The Leading Facts of English History | Page 4

sat, when they made their pilgrimage to
Stonehenge[1] many years ago, and discussed the life after death, with
other questions of Druid philosophy.
[1] Stonehenge: This remarkable structure is believed to be the remains
of a pre-historic monument to the dead, which was, perhaps, used also
as a place of worship. It stands on Salisbury Plain about nine miles
northeast of the city of Salisbury. (See map facing p. 38.) It consists of
a broken circle of huge upright stones, some of which are still
connected at the top by blocks of flat stones. Within this circle, which
is about one hundred feet in circumference, is a circle of smaller stones.
The structure has no roof. The recent discover of stains of bronze or
copper on one of the great stones, seven feet below the surface,
strengthens the theory that Stonehenge was constructed by the race who
used bronze implements and who were later known as Britons (S2).
Consult Professor C. Oman's "England before the Norman Conquest";
see also R. W. Emerson's "English Traits," and O. W. Holmes's fine
poem on the "Broken Circle," suggested by a visit to Stonehenge.
4. What we owe to Prehistoric Man.
We have seen that the Romans called the Britons "barbarians" (S2). But
we should bear in mind that all the progress which civilization has
since made is built on the foundations which those primitive races
slowly and painfully laid during unnumbered centuries of toil and
strife.
To them we owe man's wonderful discovery of the power to produce
fire. To them we are indebted for the invention of the first tools, the
first weapons, and the first attempts at architecture and pictorial art.
They too tamed the dog, the horse, and our other domestic animals.

They also discovered how to till the soil and how to mine and
manufacture metals. In fact those "barbarians" who lived in "the
childhood of the world," and who never wrote a line of history, did
some things equal to any which history records, for out of wild plants
and trees they developed the grains and fruits which now form an
indispensable part of "our daily bread."
Finally, through their incessant struggles with nature, and incessant
wars among themselves, those rude tribes learned to establish forms of
self-government for towns or larger districts. Many of their salutary
customs--their unwritten laws--still make themselves felt in the
world.[1] They help bind the English nation together. They do even
more than that, for their influence can be traced in the history of newer
nations, which, like the American republic, have descended from the
great mother-countries of Europe.
[1] For example, parts of the "Common Law" can be traced back,
through English "dooms" (decisions or laws), to prehistoric times. See
E. A. Freeman in the Encyclopaedia Britannica (10th edition, VIII,
276). The New England "Town Meeting" can be likewise traced back
to the German ancestors of the Anglo-Saxons.
[Figures: Carved bone, flint dagger, and bronze spearhead]
SECOND PERIOD[1]
"Father Neptune one day to Dame Freedom did say, `If ever I lived
upon dry land, The spot I should hit on would be little Britain.' Says
Freedom, `Why that's my own island.' O, 't is a snug little island, A
right little, tight little island! Search the world round, none can be
found So happy as this little island." T. Dibdin
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ENGLAND IN RELATION TO ITS
HISTORY[2]
5. Geographical Names given by the Britons and the Romans
The steps of English history may be traced to a considerable extent by

geographical names. Thus the names of most of the prominent natural
features, the hills, and especially the streams, originated with the
Britons. They carry us back to the Bronze Age (S2) and perhaps earlier.
Familiar examples of this are found in the name Malvern Hills, and in
the word Avon ("the water"), which occurs in Stratford-on-Avon, and
is repeated many times in England and Wales.
The Roman occupation of Britain is shown by the names ending in
"cester" or "chester" (a corrupton of castra, a military camp). Thus
Leicester, Worcester, Dorchester, Colchester, Chester, indicate that
these places were walled towns and military stations.
[1] Reference Books on this Period will be found in the Classified List
of Books in the Appendix. The pronunciation of names will be found in
the Index. [2] As this Period necessarily contains references to certain
events which occurred in later history, it may be advantageously
reviewed by the pupil after he has reached an advanced stage in his
course of study.
6. Saxon and Danish Names.
On the other hand, the names of many of the great political divisions,
especially in the south and east of England, mark the Saxon settlements,
such as Essex (the East Saxons), Sussex (the South Saxons), Middlesex
(the Middle or Central Saxons).