The Emergent Period: The Anglo-Saxons
English IV Honors
Directions: Using the informational packet, fill in the missing information for each statement
(the information is in order as it appears).
1. “English” today is owed to _________________, ________________, ______________,
_________________, __________________, and ______________; they are ancient
invaders and settlers.
2. The English created a political system of _____ _________ _________ _______
_______________.
3. This political system remains today a source of _______ and ___________ for many
nations.
4. We in America would not be what we are today without _________________________.
5. English common law emphasized ____________________________ and
__________________.
6. What two groups of invaders drove the old Britons and eventually settled Britain
themselves? ___________________ & _________________ and _________________.
7. One of the most famous and heroic Celtic leaders was _______________.
8. Originally, Anglo-Saxon England was divided into several
________________________________ each with its own ______________.
9. England became a true nation against the invading ___________________ with the
leadership of ____________________________.
10. While Alfred forced the Dans out of Wessex, his reign was the beginning of the shaky
dominance of Wessex kings until they were overwhelmed by _____________________
in ______________.
11. The Anglo-Saxons were depicted as ______________________, but they were not.
12. The Anglo-Saxons were talented _______________, _________________, and
_______________________.
13. In Anglo-Saxon England, _________________ was the order of the day.
14. Law and order were achieved by the _______________ in a family, clan, tribe, or
kingdom.
15. ______________, ______________, and __________________ were achieved through
loyalty to these leaders.
16. Success was measured by the _____________ received from the leader for showing
_________________.
17. Beowulf gains _____________ by defeating monsters for ________________________.
18. _______________________ was basic for Anglo-Saxon life.
19. Anglo-Saxons lived in single-family homesteads that surrounded a communal court or
________________________________.
20. This arrangement created a _______________________________________, a close
relationship between leader and followers that led to community discussions and rule by
consensus.
21. The religion of the Anglo-Saxons developed from ________________.
22. The god of weather, particular _________________ and _______________ was known
as __________________.
23. His sign was the ____________________ and the ________________________ that we
call the swastika.
24. In what way t we still see his name today? ____________________
25. The earth mother took on many forms for the Anglo-Saxons, influencing the female deity
and focusing their concern on ______________ and ______________.
26. ____________, the god of death, poetry and magic could help humans communicate with
_________________.
27. The Old English name for Odin was ______________, which is where we developed the
name for __________________________.
28. Another mythological figure significant to the Anglo-Saxons was the
_____________________ known to be the ____________________________________.
29. The Anglo-Saxons were more concerned with ethics such as _____________________,
________________________, __________________, than with the mystical aspects of
reality.
30. The Anglo-Saxon communal hall was used for _________________,
______________________, and __________________________.
31. A main source of entertainment was storytelling provided by a skilled storyteller known
as a __________________ or _________________.
32. To the Anglo-Saxons, creating poetry was as “manly” as __________________,
______________________, __________________, or ______________________.
33. Reciting their story to the accompaniment of a harp, they would _________________ a
story about a _______________.
34. The _______________ figure was ideal to a people constantly under threat of
annihilation by _________________, ___________________, or
________________________.
35. An element of hope was provided through ______________________ and
____________________________ in the death-shadowed world of the Anglo-Saxons.
36. The works from the older tradition were composed/written in _____________________.
37. The language of the church was ________________.
38. The repetition of four stressed syllables in the poem aided a storyteller’s
___________________.
39. Another outstanding feature of this poetry is its use of _________________, the
repetition of consonant and vowel sounds.
40. The poet also used descriptive compound words or ____________________ to evoke
vivid images.
41. The poetry of oral epic is a combination of _______________ and __________________
elements.
42. Beowulf was handed down, with changes and embellishments from one storyteller to
another identified as ___________ ______________.
43. Beowulf was composed sometime between the years ____________ and
_______________.
44. While the author of Beowulf is unknown, it is and assumed that he many have been a
_________ given the Christian elements.
45. Beowulf is the typical hero story of ___________ versus ____________; the hero
embodies the characteristics of a loyal warrior and the monster embodies the true
elements of evil.