- •What great monuments of prehistory still exist in the British Isles?
- •What are the mysteries of Stonehenge?
- •When did the Celts arrive in Britain? What Celtic tribes do you know? Where did they settle?
- •What were the Celts like? How did they organize their family life? What gods did they worship? Who were the Druids? What functions were performed by them?
- •What Celtic languages are still spoken in the British Isles? What is the most flourishing Celtic language today? What are its peculiarities?
- •What historical events are these dates associated with? 55 bc, 54 bc, 43 ad, 410 When and why did the Romans leave Britain?
- •What event in the history of Britain is associated with the Iceni people and their queen? How did the Romans try to defend themselves against the Celtic tribes?
- •What is the most spectacular memorial of the Roman presence in Britain?
- •What did the Romans introduce in the life of the ancient islanders? What languages were spoken in Roman Britain?
- •What Germanic tribes invaded Britain from the Continent in the 5th century?
- •What do you know about King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table? What was Merlin famous for?
- •When was Britain converted into Christianity? Why does the tradition of visiting Canterbury Cathedral continue to this day? How did the new faith influence the life of the Anglo-Saxons?
- •Which of the Anglo-Saxon kings deserved the title of ‘Great’? What were his great accomplishments?
- •What languages were spoken in Anglo-Saxon Britain? What is the great mythological poem written in the West Saxon dialect of Old English? What is it about?
- •When did the Scandinavian invasion begin? Who were the Vikings?
- •How did the Viking rule in Britain affect the life of the islanders?
- •Who was the Anglo-Saxon king before the Norman Conquest? What were the reasons for the Norman invasion?
- •Why were the English forces defeated in the Battle of Hastings? Why is it said that the Battle of Hastings changed the course of English history?
- •What marks the place of the Battle of Hastings?
- •What do you know about William the Conqueror?
- •What did the Normans do to make themselves safe in the new lands?
- •What are some famous castles in Britain? What do you know about them?
- •What is ‘Domesday Book’? What was it written for?
- •What languages were spoken in Norman Britain?
- •What were the most important political, economic and cultural changes after the Norman Conquest?
- •Who was the first Plantagenet King? Why was Thomas Becket murdered? How did the Christian world react to Becket’s martyrdom?
- •What role did Geoffrey Chaucer play for the development of the English language? What languages were books written in before Chaucer in England?
- •What do you know about the Magna Carta?
- •How did King Edward I manage to impose English rule on Wales? What is Caernarfon Castle famous for?
- •What were the reasons for the War of the Roses? Who gave the war its name?
- •Characterise Henry VIII as a man and as a king
- •Why did the English people dislike Queen Mary I?
- •What is the Renaissance? When did it begin in Britain? What spheres of life did the Renaissance influence?
- •Why was the reign of Queen Elizabeth I called ‘the Golden Age’? What were the prominent writers, poets, painters, philosophers and scientists of that period?
- •Why did Elizabeth support many English seamen that caused trouble to Spanish ships? Who were the most famous seamen of the time?
- •What were the reasons and the results of the sea battle between the Armada and the English fleet?
- •What were the reasons for the conflict of the Stuarts with the Parliament?
- •How did the Civil War develop and end? What was King Charles I accused and found guilty of? What was his execution like?
- •What social groups supported Oliver Cromwell? What new kind of army did he create? How did o. Cromwell govern the country?
- •Why did Scotland agree to the union with England in 1707? What was the new official name of the united state?
- •What military heroes glorified Great Britain in the Napoleonic Wars?
- •Why was colonizing foreign lands important? What colonies did Britain have in North America, in the West Indies and India?
- •What did the British government and the American colonies quarrel over? When did the American War of Independence begin? What was the result of the war?
- •What new ideas did the War of Independence bring? What were the revolutionary changes in art in the 18th century?
- •What is the Industrial Revolution? Why did it begin in Britain? What branches of industry were progressing in the 18th century?
- •What new social classes appeared in the 18th century? What caused social unrest in the country? What do you know about Chartism?
- •What disasters did Ireland suffer in 1845, 1846 and 1847? What country did many Irish emigrate to?
- •What were the greatest cultural achievements of the Victorian Age?
- •What moral values are called ‘Victorian’?
- •When did the Windsor family come to power? What important events of the 20th and 21st century did they witness?
-
What did the Normans do to make themselves safe in the new lands?
