Литература
1. “History of Britain”, David McDowall. Longman, 2006
2. “Britain in close-up”, David McDowall. Longman, 2007
3. “Across the country and continents”. В.М. Веневская, 2008
4. “Britain. Aspects of political and social life”, Leipzig, 1990
5. “Britain. Oxford”, James O’Driscoll, 2006
6. “Traditions and customs of G B, Walshe, N. Konon”, Khimunina, 2008
7. “St. Paul’s Cathedral”, Tricia Simmonds, 2007
8. “Madame Tussaud’s”, Arthur Ward, Robin Nicholl, 2008
9. “London”, Michael Hall, 2009
10.Wikipedia
11. The official Website of the British Monarchy
12. “Spotlight on English-speaking countries”, Тимановскоя Н.А. издательство Автограф 1998
13. Michael Ball and David Sunderland, “An economic history of London” 2001
14. Roderick Floud and Paul Johnson, “The Cambridge economic history of Modern Britain, 2004
15. Sara Horrell, “Living standarts in Britain, Women’s Century, 2004
Chapter I
The united Kingdom and its Component Parts
Unit 1
1) Geographical position, mountains and hills, rivers and lakes
2) Politics
3) Regions of the UK
Unit 2 England
1) geography
2) history
3) languages
4) government and politics
5) culture and sport
Unit 3 Scotland
1) Geography
2) history
3) languages
4) government and politics
5) culture and sport, capital
Unit 4 Wales
1) Geography
2) history
3) languages
4) government and politics
5) culture and sport, capital
Unit 5 Northern Ireland
1) Geography
2) history
3) languages
4) government and politics
5) culture and sport, capital
Unit 6
1) Vegetation and wild life of GB
2) climate
3) currency
4) the Parties
Unit 7 Parliament of the UK
1) the Parliament of the UK
2) the Parliament of England
3) the Parliament of Scotland
4) Modern era (structure, procedure, term of the British Parliament)
5) legislative and judicial functions of the Parliament
Unit 8 Religion
Chapter II
Economic history of the UK
Unit 1 the 17 century
a) Industrial Revolution
Unit 2 the 19 century
a) the Second Industrial Revolution
b) the new Imperialism
c) the Imperialism in Asia
Unit 3 the 20 century
a) the Great Depression
b) the Second World War
Unit 4 the post war era
Unit 5 the Thatcher era
Unit 6 the Major era
Unit 7 the 21st century
Chapter III
The Royal Houses (400 AD – 2010)
Unit 1 The Anglo-Saxons
Unit 2 The Vikings
Unit 3 the Plantagenet’s
Unit 4 the House of York and Lancaster
Unit 5 the Tudors
Unit 6 the Stuarts
Unit 7 the Hanoverians
Unit 8 the House of Saxe-Coburg
Unit 9 the House of Windsor
Chapter IV
Education in Great Britain
Unit 1 the story of British schools
a) primary and secondary education
b) arguments about the purpose of education
c) changing political control
Unit 2
a) the public system of education
b) schools and the post-16 curriculum
Unit 3
a) the private sector
b) further and higher education
Unit 4 Eton college
Unit 5 the British Universities
Unit 6 the Oxford University
Chapter V
London and its sightseeing’s
Unit 1 The Tower of London
Unit 2 The Tower Bridge
Unit 3 Buckingham House
Unit 4 Westminster Abbey
Unit 5 the Clock Tower
Unit 6 Trafalgar Square
Unit 7 Hyde park
Unit 8 Piccadilly Circus
Unit 9 Royal Albert Hall
Unit 10 Wax museum
Unit 11 St Paul’s Cathedral
Chapter VI
English Holidays and Traditions
Unit 1 Spare time (leisure and sport)
Unit 2 Public holidays and celebrations
Unit 3 Customs and traditions
The United Kingdom and Its Component Parts
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or UK, is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It comprises the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and the northeastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland (Northern Ireland), together with many smaller islands. The mainland areas lie between latitudes 49°N and 59°N (the Shetland Islands reach to nearly 61°N), and longitudes 8°W to 2°E. The Royal Greenwich Observatory, in South East London, is the defining point of the Prime Meridian.
The UK lies between the North Atlantic and the North Sea, and comes within 35 km (22 mi) of the northwest coast of France, from which it is separated by the English Channel. Northern Ireland shares a 360 km international land boundary with the Republic of Ireland. The Channel Tunnel ("Chunnel") bored beneath the English Channel, now links the UK with France.
