8. Write a short summary of the Scottish history and present it in the class.

The history of Scotland begins around 10,000 years ago, when humans first began to inhabit what is now Scotland after the end of the Devensian glaciation, the last ice age. Of the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age civilization that existed in the territory, many artifacts remain, but few written records were left behind.

The recorded history of Scotland begins with the arrival of the Roman Empire in Britain, when the Romans occupied what is now broadly England, Wales and the Scottish Lowlands, administering it as a Roman province called Britannia. To the north was territory not governed by the Romans — Caledonia, by name. Its people were the Picts. From a classical historical viewpoint Scotland seemed a peripheral country, slow to gain advances filtering out from the Mediterranean fount of civilisation, but as knowledge of the past increases it has become apparent that some developments were earlier and more advanced than previously thought, and that the seaways were very important to Scottish history.

Because of the geographical orientation of Scotland and its strong reliance on trade routes by sea, the kingdom held close links in the south and east with the Baltic countries, and through Ireland with France and the continent of Europe. Following the Acts of Union which united Scotland with England into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the subsequent Scottish Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution, Scotland became one of the commercial, intellectual and industrial powerhouses of Europe. Its industrial decline following the Second World War was particularly acute, but in recent decades the country has enjoyed something of a cultural and economic renaissance, fuelled in part by a resurgent financial services sector, the proceeds of North Sea oil and gas, and latterly a devolved parliament.

Northern Ireland

Exercises

1. Answer the following questions to the text: The Republic of Ireland

A. 1. How many Irelands are there? Are they part of the same country? 2. No.

2. Does the island of Ireland belong to the British Isles? No

3. What are the colours of the Republic of Ire­land flag? The national flag of Ireland is a vertical tricolour of green (at the hoist), white, and orange.

4. How does it happen that the Brian Boru's harp is depicted on both the national emblem of the Republic of Ireland and the Guinness brewery? The harp used as the political symbol of Ireland is a mirror-image of the original, to avoid legal infringement.

5. What is the Irish name for Ireland? Eire

6. How many traditional provinces were there in Ireland? 4

7. What is meant by Ulster? Where does the name come from? Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. It is composed of nine counties.

The first part of the name Ulster derives from the Irish Ulaidh, meaning "Fifth of the Ulaid". In ancient times, the island was divided into five regions, with the Ulaid tribes inhabiting this northernmost region.

The Irish word for someone/something from Ulster is Ultach. The Latin word for someone/something from Ulster is Ultonian, which derives from the Latin name for the province, Ultonia.

8. What is the capital of the Republic of Ireland? Dublin

9. What is the population of the capital? Of the whole country? Dublin –506,211, Ireland – 6,197,100 (2008)

10. What period do the first prehistoric settlers in Ireland belong to? Mesolithic (8000–4000 BC).

11. What ancient kings of Ireland do you know? Elizabeth, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I.

12. When did Vikings appear in Ireland and how do they influence the country's flow of history? In the 8^th century, Viking raids interrupted the golden age of Christian Irish culture starting the beginning of two hundred years of intermittent warfare, with waves of Viking raiders plundering monasteries and towns throughout Ireland.

13. When did English occupation of Ireland begin? In the 12th century

14. What are the statues of Kilkenny known for? A parliament was held at the place of Kilkenny by the son of King Edward III of England in 1366 where these statutes were passed, forbidding the Norman invaders from marrying local people.

15. What was Elizabeth I policy in Ireland? What was the response of Romans Catholics to it? Her policy there was to grant land to her courtiers and prevent the rebels from giving Spain a base from which to attack England. Between 1594 and 1603, Elizabeth faced her most severe test in Ireland during the Nine Years War, a revolt that took place at the height of hostilities with Spain, who backed the rebel leader, Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone.

B.

16. What role did Oliver Cromwell play in Irish history? Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader best known in England for his overthrow of the monarchy and temporarily turning England into a republican Commonwealth and for his rule as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland. In Ireland his record is harshly criticized.