack Roman provinces so with greater frequency, and in AD 401-02 Rome began to withdraw troops from Britain to defend Italy. In AD 408-09, Britain was attacked by Saxons (the ancestors of the modern-day English), and in AD 410 the Emperor Honorious told the cities of Britain to ‘look to your own defences’. Consequently, Roman Britain came to an end because the Romans lacked the resources, rather than the will.

A British comedian once famously asked, ‘What have the Romans ever done for us?’ The truth is that they brought many benefits to Britain; whether the native 90

inhabitants of Britain

wanted them

is another question.

Glossary

rebellion an attempt to remove a leader/government by force barbarian a person who did not belong to one of the major civilizations o f Greece,

Rome or Christianity and was therefore thought to be uncivilized splendours magnificent features

C

Check your facts!

1 The firs t paragraph suggests th a t the Rom an o ccu p a tio n o f B ritain w as m arked by:

a) violence.

b) dull practical achievem ent. c) both o f these.

2

W hich Rom an E m peror played a greater role in th e co n q u e st o f B ritain: J u liu s Caesar o r Claudius?

3

T h e Rom ans destroyed m a n y th in g s in B ritain, and created n o th in g / True o r false?

4

Boudicca w as the leader o f the: a) Brigantes.

b) A lb io n s. c) Iceni. d) A rtebrate s.

5

W h y did H adrian b u ild a w a ll in th e north o f Britain?

6 H ow did the R om ans change the B ritish econom y?

a) They began p a ying people w ages. b) T hey cut taxes fo r the poor.

c) The m a jo rity o f people started using m oney.

d) O nly c o m m o n people used coins.

7

T h e R om ans im p o se d C a th o licism on the B ritis h / True o r false?

8 T h e Rom ans co u ld have stayed in B ritain but th e y d id n 't w a n t t o / True o r false?

9

W h a t does the w rite r th in k the R om ans did fo r us?

a) n o th in g b) e v e ryth in g

c) im p o s s ib le to say d) q u ite a lo t

D

W hat do you think?

1 A c c o rd in g to the second paragraph, is it fa ir to say th a t E m p e ro r C laudius was: a) inexperienced? b) stable? c) ju s t ab o u t to retire? d) none o f th e above?

2

Boudicca w as

'fla m e -h a ire d '. This m eans she was: a) red-haired.

b) y e llo w -h a ire d . c) h o t-te m p e re d .

d) a w o m a n w ith h ig h lig h ts in her hair.

3

Boudicca p o isone d her d a u ghters because: a) th e y fo u g h t ag a in st her.

b) she d id n 't w a n t th e m to see her take her o w n life.

c) th e y had exaggerated th e n u m b e r o f dead B ritons.

d) she did n o t w a n t th e Rom ans to capture them .

4

W h y do you th in k th e a u th o r fin d s it rem arkable th a t even a fte r 400 years in B ritain, th e R om ans had no w o rd fo r 'g re y'?

a) The Rom ans had over 30 w o rd s fo r rain. b) T h e ir u n ifo rm s w e re red, black and grey. c) G reat eng ine ers usu a lly love the

c o lo u r grey.

d )T h e sky in B ritain, unlike the M e d ite rra n e a n , is often grey.

5

Explain w h a t you understand by the phrase 'lo o k to y o u r ow n defences'.

Section 2: Topic development

A Roman architectural splendours

a m p h ith e a tre baths fo rtre s s lig h th o u s e m osaic v ia d u ct

Label p ictu re s 1-6 w ith w o rd s fro m the box. Use a d ic tio n a ry if necessary.

B The linguistic context

1

Even th o u g h the Rom ans le ft B ritain in AD 410, L a tin -o rig in w o rd s have co n tin u e d to enter the English language ever since. B e low are som e c o m m o n Latin te rm s in E nglish. M atch these w o rd s to th e ir m eanings. Use a d ic tio n a ry if necessary.

a) et cetera (etc.) 1 b rie f accou nt o f a person's life/career

b) abacus 2 d ic tio n a ry g ro u p in g w o rd s w ith a s im ila r m eaning c) the sa u ru s 3 stu d y p ro g ra m m e /co u rse

d) p o s t-m o rte m 4 and so on

e) c u rric u lu m 5 c o u n tin g m achine

f) CV (c u rric u lu m vitae) 6 in v e s tig a tio n in to cause o f death

2

The w o rd s also te ll us s o m e th in g a b o u t B ritish history. Use th e ir m e a n in g s to help you fill in the table b e lo w by m a tch in g each te rm to w h e n it firs t appeared in E nglish. One has been done fo r you as an exam ple.

period historical background Latin term

1100s-1400s Legal business and bureaucra cy g re w considerab ly, w ith lists and in v e n to rie s b e co m in g m ore c o m m o n .

1500s Trade and th e m o n e y e c o n o m y expanded.

1600s E nglish d ic tio n a rie s and g ra m m a rs began to be w ritte n . thesaurus 1700s M edicine began to becom e m o re scientific.

1800s Education expanded ra p id ly and becam e m o re organized. 1900s R e cru itm e n t and a p p ly in g fo r jo b s becam e m ore p rofessiona l.

C

The Warrior Queen

T his statue o f Boudicca stands by W e stm in ste r Bridge in London, near the Houses o f P arliam ent. S tu d y the statue and discuss th e fo llo w in g que stions.

1

2

3

H ow do you th in k it makes B ritish MPs feel as th e y pass it on th e ir w a y to w ork?

4

Do yo u like it? W h y /w h y not?

D

And finally ...

A su rve y fo u n d th a t B ritish people regarded the w o rd s in the speech b ub ble , spoken by the character o f J u liu s Caesar in a c o m e d y film a b o u t th e Romans, to be the best o n e -lin e joke ever in m o vie history.

Do you und erstan d the joke? If not, try saying

the w o rd s aloud w ith a partner. Can you hear the play on w ords?

If you need to use a d ic tio n a ry, look up

infamy

and

to have it in for someone.