Area The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 245,000 square kilometres (94,600 sq mi) comprising of the island of Great Britain, the northeastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland (Northern Ireland) and smaller islands. England is the largest country of the United Kingdom, at 130,410 square kilometres (50,350 sq mi) accounting for just over half the total area of the UK. Scotland at 78,772 square kilometres (30,410 sq mi),[l] is second largest, accounting for about a third of the area of the UK. Wales and Northern Ireland are much smaller, covering 20,758 square kilometres (8,010 sq mi) and 14,160 square kilometres (5,470 sq mi) respectively.
Geographical position Great Britain - an island where there are England, Scotland and Wales, constitutes, together with many smaller islands, an archipelago of irregular shape with a very diverse landscape and nature. The latter is a consequence of the fact that the British Isles were once a part of Europe, but were cut off from the mainland after the flooding of low lying lands, are now bottom of the North Sea and the Channel. Northern Ireland, which is politically complements the United Kingdom, located on the second largest island, Ireland, and is the western extension of the Scottish mountains. These mountain areas are separated by a narrow North Channel. Historically, the geographical features of the British influence on human settlement, migration, military conquests and political union. They also identified the location and operation of industry, transportation systems, agriculture, fisheries, forests, energy and communications. Today they continue to define the lives of Britons, and besides, they are closely linked to public concern the environment and wildlife.
Geographical Location of Great Britain marked the zero meridian, which passes through the international time zone at Greenwich to the east of London, 50 ° north latitude in the south-east England and 60 ° north latitude in the Shetland Islands. Thus, the United Kingdom is only 10 ° of latitude, which makes it very small country compared with some European countries. However, even at such a tiny territory it has retained a huge variety of landscapes and contrasting physical traits that affect tourists waiting to see the crowded and industrialized countries. From any location can easily and quickly reach a large number of beautiful species, and recreation areas, such as the ten national parks in England and Wales and areas of natural beauty in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The area of the UK is about 240,842 square meters, km. Most of the is land, and the rest - the rivers and lakes. The area of England is 129,634 square meters, km., Wales - 20,637 square meters, km., Scotland - 77,179 square meters, km. and Northern Ireland - 13438 square meters, km. Thus, Britain is much more than other countries in the United Kingdom, and has the largest population. These factors explain the domination of England in British history. Distance from the south coast of England to the northernmost point of Scotland is 960 km, and between the east coast of England and west Wales - 480 km. These relatively short distances helped create a political union and the establishment of close ties to the island. They also helped to create a single social, economic and governmental systems. But until the middle of the eighteenth century there were notable barriers association, such as difficult terrain and underdeveloped transportation.
Such a variety of geographical features of the UK is the result of long geological and climatic changes. Over time, due to the movements of the crust from the bottom of the sea rose mountains, which formed the oldest in Britain. Periods of warm subtropical weather gave way to new movements of the crust, and the vast marshy forests covered all the low-lying land. Forests, in turn, were buried under the sand, soil and dirt, so that the petrified forest became coal modern Britain. Later the climate changed from subtropical to arctic. During the Ice Age almost the whole island was buried under the ice, except perhaps only southern England. The mountains slowly erode due to ice, water and wind. This process is rounded mountaintops and moved the rocks to the lowlands, where they have been compressed into new mountains, leaving the landscape has become smoother and softer. Geological and weather patterns identified today form the valleys and plains, but also resulted in the location of the main rivers of the UK, such as the Clyde, Forth and the Tweed in Scotland, the Tyne, Trent, Humber, Severn and the Thames in England and Wales, and Logan Bann in Northern Ireland . The forces of nature also affected the coastlines, as the sea retreated, then returned again. Parts of the coastal zone went under the water, while others were exposed. These processes continue today, especially in the east and south coasts of England. Where the sea receded, formed in chalk and limestone mountains and sandy beaches along the coast, at the time, as the destruction of the soil caused the loss of the land in some places.
Initially Britain was part of the European continent, but the melting of the glaciers since the end of the Ice Age led to a rise in sea level, and the country was separated from the continent by the North Sea at the widest point and the Channel at its narrowest. The distance between Dover in England and Calais in France is the minimum (32 km).
The most of the UK is at a distance of no more than 120 km from the sea. The tides on the coast and river flooding can cause flooding in many regions of the country. Seeking additional funding to build levees and protective structures on the water, for example, the protective barrier in London was built in 1984.
The sea off the coast not 90 meters deeper, because most of the British Isles lies on the continental shelf, which is elevated sea floor, connected to the mainland. The warm Gulf Stream warms the sea and air on the route through the shelf. Therefore, the climate on the islands is much milder than might be given their northern location. The course also affect the coastal waters, which are important for the fishing industry.
