Anglo Saxons

From Paganism to Christianity

First beliefs

• The Anglo Saxons first believed in Paganism. Which heavily believed in wyrd. They glorified heroic warriors who were supposed to prevail in battle.

• As the became agriculturally sound, secure and civilized their outlook on life changed.

• Instead of believing in fate they wanted something more secure.

Transition to Christianity

• In theory Christianity is a non violent religion who’s general outcome on life and the after life is if you live a good life and believe in Jesus after you die you will live after death in paradise.

Christianity evolving

• As Christianity grew through out the world so did the amount of missionaries; or people who spread the word.

• One of the first most famous missionaries was Augustine.

• Augustine created a monastery in Kent.• As this was happening Christianity grew so

much that the majority of Britain was Christian.

The impact of Monasteries

• As time went on Monasteries became more and more common.

• They became the center pieces for “intellectual, literary, artistic, and social activity”.

• This was the only place for education.• Schools and libraries weren’t around at this

time so Monasteries were the only places to learn.

Monasteries

• Monasteries imported books from all over the world so your education wasn’t limited to the local authors but a wide range of them.

• In the late eighth an early ninth century Vikings came and destroyed all of the Monasteries.

• But since Christianity spread from word of mouth and people remember the lessons etc. Their religion did not change.

Epic Poems

• Epic Poems praised the heroic warriors and their adventures the anglo saxins praiesd early on.

• They were only shown on special occasions.• It was not only entertainment, it was a history

lesson, moral lesson and it riled people up.• It also most importantly showed their faith in

in wyrd and that life always ended in death.

Epic Poem con.

• This was an oral form of entertainment• The most famous still existing epic poem is

Beowulf.

Answers

• They were the center for education• It appealed because it gave hope to a hopeless sociey• They were presented orally• They were moral lessons, history lessons.• So little of it has been saved because it was not written

it was presented orally.• The poetry was about the warriors they praised and

their adventures.• It gives people a glimpse of what life was like in that

time.