History Shorts: Agincourt (1415)

 Henry V defeated the French at Agincourt on October 25, 1415. The English wiped out a generation of French nobility in one pitched battle. The longbow leveled the playing field and shifted power away from the nobility. It also marked the beginning of professional armies and the beginning of the end of the feudal era. The sweeping victory appeared to end the Hundred Years' War. However, Henry V died soon after leading to a relaunching of hostilities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRj01LShXN8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb9ZTypvWK4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRj01LShXN8

History Shorts: Canterbury Tales (1380)

Geoffrey Chaucer recounts over 20 stories in The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer uses irony to describe English society in the late 14th century. The work helped popularize English and provides historians insight into Chaucer's day. As a result, English ascended while French and Latin went by the wayside. The 20 tales describe the life of knights, cook's, physicians, nuns, and many others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3zUoNG_P_0

History Shorts: The Hundred Years War begins (1337)

A dynastic argument between England and France resulted in a conflict that lasted over a century. By the conflict's end, feudal armies had been discredited, nationalism created, France was free of England, and standing armies became the norm.

The best videos have been taken down. But here is a lego re-creation of the Battle of Crecy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VBDGLlSIcw

History Shorts: The Battle of Bannockburn (1314)

Scotland won a decisive victory in their War of Independence against England. Robert the Bruce defeated the weak Edward II in a pitched battle. The Scots were undermanned and outnumbered, but Bruce routed the English on the battle's second day. Edward II fled in fear igniting a full scale panic on the English side. In the wake, Scotland began raiding into England and invaded Ireland. Eventually, Scotland earned their independence, but England never truly recognized it.

Song about Bannockburn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65L2MDzCghM



CG of the battle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlBKO7eCE-c

History Shorts: The Battle of Stirling (1297)

William Wallace and Andrew Moray defeated a large English force at Stirling Bridge on September 11, 1297. The English outnumbered the Scots at least 4-to-1. However, Wallace managed to funnel the English soldiers onto a bridge and cut them to pieces. The victory led to Wallace's punitive expeditions into England itself. Wallace would eventually be captured and executed by the English. Robert Bruce led the Scots to independence in 1314. The battle was immortalized in Mel Gibson's Braveheart. However, his version did not come close to accuracy as the film's budget limited his ability to convey the battle.

Braveheart:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2XXXIf97sg



However, it did include one of film's greatest speeches:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEOOZDbMrgE

History Shorts: The Magna Carta (1215)

King John was just a bad monarch. He was incompetent and overbearing. John lost a war in France, lost baronial lands to the French, and crushed the people with high taxes. Finally, the nobles had enough and revolted. They defeated the king and forced him to sign Magna Carta. It marked the first time an English king had his power limited. The document also protected the rights of the nobles. The Magna Carta marked the first step toward British constitutional government and later the American Constitution.
:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfAq0Lp-AmA



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rROhCaTvyLc

King John:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTNe_uJ4cnU


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCMgoDu3WkU 

History Shorts: The Battle of Hastings and fall of Anglo Saxon England (1066)

England’s King Harold faced two invasions in 1066. He defeated a Viking invasion force at Stamford Bridge and then turned to face William the Bastard’s Norman force. The Normans fielded about 10,000 men at Hastings against 7,000 Anglo Saxons. The battle stalemated until the Anglo Saxons fell for a Norman trick. William pretended to flee and swirled around to destroy Harold’s forces when they left their heavily defended positions to pursue. The battle, and Anglo Saxon England, ended with Harold’s death. The king took an arrow through the eye ending his reign.  The native English quickly became second class citizens in their homeland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD4EP3dpmes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_rAXH09qRY

History Shorts: Stamford Bridge (1066)

Anglo Saxon King Harold faced two invasions at once in 1066. He faced Harald Hardrada’s Viking force and William the Bastard’s Normans. He decided to face the Vikings first and marched to East Riding, Yorkshire to face the Norwegians. Hardrada and his brother Tostig Godwinson died symbolically ending the Viking Age. King Harold’s forces achieved an incredible and decisive victory, but they still had to contend with the Normans. The victory at Stamford Bridge helped William the Bastard as it tired the Anglo Saxons. In the end, the Normans conquered England. Stamford Bridge played a pivotal role in the Norman Conquest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QewGV3Xa1ik

History Shorts: Alfred the Great defeats the Vikings (9th century)

Alfred is the only English monarch to earn the title “great.” He came to power in 871 amid the Viking conquest. Alfred successfully developed a strategy to stop the invaders. He built defensive fortifications and allowed the Vikings to attack. The defensive lines proved too strong and the Scandinavians died in mass. Alfred also created the English Navy and codified English law.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3xK_RH0up8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuRRNPbq7RYd

History Shorts: The Viking Age begins (793 A.D.)

The Vikings left Scandinavia for new lands. In 793, they raided the English monastery at Lindesfarne ushering in the Viking Age. Europe seemed on the verge of exiting the Dark Ages when the Vikings struck.  Viking raids over the next few centuries bankrupted kingdoms and tossed the continent back into disarray. The Viking Age ended when the Earth entered into the Little Ice Age.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBVh53a8aRo

History Shorts: Augustine arrives in Kent (597)

Pope Gregory the Great chose Augustine to Christianize Britain.  Christianity had taken root in Kent,so Augustine began his mission there. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury and founder of the English church. His early efforts eventually led to the Christian conquest of the British Isles. He died in 604.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIu5UYa_c2E