Liza Langa 2014 Part of the European land mass until the end of the last Ice Age 3000BC inhabited by Iberians Stonehenge - prehistoric megalithic monument The Bronze Age reached Britain between 2100 and 1650 BC The Celts brought the technique of smelting iron to Britain around 700BC Two waves the Gaels around 600BC and the Cymri (or Britons) around 300BC No towns, lived in villages Lived under the primitive system Boudicca was the ruler of one of the largest tribes Slave society Julius Caesar reached the Channel in 55BC Two raids to Britain (55 and 54BC) The Roman invasion began properly in 43AD Emperor Claudius The Celts were not turned into slaves Hadrians Wall was built to keep out the raiding Picts and Scots Many main towns and cities were established by the Romans In the 4th century the Christian church was established in Britain Romans left Britain in 410 Mid 5th century Angles, Saxons and Jutes The Celts were driven away to remote areas Welsh/Cymri still spoken in Wales Gaelic still spoken in Scotland Anglo-Saxons were agricultural people 579 the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity Roman culture spread, big landed estates, libraries and schools... At the beginning of the 9th century Wessex became the strongest state King Egbert became the first king of England King Egbert End of the 8th century second wave of Germanic invasions The Viking age in European history was about AD700 to 1100 871 the Danes invaded Wessex again (King Alfred) The Danes were allowed to settle in the northern boundary 1016 England was conquered by the Danish king Canute after Canutes death 1042 Edward the Confessor became king Edward the Confessor died and three men claimed his throne The battle of Hastings was the last successful invasion of Britain Depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry in Normandy, France 1066 William the Conqueror French became the language of the aristocracy