Mainland UK can be divided into upland and lowland. Mountains and highlands are located mainly in the north and west. Most of the low-lying land, excluding the Scottish lowlands and the central areas of Northern Ireland, lies in the south and east of the country, where only a few places reach 300 meters above sea level.
The north and west consist of older and hard rock, created by the ancient movements of the crust, which basically unsuitable for farming. South and east are younger and soft rock, formed by the process of weathering of mountains, which created a fertile land and good conditions for the cultivation of land. Most of the low-lying land, except cities and industrial zones, is used in agriculture. It basically consists of fields, which are usually separated by a fence or hedge. The pastures in mountainous areas are separated by stone walls or peat bogs.
The exact centre of the island of Great Britain is disputed. Depending upon how it is calculated it can be either Haltwhistle in Northumberland, or Dunsop Bridge in Lancashire.
Mountains and hills The ten tallest mountains in the UK are all found in Scotland. The highest peaks in each part of the UK are:
Scotland: Ben Nevis (Aonach Mor, 1,344 metres) Wales: Snowdon (Snowdonia, 1,085 metres) England: Scafell Pike (Cumbrian Mountains, 977 metres) Northern Ireland: Slieve Donard (Mourne Mountains, 852 metres) The ranges of mountains and hills in the UK include:
Scotland: Cairngorms, Cheviot Hills, Scottish Highlands, Southern Uplands, Grampian Mountains
Wales: Brecon Beacons, Cambrian Mountains, Snowdonia, Black Mountains, Preseli Hills
England: Chilterns, Cotswolds, Dartmoor, Lincolnshire Wolds, Exmoor, Lake District, Malvern Hills, Mendip Hills, North Downs, Peak District, Pennines, Salisbury Plain, South Downs, Shropshire Hills, Yorkshire Wolds
Northern Ireland: Mourne Mountains, Antrim Plateau, Sperrin Mountains The lowest point of the UK is in the Fens of East Anglia, in England, parts of which lie up to 4 metres below sea level. Rivers and lakes
The longest river in the UK is the River Severn (220 mi, 354 km) which flows through both Wales and England.
The longest rivers in the UK by country are: England: River Thames (215 mi, 346 km) Scotland: River Tay (117 mi, 188 km) N. Ireland: River Bann (76 mi, 122 km) Wales: River Tywi (64 mi, 103 km) The largest lakes in the UK by country are: N. Ireland: Lough Neagh (147.39 sq mi, 381.74 km2) Scotland: Loch Lomond (27.46 sq mi, 71.12 km2) England: Windermere (5.69 sq mi, 14.74 km2) Wales: Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) (1.87 sq mi, 4.84 km2)
Wales: Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) (1.87 sq mi, 4.84 km2)
The deepest lake in the UK is Loch Morar with a maximum depth of 309 metres (Loch Ness is second at 228 metres deep). The deepest lake in England is Wastwater which descends to 79 metres (258 feet).
Islands In total, it is estimated that the UK is made up of over one thousand small islands, some being natural and some being man-made crannogs, which were built in past times using stone and wood and which were enlarged by natural waste building up over time.
Politics Great Britain - Constitutional Monarchy
Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. The monarchy is the oldest of all existing forms of government. And in Britain continuity of royal power was broken only once in ten centuries of existence of the state. The current Queen Elizabeth II comes from the kind of Saxon King Egbert, united England in 892 year and Malcolm II, who ruled in Scotland from 1005 to 1034 years.
Monarch of Great Britain in is the main person of the state. Legally, the monarch directs the executive branch and the supreme commander of the British Army. But actually, as a result of the changes taking place over many centuries, monarchs have lost their absolute power.
Queen rules the state with the consent of the Cabinet, ie "Reigns, not rules." Legislature is a bicameral parliament consisting of the Upper House - the House of Lords and the Lower House - the House of Commons. The meetings are held in the Parliament building, which is one of the sights of London. 650 members of the House of Commons elected by the citizens of the UK once every five years, while membership in the House of Lords to be inherited in families of hereditary nobles.
Thus, the Queen represents the state in the international arena and is a symbol of power. The executive power is vested in the cabinet, shaped by a parliamentary majority.
Among the variety of political parties of Great Britain's leading role belongs to the two major parties. This - the Conservatives (Tories) and the Labor Party (the Whigs).
