ANGLO-SAXON COUNTRIES: ORIGIN AND HISTORY, CHARACTERISTICS AND LIST - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The Anglo-Saxon countries are those that resulted from the invasion of different Germanic peoples from the beginning of the 5th century, who conquered territories in the south of Britain. The Angles coming from the boreal Europe (or the north) occupied the territories that belonged to western imperial Rome, and later they annexed to the Saxons to give rise to the Anglo-Saxon people.

There are some similarities between these countries, such as their legislation, quality of life, level of development, political system, economic structure, technology and official language (English), among other aspects.

England is one of the most influential Anglo-Saxon countries. Source: pixabay.com

As for religion, the one that is most practiced is Protestant, especially in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. However, it is important to emphasize that freedom of worship is also exercised.

In Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Ireland and Canada Catholicism is practiced, although Protestantism is also professed in the latter.

Origin and history

In the 8th century, writings of Bede - a monk of the Benedictine order - revealed that the English descended from three Germanic ethnic groups:

On the one hand, the Engla land -term from which the name England derives- stand out, who were Anglos from Anglia (now Germany). They totally and definitively abandoned their lands and settled in Great Britain.

Then there were the original peoples of the Netherlands and Lower Saxony, referred to in contemporary Germany as the Niedersachsen. And finally, there were those born in Jutland (present-day Denmark).

Take power

The barbarians easily seized power because the British coasts were defenseless, since the western Romans abandoned them, forced to return and defend their homeland, an undertaking that was ultimately unsuccessful.

The main Angles were commanded by the brothers Horsa and Hengest, who in 450 the Vortigern king allowed to settle on the island of Thanet with their peoples if they would serve as mercenaries to protect Britain.

Hengest (called "the stallion") manipulated Vortigern and managed to obtain more territories. This made room for other Germanic settlers on the island and managed to extend their dominions to the west and south of Great Britain during the 7th century.

The invading Anglo and Saxon tribes were structured into 7 kingdoms: Kent, Exxex, Sussex, East Anglia, Wessex, Mercia, and Northumbria. This process was called the Heptarchy.

In this way, each of its leaders assumed the title of king. Sometimes they collaborated with each other, and in many cases the majority produced fierce confrontations.

First antecedents: medieval times

The history of the Anglo-Saxon countries ranges from medieval times with the end of the rule of western Rome, through the invasion of the Anglo and Saxon tribes, until reaching the conquest of England in 1066 by Normandy.

After a process of evangelization from the year 597 until its consolidation, approximately in 686, the power transcended from one to another between the great kingdoms.

It is notorious that at the end of the 6th century power was redirected to the northern kingdoms (Mercia and Northumbria), despite the fact that the kingdom of Kent was the one with the greatest dominance.

The Danish Vikings entered the territory in 789 with the sole purpose of perpetrating pillage. Subsequently, a hundred ships entered through the Thames and seized the raided territories.

Between 865 and 867 York was taken by Danish Vikings, who landed in East Anglia. So, it can be said that between the years 800 and 1066 passed the period of the Vikings and the conquest of England.

End of the 10th century

In the twilight of the 10th century, a new interest arose from Scandinavia in England. Three lords demanded their right to the throne.

This led to a couple of invasions and sparked the battles of Stamford Bridge and Hasting. The latter marked the beginning of the Normandy invasion; at that time, the Anglo-Saxon nobles took refuge in Ireland and Scotland.

With the disappearance of Danish rule, feudalism arose from the hand of King Edward, heir to the kingdom of Wessex. This monarch became the symbol of the independence of England.

characteristics

-Some authors consider that the Anglo-Saxon countries of Europe hold in their thinking a preeminence over the rest of the other races. This conception is attributed to the delicacy of the English temperament, which gives them a special attribute that allowed them to have various colonies and conquered territories.

-There is the so-called Anglo-Saxon America, whose countries had a significant increase in urban areas during the 19th century. Its infant mortality rate is low (9%) and life expectancy is counted up to 81 years for women and 78 years for men (approximate figures).

-The climate is predominantly temperate and cold, with frequent storms in countries with a tendency towards a tropical climate.

-The United States and Canada have solid economies and financial systems in the international arena. Iron, steel, wood, and biopolymers are the main raw materials, and the finished products are generally electronic implements and cars.

-The Anglo-Saxons import agricultural machinery replacing the labor force. The peasant enjoys a high quality of life.

-They promote capital investment, technological development and scientific advice.

-Its economy is oriented to the development of the industry.

-The existence of different ethnic groups responds to the fact that the exploitation of slave labor in past times and the large influx of immigrants resulted in a great variety of races, which in many cases have been harmed by the scourge of segregation.

-The financial crises of recent years have generated a considerable increase in unemployment and the prevalence of poverty and misery, especially in the South American region.

List of Anglo-Saxon countries

World map with Anglo-Saxon countries

The countries that share the Anglo-Saxon culture are: England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales (United Kingdom), Australia and New Zealand.

The countries and dependencies that make up Anglo-Saxon America whose official or predominant language is English are the following:

Countries

-Old and bearded.

-Bahamas.

-Canada (except Quebec).

-Dominica.

-United States (except Hawaii).

-Guyana.

-Pomegranate.

-Saint Kitts and Nevis.

-Jamaica.

-St. Lucia.

-St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

-Trinidad and Tobago.

Dependencies

-Bermuda.

-Eel.

-Cayman Islands.

-Falkland.

-South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.

-Turks and Caicos Islands.

-British Virgin Islands.

-Virgin Islands of the United States.

References

1. "Anglosphere" in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved on March 22, 2019 from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: es.wikipedia.org
2. "Anglo-Saxons" in Educalingo. Retrieved on March 24, 2019 from Educalingo: educalingo.com
3. Oorts D. Tamara. "History of the Anglo-Saxon peoples 1" in Academia. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 from Academia: academia.edu
4. "Anglo-Saxon America" ​​in Escuelapedia. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 from Escuelapedia: Escuelapedia.com
5. "The Anglo-Saxon world" in Tradilin. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 from Tradilin: tradilin.net