'

Infamy! Infamy! They've

all got it in for me!’

Section 3: Extension activities

A

Discuss

The R om ans considered th e m se lve s to be civilize d and d ism issed e ve ryth in g non-R om an as b a rb a ria n /u n civilize d .

■ W h y do you th in k the R om ans saw th in g s in th is way? ■ W h a t is y o u r idea o f civiliza tio n ?

■ H ow w o u ld you m easure a co u n try 's c iv iliz a tio n - its te c h n o lo g y , education, cu ltu re , a ttitu des, frie n d lin e s s , etc.?

■ Do yo u th in k B ritain is a civilize d coun try? Give reasons.

B Research

Search for: 'H adrian 's W a ll' 'P iets' 'N in th Legion o f R om e' 'A ll roads lead to R om e' 'R om e w a s n 't b u ilt in a d a y' 'W hen in Rome, do as th e Rom ans d o '

CIVILIZING THE BARBARIANS: THE ROMANS IN BRITAIN H ow w o u ld you describe th e statue?

W h a t im age do you th in k it is try in g to project?

It w as c o m m issio n e d d u rin g Queen V icto ria 's tim e , w h e n in te re st in Boudicca g re w e n o rm o u sly. W h y do you th in k th is was?

1

Use the Inte rne t a n d /o r a lib ra ry to answ er th e fo llo w in g questions:

a) H ow m uch o f H adrian's W all is s till standing?

b) H ow long w o u ld it take you to w a lk fro m one end to the other?

c) W h o w e re the Piets and w h a t do w e k n o w a bo ut them ?

d) W h a t happened to the N inth Legion o f Rome?

e) Find the title s o f a book and a film connected w ith th is story.

2

Go on YouTube o r s im ila r to w a tch th e fa m o u s scene fro m M o n ty P ython's

Life of

Brian

w h e re the rebels discuss th e que stio n 'W h a t did th e Rom ans ever do fo r us?'. Make a lis t o f all the th in g s th a t are m e n tio n e d . W h a t kind o f film is this? Is th e M o n ty P ython g ro u p B ritish o r A m erican?

3

Discuss w ith a p a rtn e r w h a t the fo llo w in g e xpressions a b o u t Rome m ean, th e n use th e In te rn e t o r a lib ra ry to fin d o u t w h e n th e y firs t entered the English language.

■ 'A ll roads lead to Rom e.' K 'R om e w a s n 't b u ilt in a day.'

s

'W hen in Rome, do as th e Rom ans do.'

Do you use the sam e expressions in y o u r language?

C

Write

W rite a s h o rt essay discussing the s ta te m e n t below . Include a rg u m e n ts fo r and against, and say w h e th e r you agree o r not. (250 w o rd s)

‘It is better for a country to have good roads, public order, central

heating and hot baths than to be free.’

Try to give examples from your own country's history or from w h at you know about British history.

C IV IL IZ IN G T H E B A R B A R IA N S : T H E R O M A N S IN B R IT A IN

Section 1: Reading

A

Before you read - think and discuss

The last tim e th a t England w as su cce ssfu lly invaded w as in 1066. O ther c o u n trie s have been invaded and occupied m uch m ore recently and m uch m ore often.

l W h y has England not been invaded fo r such a long tim e? B Has y o u r c o u n try been invaded in th e last 1,000 years? 1 H ow does the experience o f in vasio n and o ccup ation

affe ct th e peo ple liv in g th ro u g h it? I W h a t reasons are th e re fo r invasions?

B

Read the text

1066 and all that: The riorman Conquest

‘Then began the death-bearing clouds o f arrows. There followed the thunder o f blows

Henry of Huntingdon, Historia Anglorum,c. 1130 Fact file

■ 5th Ja n u a ry 1066: King H arold II succeeds

E dw ard th e Confessor, w h o had no sons, as King o f England

■ S unday 14th O ctober 1066 - Battle o f H astings

■ H arold killed d u rin g th e ba ttle - th o u g h t to be by an a rro w in his eye

■ 25th D ecem ber 1066 - W illia m cro w n e d King o f England

■ D ecem ber 1085 - D om esday Book c o m m is s io n e d by W illia m as a land su rve y o f the w h o le o f E ngland ■ 9th S e p te m b e r 1087 - W illia m dies

The last invasion of England

The Battle of Hastings was the decisive victory in the Norman conquest of England. On Saturday 14th October 1066, the Normans of Duke William of Normandy (later known as William the Conqueror) defeated the Saxon army led by King Harold II, only eight months after Harold had succeeded to the English throne. Many people think that famous date marks the beginning of English history, as it was the lasttime the country was conquered by a foreign power. Comparing the significance of the event to that of the Bolshevik revolution, a Russian diplomat once said to an English diplomat: 'You had your 1917 in 1066.'

W illiam - heir to the English throne?

William believed that he was the heir to the English throne and claimed that Harold had sworn an oath accepting this. William travelled with the blessing of the Pope, who did not recognize Harold as king and had given William a ring and a bannerto show that God was on his side. He crossed the Channel from

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France in boats that his soldiers had made with

20 their own hands. When they arrived on the Sussex coast there was no one to resist the invading force. But as William walked up the beach, he tripped and fell on his face in front of his troops. Turning this embarrassment to a show of confidence, he rose with his hands full of sand and shouted, 'I now take hold of the land of England!' Everyone cheered. The battle

William arrived unopposed because Harold's army was distracted by the Viking invasion of the north of England. After defeating the Vikings in Yorkshire, they

30 had to march 250 miles south in only twelve days. Not surprisingly, they were exhausted by the time they reached the south coast. To make matters worse, the Battle of Hastings lasted all day, which was unusual at this time when most battles were over within an hour. The two armies had between 7,000 and 8,000 men each, but William's army included cavalry. A lack of archers made the English hesitant. Late in the battle, a mixture of genuine and mock retreats by William's army drew the English forces down from 40 their defensive position on the ridge - where the

town of Battle now stands. Then, according to the Bayeux Tapestry, King Harold was hit in the eye by an arrow before falling to the ground. It is believed that he was finished off by a Norman horseman, some say by William himself. The Normans then poured through the English ranks and routed them. The Norman victory at Hastings was decisive, despite approximately 2,000 Normans being killed and

wounded in the battle. Saxon casualties, including

50 Harold's two brothers, were greater still. But more importantly, Edgar the Atheling,the only surviving male member of Edward the Confessor's family, failed in his attempts to organize further resistance.

