Ancient History: Celtic Tribes (500 BC-43 AD)


We began our history studies this year by backing up a bit and reviewing. We ended our study of Ancient history last year with the end of the Roman Empire, but as we go into the Dark Ages or the Early Middle Ages, we needed to back up a bit and review the fact that the Celts, who were around during the Roman Empire, dominated much of Europe. They came from what is now southern Germany and pushed through much of Europe. The Celtic tribes sacked Rome in 390 BC and raided Greece and Anatolia in 280 BC. They also fought among themselves and even fought with the Romans against the Germanic barbarians such as the Saxons who had been invited into Britain as mercenaries but quickly started to conquer land, gaining control of the southeast. The legendary King Arthur, of whom some believe was a Celtic chief, held them back for awhile. After the fall of Rome in 476 AD, Celtic ways survived only in Ireland, Cornwall, Brittany and parts of Scotland and Wales.
History Portfolio

We read from The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia. This is our spine, sort of like a glorified timeline.
We read selections from Write from Medieval History Level 2 by Kimberly Garcia
The Celts
"The comb is used to tighten the woven design while weaving on the loom.
A Celtic Torque is a twisted metal necklace. The Celts were known for wearing this type of jewelry."


They completed narration sentences from what they had learned and copywork sentences in their history journals using History Portfolios. 
"The Celts loved and valued horses and were excellent horsemen.
Plaid is a woven pattern n wool commonly used among the Celts."
We used the vocabulary words as a border around the page. We reviewed what the words meant as we wrote them around the edge. A band of color makes it look more like a border.
Once they were finished King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table , I gave them this assignment: 
On page 93 of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green, it says, "It would need many books to tell of every adventure that befell during his (King Arthur's) reign -that brief period of light set like a star of Heaven in the midst of the Dark Ages: and we cannot, for example, tell here how Arthur himself foughr with the Giant of St. Michael's Mount who carried off helpless wayfarers to his dark and evil castle; nor how he made war against the Emperor Lucius and was received in Rome; nor of his fight with the dreadful Cat of Losane." Using what you have learned about the style of the King Arthur stories, write one of these untold stories.

Halloween, A gift from the Celts
By the way, it is from the Celts that we get our Halloween celebration. Every year the Celts observed a harvest festival, Samhain, so named from their lord of death. As the light and warmth of the year slowly faded beneath the encroachment of winter, the Celts lit bonfires to symbolize their hope in the renewal of Spring, but this was also the time when the spirits of the dead roamed. During Samhain, mischief reigned at the hands of unkind spirits. The only way to ward off these marauding souls was by camouflage or offering treats to appease the spirits, which has led to our dressing up for Halloween and giving out candy today.

Books:
  • Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey. Set in fifth-century Britain, the story follows a Celtic lad in service to King Arthur.
  • Tales of King Arthur by James Riordan
  • King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green

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The next history post: The Barbarians

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