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William the Conqueror defeats Harold at Hastings; French dominates government and nobility.
I find it fascinating how English, instead of disappearing, absorbed French vocabulary and grew stronger, a lesson in resilience.

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King John loses French territories; England turns inward.
Sometimes losing connections can create identity. Here, England discovered that being “English” mattered more than being half-French.

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Henry III issues a proclamation in English.
I see this as the first small “official victory” of English after years of silence, like a voice coming back to life.

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Long war with France kills French prestige in England.
War is destructive, but in this case, it ironically gave English pride. Nationalism needed a common language.

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One-third of the population dies; laborers gain power.

Tragedy reshaped society. I think of how even in death, language rose ordinary people forced the elite to hear them.

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English becomes the language of law courts.
For me, this was the “official comeback concert” of English, it was no longer just for homes and streets, but for law and power.

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Working-class rebellion against taxes and exploitation.
This reminds me that revolutions don’t always succeed immediately, but they plant seeds of change, and English was the tool to voice anger.

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First complete translation of the Bible into English.
To me, this feels revolutionary; faith in the people’s own tongue must have made religion feel personal and empowering.

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Claims the throne in English.
Imagine the shock of hearing a king speak English again, it must have felt like a homecoming for the people.

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Author of The Canterbury Tales.
I admire how Chaucer made English playful, poetic, and respectable. He proved English could rival Latin and French in art.

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1430 – Chancery adopts East Midland English

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1430 – Chancery adopts East Midland English

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Bureaucracy uses it for records.
To me, this is like “admin power” meeting language; it standardized writing and pulled English closer to what we know today.

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Spreads literacy and stabilizes spelling.
This moment feels magical. Suddenly, English had permanence. No longer just spoken, it could be multiplied endlessly.

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End of civil war, start of Tudor dynasty.
Peace was the best fertilizer. I think English finally had the stability to flourish fully.

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First step toward overseas expansion.
Here, I see English looking outward, ready to leave the island and become global.

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Social critique in alliterative verse.
His work shows how English wasn’t just about kings and knights, but about workers and spirituality too.

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Pearl Poet (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)

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Pearl Poet (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)

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Blended chivalry, romance, and morality in alliterative poetry.
This poet shows that English could carry deep legend and spirituality.

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Pearl Poet (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)

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The Canterbury Tales proved English could rival French in literature.
Chaucer feels like the father who gave English confidence.

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Introduced printing, spreading English texts widely.
Without Caxton, English might never have reached so many readers.

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During the Middle English period, which was a significant time in the history of the English language, English changed greatly. It evolved from being a language that only the common people spoke, often used by farmers and workers, to becoming a language that was used in important areas like law, literature, religion, and the government.