The Bayeux Tapestry

While some facts are known, most of what actually happened in the battle is unclear. There are, however, some records that we can use. The most famous is the Bayeux Tapestry, which is both an artistic masterpiece and a crucial historical source. The belief that Harold was hit in the eye with an arrow stems from a famous

scene in the tapestry which shows a Saxon noble 60

being wounded in this way. This huge visual narrative was the work of Norman women, possibly for the Conqueror's half-brother 0do, who can be seen in the tapestry playing an important role in the battle. W illiam crowned

Two months later, on Christmas Day 1066, William was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey. Three years after that, he had imposed his rule over most of England and Wales. He built huge, impregnable stone castles like the Tower of London and then terrorized the inhabitants of the 70 surrounding countryside into obedience.

Domesday Book

William wanted to raise taxes from the inhabitants of his new kingdom and did not want anyone to avoid paying them. He knew that knowledge is power, so he sent his men to conduct the first doorstep survey in history. They went to every village in England and wrote down exactly who owned what and how much. The findings were written up in a huge book known as the Domesday Book (1086). According to the Treasurer of England, so it was given this name because 'it is not permissible to contradict its decisions, any more than it will be those of the Last Judgement'

(dome

or

doom

was the old English word for judgement). Remarkably, the Domesday Book was used to settle a dispute as

recently as 1982.

New English aristocracy

The ruling class of England, and much of the rest of Britain, was recreated by the Norman Conquest. Many current-day British aristocrats can trace their ancestry back to the Conqueror's men; the words

noble, gentle

90

and

aristocrat

themselves come from the French. Death of William

William died after a riding accident in September 1087. Some reports from that time suggest that on his death­ bed he was seized by guilt at the way he had taken the crown from Harold. Three of his sons survived him, but he refused to appoint an heir: 'Having made my way to the throne of that kingdom by so many crimes, I dare not leave it to anyone but God alone.'

C

Check your facts!

1

W ho w o n th e Battle o f Hastings?

2

W h o s u p p o rte d W illia m in his co n q u e st o f England?

3

W h y w as H arold's a rm y tired?

4

W illia m 's a rm y had s o m e th in g th a t H arold's lacked co m p le te ly ; H arold's a rm y also needed m ore o f s o m e th in g else. Nam e both.

5

H ow m a n y o f W illia m 's m en w ere killed in the battle?

6

Give tw o reasons fo r th e im p o rta n ce o f the Bayeux Tapestry.

7

H o w did W illia m im pose his rule o ver England?

8 H o w did th e N o rm ans get detailed in fo rm a tio n a b o u t the English?

9

W h a t are th e ru lin g class called in England?

10

H ow long did W illia m rule England?

m HAROLP 6ET$ ONE IN THE EYE!

D

W hat do you think?

1 W hose side w as th e Pope on in 1066? W hy?

2

A fte r his fa ll on th e beach, W illia m rose w ith his hands fu ll o f sand because:

a) it represented England itself.

b) England w o u ld be like sand ru n n in g th ro u g h his fin g e rs.

c) it w as an im p o rta n t natural resource.

d) he had never seen sand before.

3

W h o trie d to organize English resistance?

a) A lfre d the Great b) H arold's bro th e rs c) Edgar the A th e lin g d) King Lear

4

'W illia m w a ite d u n til he had im p o se d his rule on th e gre a te r part o f England before having h im s e lf c ro w n e d /T ru e o r false?

5

W h a t is the D o m esday Book?

a) a list o f w h o o w n e d w h a t and h o w m uch

b) th e law s o f Old England c) nam es o f d o o rste p tax-p ayers d) p re d ic tio n s a b o u t th e Last J u d g e m e n t

Glossary

succeeds sworn an oath cavalry archers routed impregnable

takes over from (as king) spoken a promise before God soldiers on horses

soldiers with bows and arrows completely defeated

cannot be taken

Section 2: Topic development

A

D ictionary task

The cartoon opp osite is perhaps a typ ica l exam ple o f British h u m o u r in th e w a y it makes lig h t o f a serious matter. Use a d ictio n a ry to fin d out the m eaning o f the idiom used -

one in the eye.

1

N o w see if you can m atch these eye id io m s to th e ir m e anings w ith o u t using the d ictio n a ry:

to see eye to eye to catch th e eye to tu rn a b lin d eye to to keep an eye on not to bat an eyelid to pull th e w o o l over

som eon e's eyes

to w a tch over

to ig n o re so m e th in g bad o r w ro n g to agree w ith

to hide the tru th fro m som eone to a ttra ct a tte n tio n

to s h o w no sign o f stress or e m o tio n

2

Check y o u r answ ers in th e d ictio n a ry, then try to p u t the id io m s in th e sentences below , using th e co rre ct fo rm .

a) S om eone has to stay at ho m e a n d ____________________ the ch ild re n . b) M y boss and I ____________________ on all the im p o rta n t issues.

c) H e ____________________ w h e n I to ld him th e te rrib le news, he ju s t sat th e re lo okin g c a lm ly at me.

d) W ell, dressin g like th a t does r a th e r ___________________ , I can't help lo o kin g at him . e) S o m e h o w she g o t aw ay w ith it; I th in k th e y decided t o ____________________ to her

w ro n g d o in g s .

f) Everyone cheated in the class tests, the teacher w as yo u n g and in experie nced and it w as easy t o ____________________ .

3

Find thre e th in g s th a t you and y o u r pa rtn e r see eye to eye about.

