Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/anglo-saxon-chronicle

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the compilation period?Late 9th century (original) to 1154 (last update)
2. What is the language of composition?Old English, with later sections showing transition to Middle English
3. Why did people copy the Chronicle to many monasteries?Copying it to many monasteries helped keep the book safe and let each monastery add new events, so the story could grow and survive.
4. When did the Chronicle start and finish?The main part of the Chronicle began in the 8th or 9th century, and the last known updates were made in 1154.

Historiography: The study of the writing of history, including its methods, principles, and history.
Annals: A historical record of events arranged in chronological order, typically year by year.
Vernacular: The native language or dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a formal or literary language.
House of Wessex: A dynasty of kings who ruled the Kingdom of Wessex and later unified England from the 9th to the 11th centuries.