The
word "region" is used to refer to any of large areas of the
country. Regions of the United Kingdom:
East Anglia (Eastern England)
East Midlands
London
Northern Ireland
North
North East
North West
Scotland
South
South East
South West
Wales
West Midlands
The counties of eastern England (or East Anglia) are mainly rural and are each individual in character. The population of Eastern England has risen in the last 50 years as communication with London has allowed тапу Londoners to mоvе into the countryside of East Anglia. Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk have тапу popular seaside resorts and miles of fine beaches to enjoy.
Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire have rolling countryside with mаnу ancient towns, village and roman remains. Cambridgeshire has а more level countryside with slow moving rivers and the lovely city of Cambridge to explore.
In Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, the main centres of population are Luton, Dunstable and St Albans, while in Cambridgeshire the main city is Cambridge. Norfolk and Suffolk are still very rural and largely unspoilt.
The counties of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire are bordered to the west bу the Chiltern Hills designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONВ).
The counties of East Anglia оr Eastern England аге Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedford and Hertfordshire.
The East Midlands of England contains some of England's best and least explored counties. Largely unspoilt with mаnу lovely stone and thatch villages, especially in north Northamptonshire, Rutland and Lineolnshire, the East Midland of England is being opened up to tourism.
In recent years, improved road access has led to an increase in population as mаnу commuters from London have moved into the south of the region, especially around Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. Lineolnshire and Derbyshire have so fаr remained relatively unaffected.
The six counties include England's smallest county Rutland which has only two large towns and тапу unspoilt villages set in lovely rolling countryside, with а large тап made reservoir in the centre.
The other counties in the East Midlands of England аге Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.
The landscape in the East Midlands of England varies from county to county: from the flat fenlands of Lineolnshire to the rugged uplands of Derbyshire, the forests of Nottinghamshire and the fеn lands of Lincolnshire.
Lincolnshire also boasts Lincoln Cathedral, оnе of the finest medieval buildings in Еuгоре. Nottinghamshire is known as the home of Robin Hood and Derbyshire is famous fоr its Dales National Park.
Greater London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom and contains the City of London, The City of Westminster and 32 London boroughs.
Greater London covers 609 square miles and has an estimated population of 7,500,000 people and а metropolitan population of between 12,000,000 and 14,000,000.
Greater London is bordered bу the Counties of Essex and Hertfordshire in the East of England region and Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey and Kent in South East England.
The main River is the Thames which flows though London from west to east through the heart of London. It is the only region in England with а directly elected mayor who has wide ranging devolved powers and аn elected regional assembly. The Mayоr is responsible fоr the strategic planning fоr London. London contains тапу of the most popular tourist destinations and tourism plays а major role in the local economy. The City of London is а major centre fоr banking and finance.
Northern Ireland consists of six of the nine counties of the Irish province of Ulster. It is оnе of the fоuг Ноте Nations that form the United Kingdom. The six Northern Irish counties аге County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Fermanagh. County Londonderry and County Туrоnе. These counties аге по longer used for local government purposes. The main cities аге Armagh, Belfast, Derry, Lisburn and Newry. Approximately 14% of the population of Northern Ireland speak Irish, but only 1% of Northern Ireland speak Irish as their main language at home. The beauty and variety of the Northern Ireland landscape, the ever-changing vistas, and the mild climate, make this а wonderful place to explore.
The North East region of England is bordered to the north bу Scotland and the west bу the Pennines, to the east bу the North Sea and to the south bу the river Tees. The North East Region of England was created in 1994 and originally consisted of Northumberland, Туnе and Wear, County Durham and Cleveland. The four main regions now аге County Durham, Northumberland, Туnе and Wear and The North Yorkshire Region now known as Tees Valley (formerly Cleveland). As part of а reform of 10ca1 government, Cleveland has since bееn abolished and several unitary districts created (Darlington, Stockton, Redcar & Cleveland and Hartlepool). Tyne and Wear was famous for its ship building but the old works оп the Туnе and Wear have now ceased production. The region boasts the most magnificent scenery in all of England and its landscape includes maritime cliffs, extensive moorland, the largest тап made forest in Еuгоре, salt marshes, heaths, bogs, upland hay meadows, the Arctic-alpine flora of Upper Teesdale, the Farne Islands and Limestone grasslands. The north of the North East of England region is the Northumberland National Park. Northumberland was formerly the Kingdom of Northumbria and Northumberland is still also known as Northumbria. It is full of castles and lovely monasteries and is famous for the Lindisfarne where the gospels were written in the 6th Century.