B The Bayeux Tapestry

The picture b e lo w show s N o rm an w o m e n s titc h in g the Bayeux Tapestry. C om pleted in 1082, th e ta p e stry depicts in a u n iq u e ly v iv id w a y the N o rm an in vasio n o f E ngland in som e 70 scenes, w ith b rie f e x p la n a to ry 'c a p tio n s '. It is a b o u t 70 m etres long and h a lf a m etre w ide.

1

S tu d y the pictures a -c on page 16, and m atch the captio n b e lo w to the rig h t one:

Norm ans set fire to an English house

2

N o w w rite s im p le captio ns fo r the o th e r tw o pictures.

C

H ow the Normans com plicated English spelling

S tu d y the b rie f te x t b e lo w and then co m p le te the task th a t fo llo w s .

A fte r the N orm an C onquest, French scribes in tro d u c e d several ne w s p e llin g co n ve n tio n s. A n u m b e r o f Old E nglish fo rm s w e re replaced, such as

qu

fo r

cw (quick).

The scribes replaced

h

by

gh

in such w o rd s as

might

and

enough

,

c

by

ch

in

church,

and

u

by

ou

in

house.

They began to use

c

before

e

and /' in such w o rd s as

city

and

cell.

Because the le tte r

u

w as w ritte n in a v e ry s im ila r w a y to

v, i, n

, and

m,

th e y trie d to ease the reading task in som e sequences o f those letters by repla cing tv w ith

o (come, love, one, son).

By th e b e g in n in g o f th e 15th century, E nglish sp e llin g w as a m ix tu re o f the tw o system s - Old English and French.

- C rystal, David. 2nd e d itio n (2003).

The Cambridge Encyclopedia o f the English Language

, C a m bridge U n iv e rs ity Press.

1

Write the following words in their Old English spellings:

quick enough church house c ity love

2

Which spellings do you think are easier to remember, old or new? Why?

D

The Norman invasion o f vocabulary

The N o rm a n s b ro u g h t th o u sa n d s o f Latin and French w o rd s in to English, w h ic h u n til then had been a la rg e ly G erm anic language. For o b v io u s reasons, these new w o rd s te n d e d to be related to la w and a d m in is tra tio n , b u t also to m edicine, art, fa sh io n and fo o d . S o m etim es th e y replaced e xistin g Old English w o rd s , b u t in m o st cases th e y existed a lo n g sid e th e m , th o u g h th e y had a m ore fo rm a l m eaning.

Put the fo llo w in g F rench-derived w o rd s fo r typ e s o f m eat in to th e co rre ct box to m atch th e ir Old English eq u iva le n t, using a d ic tio n a ry if necessary.

venison p o rk m u tto n veal b e e f

Old English French-derived

ox p ig sheep c a lf deer

Section 3: Extension activities

A

Discuss

W e have seen h o w th e N o rm ans began the process o f co m p lic a tin g E nglish sp e lling. As you kn o w by now , English s p e llin g can be d iffic u lt fo r anyone le a rn in g the language, because w o rd s d o n 't alw ays look like th e y soun d o r sound like th e y look.

K S om e people say w e sh o u ld change th e rules and s im p lify English sp e llin g . Do you th in k th is w o u ld be a goo d idea?

■ W o u ld it be easy? Can you th in k o f any problem s?

c Do you kn o w o f any o th e r exam p le s o f co u n trie s th a t have trie d to s im p lify th e ir spelling? W h a t happened?

B Research

Search for: 'h is to ric a l re -e n a ctm e n t' + 'B a ttle o f H a stings' / 'W illia m th e C o n q u e ro r' + 'ro u te to L o n d o n ' / 'D o m e sd a y B ook' + 'le g a l d is p u te ' + '1982'

Use the Inte rne t a n d /o r a lib ra ry to a n sw e r the fo llo w in g que stions.

a)

W ho re-enacts h isto rica l battles, and p a rtic u la rly th e Battle o f Hastings? A re the re-enactm ents realistic? W hat do you th in k m o tiva te s people to do this?

b) Trace the route W illia m and his tro o p s to o k to London a fte r th e Battle o f Hastings. Did th e y face any serious resistance along th e way?

c)

Find out m ore about the legal dispute th a t was settled using the Dom esday Book in 1982. W hy did it need to be used? Could it still be used to settle disputes in English law?

C

Write

1066 is one o f the m o st fa m o u s dates in English history. W rite a b o u t a fa m o u s date in the h is to ry o f y o u r coun try, saying w h y it is im p o rta n t and w h e th e r you th in k it is rem e m be re d in th e rig h t way. (250 w o rd s)

Section 1: Reading

A Before you read — think and discuss

W hen H enry VIII w as y o u n g , the people idolized h im ; as he g o t older, th e y becam e te rrifie d o f him .

■ Has y o u r c o u n try ever been ruled by a tyra n t?

■ Do ty ra n ts achieve som e goo d th in g s , o r o n ly bad th in g s? ■ W h a t is the character o f a ty ra n t like? Is it v e ry d iffe re n t

fro m an o rd in a ry person's character?

■ W hat, if a n yth in g , do you kn o w a b o u t H enry VIII?

B Read the text

MAJESTY AND MARRIAGES:

HENRY VIU AND THE REFORMATION

‘A fool

,

a liar and a damnable rotten

worm.

’ M artin Luther on Henry V III

H

enry VIII was arguably the most brilliant, but certainly the most powerful and terrible of all English monarchs. Henry’s court was spectacular and he was the first monarch to be addressed as

Majesty.

