A first book in American history with European beginnings . the bishops to crown him king of England. History knows him as William the Conqueror—a titlewell befitting his character. He was like his Viking fore-fathers, a giant in size and strength, and he had a willthat overcame all obstacles. He was stern and cruel,but he held his kingdom firmly together, and brought 42 BRITAIN, OR ENGLAND Anglo-Saxons, Danes, and Normans under one centralgovernment. And this union was what was needed. Realizing that his new subjects hated their Normanconquerors, he took the lands and estates from the Eng-lis
A first book in American history with European beginnings . the bishops to crown him king of England. History knows him as William the Conqueror—a titlewell befitting his character. He was like his Viking fore-fathers, a giant in size and strength, and he had a willthat overcame all obstacles. He was stern and cruel,but he held his kingdom firmly together, and brought 42 BRITAIN, OR ENGLAND Anglo-Saxons, Danes, and Normans under one centralgovernment. And this union was what was needed. Realizing that his new subjects hated their Normanconquerors, he took the lands and estates from the Eng-lish people and gave them to Norman nobles, in returnfor their oath to obey and serve him always. ThusWilliam made the Norman barons responsible for orderbeing kept throughout his possessions, and he couldcount on their loyalty, as upon it depended all theirwealth. He placed fortified castles in all importanttowns, filled them with Norman sol-diers, and gave them Norman com-manders. In this way there wassmall chance of an uprising amongthe English Norman Church in England. William was a harsh king. He taxed the peopleheavily, keeping account of all their property in a greatrecord called the Doomsday book. Other hated thingswere the use of the French language; the curfew, whichmeant that all fires must be put out when the curfewbell sounded at dusk; and the destruction of many villages 43 A FIRST BOOK IN AMERICAN HISTORY to furnish ground for great forests where none but theking might hunt. Yet in spite of these harsh laws the Norman conquestwas, after all, a good thing for England. The rudebuildings which stood before the conquest were replacedby the more elaborate Norman architecture. The Nor-
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidfirstbookina, bookyear1921