As the Anglo-Saxons felt great hatred towards their new masters, the Normans did not feel safe in the conquered country for they could be attacked at any time. They were compelled to build large thick stone-walled castles for defense, where they lived with their families and vassals.
Before the Norman Conquest the Anglo-Saxon lords lived in timber houses. Sometimes the lord’s house was built on a hill with a strong wooden fence and with a ditch outside. After the Norman Conquest strong castles began to appear in each county. At first they were built of wood and later of stone. The Norman castle was often built on a hill or rock so that it could not easily be attacked. The castle was as a rule a square stone tower with very thick walls and it was surrounded by a thick stone wall wide enough for the archers to walk along. The outer wall was strengthened with towers built on each corner. Outside the wall was a deep ditch, or moat, filled with water. The moat could be crossed by a drawbridge. At night and during the enemy attacks the drawbridge was drawn up by chains. . Inside, there were generally a great hall, a kitchen, a chapel, private rooms for the nobles, storehouses, barracks and rooms for soldiers, a grain store, a blacksmith’s shop and the stables. Most castles had their own prisons. 2,000 castles were built in England, Wales and Scotland between the 11th and the 17th centuries, while another 3,000 were put up in Ireland.
The first of stone castle was the Tower of London. The Conqueror ordered it to be built on the north bank of the Thames to protect London. The great castle of Durham was built to protect northern England from the raids of the Scots. Another fortress was built on the river Tyne and was called Newcastle. Among the otherearliest and most famous castles Windsor Castle, Edinburgh Castle, Dover Castle, Caernarfon Castle, Warwick Castle.
Some of the massive strong towers built by the Normans can be seen in England today, like the White Tower of London Tower or the keep of the castle at Colchester which was the largest Norman castle in England. Some, such as Windsor Castle, are still used as residences. But most of the old Norman castles are ruins which can still be seen in various parts of England.
-
What are some famous castles in Britain? What do you know about them?
Warwick Castle.
Warwick Castle is situatedon a cliff overlooking a bend in the River Avon (in Warwick, Warwickshire). William the Conqueror built it in 1068. From 1088, the castle traditionally belonged to the Earl of Warwick, and it served as a symbol of his power. The castle was taken in 1153 by Henry of Anjou, later Henry II. It has been used to hold prisoners. Under the ownership of Richard Neville, Warwick Castle was used in the 15th century to imprison the English king, Edward IV. Warwick Castle has been compared with Windsor Castle in terms of scale, cost, and status. The castle was used as a stronghold until the early 17th century, when James I granted it to Sir FulkeGreville in 1604. Greville converted it to acountry house and it was owned by his family. Today it's a tourist attraction. Various interactive attractions,events, shows and exhibitions are held there. Besides, tourists can dine at one of the castle’s restaurants, or eat picnic in the grounds and browse there for gifts, souvenirs,etc.
Edinburgh Castle.
It is situatedon the Castle Rockin Edinburgh, Scotland. The castle was built during the 12th century by David I, son of Saint Margaret of Scotland. The castle itself has been used as a place of royal residence, a prison and a military garrison. In 1927, part of the castle was turned into the Scottish National War Memorial. The Edinburgh Castle is one of the most important castles in Scotland. It has been attacked numerous times and it was the center of many wars. These days however, it serves as a national monument (an important one at that), a museum and a tourist attraction. More than one million people who visit the castle each year witness military ceremonies, historical re-enactments, and can visit sites such as St. Margaret’s Chapel and the Great Hall of King James IV. Other highlights are The Royal Palace,The Stone of Destiny, Crown Jewels, Mons Meg,One o'clock Gun ,Half Moon Battery ,National War Museum, Regimental Museums, Prisons of War, Scottish National War Memorial.
The Tower of London.
The Tower is situated on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It was built in 1066 by William the Conqueror and was used as a prison from 1100 until 1952,although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history served as a royal residence.The Tower of London is one of the world’s most famous fortresses. It has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of England, the prison and the place for executions. Today the Tower of London is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. There are many tours in:
-The White Tower which contains the impressive Royal Armouries collections and even an 11th century Romanesque chapel;
-The Royal Mint where people explore the Coins & Kings exhibition, learn about what life was like through outdoor installations and interactive displays; and many other.
Other famous castles are Dover Castle in Kent, Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, CarisbrookeCastle on Isle of Wight, Windsor Castle, Caernarfon Castle.