He was also a great patron of the arts. But no king has been so ruthless with those who challenged him. Paranoid and cruel, he was both a hero and a monster. Henry was a strikingly handsome and charming 17-year- old when he became King of England in 1509. He was

10 particularly admired for his physical prowess he was an expert horseman, wrestler, archer and dancer. He was also fluent in French, Spanish and Latin, and was an accomplished musician. The famous scholar Erasmus proclaimed that Henry was ‘a universal genius’. The young king seemed to have everything. He personally led three successful military campaigns in France on horseback. In 1521, the Pope granted him the title ‘Defender of the Faith’ after Henry had written an attack on Martin Luther (leader of the Protestant

Reformation, Europe’s revolution against the Catholic 20

Church). But after nearly 20 years of marriage to Catherine of Aragon (the widow of his elder brother, Arthur), Henry still lacked the one thing he wanted more than anything else - a son. He had become convinced that a series of failed pregnancies and stillbirths were the result of God’s displeasure. The evidence was in the Bible: ‘If a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing ... they shall be childless.’ All Henry needed was the Pope’s

permission to divorce Catherine. He had a ready- 30

made replacement in Anne Boleyn, a self-assured beauty ten years his junior who was already pregnant with his child.

The Pope’s refusal to grant Henry a divorce unleashed forces whose consequences are still felt today. In 1534, Henry formally broke with the Roman Catholic Church and granted himself a divorce from Catherine. He then proclaimed himself head of the Church of England. This was the English Reformation and it gave Henry sweeping new powers which he was quick to use. He destroyed 40

600 monasteries and sold their land.

Anne Boleyn’s marriage to such a man was to prove fatal for her. Her ‘crime’, like Catherine’s before her, was her failure to produce a son. Henry wanted the

marriage to end and so bent the truth for his own purposes. Thus, Anne’s naturally flirtatious nature was used as definitive ‘proof’ of adultery. Men were tortured and absurd ‘confessions’ were produced. A court musician pleaded guilty to adultery. Anne’s own

50 brother was charged with having sex with her.

On the morning of Anne’s execution (19th May 1536), she said: ‘I hear the executioner is very good, and I have a little neck.’ By that time, Henry was already on his way up the Thames to see Jane Seymour. The couple were engaged the very next day and married ten days after that. Jane was able to give Henry what he desperately wanted, a male heir. It was, however, a difficult birth and Jane died from a fever less than two weeks after giving birth. Her death brought Henry great sorrow. It was later

60 said that her name was on Henry’s lips when he died in 1547, and he was buried next to her.

Henry was to marry three more times: to Anne of Cleves in 1540; to Catherine Howard, who was executed for adultery in 1542 along with her lover and three other members of the royal household; and finally, in 1543, to Catherine Parr, who survived him. Henry’s ever-changing private life was matched by his increasingly extreme public policies. He behaved with great cruelty not only to those who he believed had

70 betrayed him but also to those who were closest to him. This included his brilliant ministers Thomas Cromwell and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. The former was executed on 28th July 1540; the latter died while facing charges of high treason. One historian has written: ‘His most enduring conviction was that next to God, he knew best.’ The final years of Henry’s reign, which Charles Dickens called ‘a spot of blood and grease upon the history of

A ruined m onastery

England’, saw a descent into tyranny. Both Henry’s appearance and conduct were transformed. Between the ages of 23 and 45 his waist measurement increased 80

gradually from 89 cm to 114 cm. By 1541, his waist measured 137 cm, his chest 145 cm. He became too obese to walk, so a small cart was built to transport him around the royal palace at Hampton Court. His

enormous size led to a variety of physical ailments. He had foul-smelling breath, his legs were covered in leaking boils and fungus, and he suffered from chronic haemorrhoids. Research suggests that his violent mood swings may have owed something to the complete lack of vitamins in his diet. Henry would touch neither 90

vegetables nor fruit - he simply ate vast amounts of meat and drank immense quantities of alcohol. In his 36-year reign, Henry squandered his many advantages. He came to the throne rich but left huge debts and a currency which had lost its value. As a result of his father’s ‘divorcements and such mischiefs', the sickly boy king Edward VI was given an impossible legacy. Henry’s rule had been arbitrary, cruel and driven by anger. And as the Duke of Norfolk warned, ‘The

consequence of royal anger is death.’

1 oo

Glossary

ruthless hard and cruel prowess skill, ability unleashed released

adultery having sex with someone other than your marriage partner tyranny cruel and oppressive rule

haemorrhoids swollen veins in the bottom squandered wasted

■

C

Check your facts!

1 'H e n ry VIII w as a cruel m o n s te r because he lacked c u ltu re / True o r false?

2

T h e yo u n g H enry w as g o o d at sports but n o t v e ry b r ig h t/ True o r false?

3

W h o w as th e fa th e r o f A n n e B oleyn's baby?

a)

M a rtin Luther

b) Henry VIII

c)

Henry's brother, A rth u r

5

W h a t w a s th e real reason H enry had A n ne B oleyn executed?

a) She to rtu re d men.

b) She fa ile d to produce a son. c) She w as u n fa ith fu l to him .

d) She w as to o frie n d ly w ith the Pope.

6

W hich tw o th in g s make Jane S e ym o u r d iffe re n t fro m Henry's o th e r w ives?

7

W h o else w as executed w ith C atherine H ow ard?

8 'B etw een th e ages o f 23 and 45, Henry's w a is t g re w by m ore th a n 1 cm a year.' True o r false?

9

H ow long w as Henry th e King o f England?

majesty anb marriages: femg t)ennp tDIH

D

W hat do you think?

1

H enry is described in the te x t as paranoid. T his means:

a) he had b re a th in g d iffic u ltie s .

b) he c o u ld n 't w a lk and had to be pushed a ro u n d in a cart.

c) he w as su spicio us and m is tru s tfu l o f others.

d) he w as a d e e p ly re lig io u s m an.

2

Do yo u th in k H enry believed in God? Find reasons to s u p p o rt y o u r a n sw e r in th e text.

3

H enry 'ate vast a m o u n ts o f m eat' and 'd ra n k im m e n se q u a n titie s o f a lc o h o l'. T his means:

a) he drank m ore than he ate. b) he ate m ore th a n he drank. c) he ate and d rank q u ite a lot. d) he ate and drank an a w fu l lot.

4

'C harles Dickens believed th a t H enry VIII w as one o f England's gre a te st kin g s.' True o r false?

