Cambridge University

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"My parents didn't go to university and weren't brought up in England. They hadn't heard of any universities other than 'Cambridge' or 'Oxford’ " - Richard Ayoade. This Quote by Richard Ayoade reflects how great and prestigious Oxford and Cambridge were made out to be. Everybody wanted to go there and everybody knew about them. Over the centuries, both the universities have achieved greater and greater things than before. Today, facts throughout all the centuries, decades, and years of Cambridge will be discussed in terms of expansion, academics, new discoveries, and new achievements at Cambridge University. From 1 little college to 31 great colleges, this is the story of Cambridge.

The university was born when an argument erupted between the townspeople and some of the clerks in Oxford, England. The clerks decided to leave Oxford and move to Cambridge, England ("Oxford Companion to British History" encyclopedia.com). One of the clerks, Hugh Balsham, built Peterhouse, Cambridge's first college, in 1284. Balsham was formerly Bishop of Ely, which was an "ancient and medieval kingdom in Ireland" ("Cambridge University" wiki). Peterhouse was home to a

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small group of scholars that studied and lived in the Hospital of St. John (Marti 54). In fact, the small community of scholars was made to impose on the Hospital. Balsham

wanted them there because he had certain rights of supervision and patronage (Brooke 93). However the "bright, young, scholars", couldn't relate well with the "sick, aged, and religious people" of St. John. Balsham quickly figured this out and relocated them to lodgings and hostels (Bro...

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..."? Well, as it goes, "what and if are two harmless words, but when put together they can darken thoughts, and have the power to haunt, what if, what if, what if?" Hopefully, information has been gathered and opinions have been formed from reading this essay.

Works Cited

Lister, Maree, and Marti Stevens. Countries of the World,

England. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 1998. Print.

Brooke, Christopher, et al. Oxford and Cambridge. Cambridge: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1998. Print.

“Cambridge University.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cambridge

September 17, 2013

John Canon. “The Oxford Companion to British History.”

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-CambridgeUniversity.html September 17, 2013

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