5

The te x t talks o f A n ne B oleyn's 'c rim e ', the 'p ro o f' o f her a d u lte ry and the 'c o n fe s s io n s ' produced. These w o rd s are in in ve rte d co m m a s to show : a) th a t th e y w e re spoken by som eon e

at th e tim e .

b) th a t the a u th o r does not believe th a t w h a t is being said is true .

c) h o w th e y w e re w ritte n in H enry V lll's tim e .

d) th a t th e y are m ore im p o rta n t th a n the o th e r w o rd s in the paragraph.

W hen did England o ffic ia lly cease to be a C atho lic country?

Section 2: Topic development

A

Henryks six wives

Look at the tim e lin e b e lo w o f H enry V lll's reign and m arriages. Then a n sw e r q u e stio n s 1-4.

1 5 0 9

---1509-33

1 533-36 —

1 5 3 6 -3 7

J a w - J u ly 1540

J u ly 1 5 4 0 - 4 2 -

1 5 4 3

---1 5 4 7

---1

'H e n ry o u tliv e d all his w iv e s / True o r false?

2

W h ich w ife w as H enry m arrie d to fo r longest?

3

W h ich w as th e sh o rte st m arriage?

4

W h a t is the lo n g e st p erio d th a t H enry w e n t w ith o u t a w ife?

B Judging by appearances

Hans Holbein

H en ry c ro w n e d /K in g '

o f E n g la n d /

m a r r ie d / ter C o t h e r Cne/

o f A ra g o n /

m a r r Ced/tcr A nne/B oleyvv

m a rrie d / tc r j

a m

S e y m o u r

m a r r ie d / to-A nne/ o f Clevey

m a rrie d / to- C o t h e r

laae^

H ow a rd /

m a r r ie s C a th e rin e / P a rr

,

whcr burvivey H en ry

H e n ry d ie y

W hen H enry w as lo o kin g fo r a fo u rth w ife , he sent the a rtis t Hans H olbein to pa in t a p o rtra it o f A n n e o f Cleves. H enry w as charm ed by the fla tte rin g p o rtra it and decided to m a rry her. H owever, w h en H enry a c tu a lly m et A nne, he w as app alled by h o w u g ly she was. He su p p o s e d ly com pared her to a horse, and the m arria ge w as soon over.

1 Look at the p o rtra its 1-6. Discuss w h ic h one you th in k is A n ne o f Cleves.

3

4

W rite d e scrip tio n s o f the six w o m e n . Describe th e ir appearance and w h a t you th in k th e ir pe rso n a litie s w e re like. Use th e w o rd s in the boxes to help you. (An e xam ple has been done fo r you below .)

Appearance: eyes nose chin c o m p le x io n hair neck fig u re headdress rin g necklace fa ir/d a rk th in /fa t ta ll/s h o rt

Personality: shy frie n d ly happy/sad s tro n g /w e a k fu n /s e rio u s

Example:

She is w earing a black dress and a necklace w ith a 'B ' on it. She has dark h a ir and eyes. Her figure is slim . She seems frie n d ly and fun.

Read y o u r d e scrip tio n to y o u r partner. Can he/she guess w h ic h p o rtra it yo u have described? Do yo u th in k it is p ossible to ju d g e som eon e's p e rs o n a lity fro m his/her appearance?

Discuss y o u r ideas.

Section 3: Extension activities

A

D iscuss

m

H enry VIII w as a m ig h ty king but a v e ry bad husband.

K Do you th in k it is possible to be a leader and have a happy private life?

E Do you th in k w e are m ore interested in the priva te lives o f leaders to d a y th a n in the tim e o f H enry VIII?

1 W hen ju d g in g leaders, sh o u ld w e pay any a tte n tio n to th e ir priva te lives?

B Research

Search for: 'G re ensle eves' "Fantasia on G reensleeves' 'H e n ry VIII' + 'a ilm e n ts 7 + 're m e d ie s '

'H a m p to n C o urt Palace' 'Q ueen o f E ngland ' + 'n in e days'

1

Search th e Inte rne t to read the lyrics and listen to th e tu n e o f Greensleeves. a) Investigate the re la tio n s h ip betw een the song and Henry's re la tio n s h ip w ith

A n ne Boleyn.

b) Investigate cla im s th a t H enry w ro te the w o rd s. Do you th in k he w ro te them ? W h y /w h y not?

2

Find o u t w h ich fa m o u s 2 0 th-century E nglish classical c o m p o se r w ro te

Fantasia on Greensleeves.

3

Research som e o f th e strange rem edies H enry VIII used to try to cure his a ilm e n ts. Did any o f th e m w ork?

4

Go to the o fficia l w e b site o f H am pton C ourt Palace. W h y do so m any people get lo st there?

5

S ix years a fte r th e death o f H enry VIII, there w a s a Queen o f England w h o reigned fo r ju s t nine days. Use the Inte rne t to fin d o u t a bo ut her. W h a t w as her title? W h y w as her reign so short?

C

Write

J u s t before A n ne had her head cut off, she said to th e cro w d , 'I pray God save th e king and send him long to reign ove r you, fo r a g e n tle r nor a m ore m e rcifu l prince w as there never: and to me he w as ever a good, a gen tle and so vereign lo rd .' W rite an a lte rn a tive speech fo r her, te llin g th e tru th a bo ut H enry VIII. (200 w o rd s)

f l Ra je st >g an b m ar ri ag es : ki ng |> cn rv D O T

Good Queen Bess:

GOOD QUEEN BESS:

ELIZABETH I

‘I k n o w I have the b o d y o f a weak

and feeble w om an, b u t I have

the h eart and stom ach o f a king,

and a k in g o f England to o .’

Q u e e n E lizabeth I to h e r tro o p s at T ilbury, befo re th e arrival o f th e Spanish A rm ad a

Fact file

7th September 1533: birth of Elizabeth 1547: father Henry VIII dies

1554: Elizabeth is imprisoned in the Tower of London

17th November 1558: Elizabeth becomes Queen of England 1587: Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth’s cousin, is executed for plotting against her

July 1588: Spanish Armada is defeated 24th March 1603: Elizabeth dies

Section 1: Reading

A

Before you read - think and discuss

Elizabeth I w as one o f E ngland's greatest queens, w h o w o n a fa m o u s v ic to ry a g a in st the p o w e rfu l Spanish A rm ada.

m

W h a t great battles have there been in y o u r co u n try's history? ■ Has a w o m a n ever led y o u r c o u n try in a tim e o f w ar?

■ W hat, if a n yth in g , do you kn o w a b o u t Elizabethan England?

B Read the text

B irth o f a daughter

There was just one problem with the birth of the child who would later become Queen Elizabeth I - she was supposed to be a boy. The pre-written court letters announcing the birth had to be quickly changed. The word prince became

princes (the Elizabethan spelling of princess) with the

addition of a letter 's'. This unwelcome surprise would cost the child's mother, Anne Boleyn, her life (see Chapter 3). It nearly proved fatal for Elizabeth herself.

T hreats to the young Elizab eth

Elizabeth was the daughter of a demonized mother, so it is 10 remarkable that she managed to survive the reign of Henry

VIII. When Henry died, Elizabeth was in even more danger. Her Protestant half-brother became King Edward VI and declared that she was illegitimate, with no right to be queen. After his death, Elizabeth's Catholic half-sister

became Queen Mary I. Queen Mary imprisoned Elizabeth in the Tower of London, and tried to collect evidence to show that Elizabeth was plotting against her.

Elizab eth becom es Q ueen

Not only did Elizabeth survive these threats but she became queen herself when Mary died. Mary had no heir, so Elizabeth became the third of Henry's children to sit on the throne in 11 20 years. Elizabeth remained queen for 45 years, and became the most idolized of all British monarchs. Today, she is still celebrated as one of England's finest monarchs, who successfully fought off England's enemies while ruling over a period of extraordinary cultural flowering.

H er fath er’s daughter?

Elizabeth was very like her father in many ways. She looked like Henry, with her father's hair and skin colour, nose and lips. She had much of Henry's character, too - his

intelligence, his strong personality, his eloquence and his 30 irresistible charisma. But unlike her father, she believed in

mercy and she was prepared to compromise. She was a practical ruler who avoided extremes - in religion, in politics and (usually) in punishment.

To m arry or not

One of the first challenges for the attractive young queen was the question of marriage. Throughout her reign she had a succession of male favourites, most notably Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, but she never married. She explained this by saying, 'I am already bound unto a husband, which is the kingdom of England.' It seems 40 Elizabeth realized that marrying a foreign prince would

threaten England with foreign domination, while marrying an English nobleman could cause trouble at home.

T h e V irg in Q ueen

Elizabeth's powerful image was as Gloriana the Virgin Queen - a golden-haired, white-faced icon in jewels and spectacular dresses. She was not afraid to use her power - from 1563, portraits of Elizabeth had to be copied from an approved template. When a preacher criticized the Queen in 1579 because she did not want to marry, she ordered that his writing hand should be chopped off. 'God save the 50 Queen!' he cried out after his right hand was severed,

raising his hat with his left hand.

T h e C h u rch o f En glan d

Elizabeth followed a cautious path in matters of religion. She restored the Church of England's independence from Rome and under her leadership blended both Protestant and Catholic elements, although it remained technically Protestant. She expected people to conform outwardly and to respect her position as head of the church. However, she was not concerned about their inner beliefs. 'I would not open windows into men's souls,' she explained.

E xecu tio n o f M ary Q ueen o f Scots

60 Some Catholics believed that Elizabeth's Catholic cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, should be Queen of England. Mary had been ousted from the throne of Scotland and fled to England, where she was put under house arrest. Mary became the focus of numerous Catholic plots against

Elizabeth's life. There were many years of conspiracies concerning Mary and warnings about the threat she represented. Eventually, Elizabeth could take no more and Mary was tried and executed.

T h e Spanish A rm ad a

By now, religious tensions across Western Europe were extremely high. The Catholic Philip II of Spain was 70 outraged by the execution of Mary, and by English attacks on Spanish ships and possessions in the New World. He decided to send a massive Armada against England. The plan was that a fleet of 130 ships would sail from Spain to the Spanish Netherlands. Here, they would pick up a Spanish army and sail for England. However, the Armada was seen in the Channel and beacon fires were lit across England. The English navy, underthe command of Sir Francis Drake, prepared itself. In Tilbury, Kent, the Queen addressed her troops. She gave one of the most inspiring 80 speeches in English history (see quote on previous page). The English navy, helped by the weather, divided and conquered the Armada, to the eternal glory of Elizabeth.

E lizab eth ’s le g a cy

Elizabeth ruled England with tremendous style, spirit and flair. She symbolizes the defiant, patriotic liberty of the English perhaps better than any other national figure. During the time of her reign, it was believed that it was against God's will for a woman to hold power. Her triumph in a man's world is, therefore, all the more remarkable.

Glossary

demonized described as evil

illegitimate child born of parents not lawfully married to each other charisma charm, star quality

ousted removed (from a position of power) house arrest imprisonment in your own home Armada (historical) armed Spanish fleet beacon warning/signal

C

Check your facts!

D

W hat do you think?

1

'A n n e Boleyn died g iv in g b irth to

Elizabeth I / True or false?

2

W hich one o f these w as n o t H enry V lll's child?

a) Elizabeth b) Robert c) M a ry d) Edw ard

3

Is Elizabeth considered th e fin e s t m onarch to rule Britain?

4

'E lizabeth's p e rs o n a lity w as ju s t like th a t o f her fa th e r/ True o r false?

5

W h a t d a n g e r w as th e re in Elizabeth m a rry in g a) a fo re ig n e r and b) an E nglishm an?

6

W hen the preacher w h o lo st his hand asked God to save th e Queen, he m eant: a) Elizabeth.

b) the V irg in Queen. c) G loriana.

d) all o f the above, because th e y are the sam e person.

7

'E lizabeth w as m ore to le ra n t o f d iffe re n t re lig io u s beliefs than her fa th e r.' True o r false?

8

In w h a t w a y did M ary Queen o f Scots pose a th re a t to Elizabeth?

9

W here w as th e Spanish a rm y th a t sh o u ld have invaded England?

a) Spain

b) on the A rm a d a c) T ilb u ry

d) the Spanish N ethe rlands

10

In w h a t w a y co u ld yo u say Elizabeth w as a m o d e rn w o m an ?

1 W h a t does the added 's ' in th e p re -w ritte n c o u rt letters te ll us m ore abo ut: English s p e llin g o r a ttitu d e s to w a rd s w o m e n in Elizabeth's day? Explain y o u r answer.

2

The te x t says th a t Elizabeth 'a vo id e d e xtre m es - in re lig io n , in p o litic s and (usually) in p u n is h m e n t'. W h y do you th in k th e w o rd usually is inserted before

pu nish m e nt? Is there a n yth in g in the te x t

th a t helps to e xp la in this?

3

W rite y o u r o w n in te rp re ta tio n o f Elizabeth's phrase, 'I w o u ld not open w in d o w s in to m en's souls'.

4

E xplain w h a t th e expressions b e lo w m ean. Use th e co n te x t to help you.

p a trio tic lib e rty cu ltu ral flo w e rin g approved tem plate

5

W h a t do yo u feel is the m o st rem arkable th in g a b o u t Elizabeth? G ive reasons fo r y o u r choice.

MaryQ u e e n o f Scots

Section 2: Topic development

A The very image o f a queen

Elizabeth I w as s h o rt (abou t 163 cm ) and her teeth w e re black w ith decay. Yet the royal p o rtra it painters never show ed this. Instead th e y show ed an idealized im age o f Elizabeth, th e m ig h ty V irg in Queen m a rrie d to England. Pictures o f her w e re fu ll o f s y m b o lic m eaning, a style th a t w as ty p ic a l o f the period.

S tu d y the picture, painted not long afte r Elizabeth's v ic to ry over the A rm ada. Id e n tify ite m s a)-e).

a) th e defeated A rm ada

b)

th e triu m p h a n t B ritish fle e t

c) a sym b o l o f Elizabeth's p u rity (clue: she is w e a rin g these)

d)

a s y m b o l fo r th e N ew W o rld

B

A mysterious object

1

Read the passage b e lo w a b o u t a legend re la tin g S ir Francis Drake. He is one o f the heroes o f the Elizabethan age, fa m o u s fo r being the firs t E n glishm an to sail ro u n d the w o rld .

W h a t is the m issin g fo u r-le tte r w o rd th a t goes in every blank?

2

Discuss in pairs o r sm a ll group s:

■ Do you th in k th e re is any tru th in the legend? * A re th e re s im ila r legends in y o u r co u n try's

history? Explain them ,

l W h e th e r tru e o r not, do you th in k co u n trie s need such legends? Give y o u r reasons.

Drake’s _____________ is a _____________ that

Sir Francis Drake took with him when he sailed round the world.

Shortly before he died, he ordered th e ______________to be taken to Buckland Abbey,

where it still is today, and vowed that if England was ever in danger someone was to beat

the _____________ and he would return to defend the country. According to legend it can

be heard to beat at times when England is at war or a significant national event takes place.

Several times throughout history, people have claimed to have heard the

---beating, including: when the Mayflower left Plymouth for America in 1620, when Admiral

Lord Nelson was made a freeman of Plymouth, when Napoleon was brought into

Plymouth Harbour as a prisoner, and when World War I began in 1914.

Reportedly, on HM S Royal Oak, a victory _____________ roll was heard when the

German navy surrendered in 1918. The ship was then searched twice by the officers and

then again by the captain and neither a _____________ nor a _____________ mer were

found on board and eventually the phenomenon was put down to the legendary

In 1938, when Buckland Abbey was partly destroyed by fire, the _____________ was

rescued and taken to safety. Plymouth was devastated in the air raids that followed,

reminding some of the ancient legend that “If Drake’s _____________ should be moved

from its rightful home, the city will fall.” The _____________ was returned and the city

remained safe for the rest of the war.

Section 3: Extension activities

A

Discuss

Queen Elizabeth e ffe c tiv e ly said th a t she w as m a rrie d to her jo b w h en she described England as her husband.

■ Do you th in k leaders m u st sacrifice th e ir personal lives to do th e ir jo b s prope rly? B H o w does th is affect th e ir p e rfo rm a n ce in th e jo b - does it make th e m less 'h u m a n '?

B W h a t w o u ld it be like to be m arrie d to a great leader?

1 Is it possible to have a no rm a l life if yo u are a g reat leader o r are m a rrie d to one?

B Research

Search for: 'H a tfie ld House' 'W a lte r R aleigh' + 'cap e' + 'to b a c c o ' 'e x e c u tio n o f M a ry Queen o f Scots'

c

Write

W atch a film a bo ut Elizabeth I (there are m any Then w rite a review . Include details about:

2

Elizabeth I w as b ro u g h t up at H atfield House. Use the Inte rne t to fin d o u t as m uch as you can a b o u t th is place. W here is it? Can you visit? W hat w o u ld you see if you w e n t there? Use th e Inte rne t to fin d o u t a b o u t S ir W a lte r Raleigh. W hat stories are th e re a b o u t him , connected to Elizabeth? H o w and w h e n did he die?

Find and read an account o f the e xe cu tio n o f M a ry Queen o f Scots. W h o did she fo rg iv e at the tim e o f her death?

B th e story.

B th e characters.

B th e p e rfo rm a n ce o f the actress p la yin g Elizabeth - is it convin cin g ?

B w h e th e r it helps you und erstan d w h a t life w as like d u rin g th a t tim e .

B w h e th e r you w o u ld recom m en d it, and w hy. (250 w o rd s)

a

G o o d Q u ee n B es s: E li za b et h I