The landscape of the North West of England varies from the flat plain of Cheshire to the rugged Pennine heights of Cumbria and the Lake District. Vеrу beautiful countryside сап bе found in all of the counties, especially in Lancashire and the Lake District in Cumbria, the possible exception being the urban areas of Greater Manchester and Merseyside in the south of the region but еvеn these have their share of lovely countryside оr coasta1 beaches. Chester, the county town of Cheshire, is оnе of the most beautiful cities in England and Chester dates back to the Roman period with the old city walls still standing all around the old city of Chester. The Wirral Peninsular to the west of Greater Manchester is а vеrу popular area The North West of England region is bounded оп the west side bу the Irish Sea at Merseyside and to the east bу the Pennines which run through Lancashire and Cumbria. In the north it borders оп to Scotland and to the South, the Welsh Mountains. The highest point is Scafell Pike in the Pennine Lake District of Cumbria which rises to 3,209 feet above sea level. Merseyside is famous for its association with the Beatles and for Liverpool which will bе the next Еuroреan City of Culture. The five counties that comprise the North west of England аге: Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria.
Scotland occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain and is оnе of the [оuг countries of the United Kingdom. Scotland was аn independent kingdom until 1707, when the Acts of Union resulted in its union with the England to create the Кingdom of Great Britain. Apart from the mainland, Scotland consists of over 790 islands divided into four main groups:
Shetland, Orkney, and the Innеr Hebrides and Outer Hebrides. The capital is Edinburgh and its largest city is Glasgow, which is home to 40% of the population. It is bounded bу the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Сhаnnеl and Irish Sea to the southwest. То the south, Scotland's only land border is with England and runs for sixty miles. Geographically Scotland has three parts, the Southern Upland running almost 125 miles, the Central Lowlands which is а huge rift valley and to the north, the Highlands, which contains the highest mountain оп the British Isles, Ben Nevis at 4,409 feet. There аге numerous bodies of freshwater known as Lochs including Loch Lomond and Loch Ness, home to the famous Loch Ness monster. The scenery is stunningly beautiful and unspoilt over most of the country.
The counties in the south east of England аге among the most populated and urbanised of the British Isles. However, despite the high population and large urban cities, especially in Berkshire, the majority of the south east of England is still largely agricultural and there аге vast areas of woodland and downland, especially in Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire with тапу of these designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONВ). Surrey, Berkshire and Oxfordshire аге тоге hilly areas with wooded hills.
The county town of Oxfordshire is home to the famous Oxford University. London is the main city in the region and а major tourist destination with тапу places of interest and Royal buildings but is treated as а separate region in its own right. However, there аге mаnу other popular towns and cities, especially in Surrey and Kent, in the south east of England.
Hampshire, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex all have mаnу famous coastal resorts and so much to do and see that оnе visit will not suffice.
The counties of the South East of England аге Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
The south west of England is оnе of the most popular tourists destination. It consists of six counties running from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire in the east to Cornwall in the west and а number of small unitary authorities, mainly in the North Somerset area. The landscape of the region is very varied, from the flat plains in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset to rugged moor lands of Exmoor and Dartmoor in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. The whole coastline of the South west of England is оnе of outstanding beauty and the coastal path runs around the entire region, especially in Cornwall and Dorset. Most of the south west of England is rural and agriculture is аn important part of the economy but tourism is the main element in the region's industry, especially in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. The Counties of the region are Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. The main unitary authorities are Bristol, North Somerset, Bath & Аvоn and South Gloucestershire.
Wales is 10cated in the south-west of Great Britain and is bordered bу England to the east, the Bristol Channel to the south and the Irish Sea to the west and north, and bу the estuary of the River Dee in the north-east. Wales is the largest principa1ity in the world. Те capital city and home of the Welsh Assembly is Cardiff, in the south. The welsh language is still spoken bу 21 % of the welsh population and signage in Wa1es is in both Welsh and English. Two thirds of the population live in the valleys, the north east and the coastal areas. Most of Wales is hillу and mountainous with а rural economy. Wales has three National Parks: Snowdonia National Park, Вrecon Beacons National Park and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. It also has four Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Anglesey, the Clwydian Range, the Gower Peninsula and the Wye Valley. The coastline of South and West Wales has miles of Heritage Coast. The coastline of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, the Gower Peninsula, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and Ceredigion is particularly wild and impressive. Gower Peninsular, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Cardigan Bay all have сlean blue water, white sand beaches and impressive marine life.
The West Midlands of England is а region of sharp contrasts. There are several very large cities centred оn Birmingham and Wolverhampton but there is ro1ling ореn countryside all around, especially in Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Herefordshire. At оnе time it was known as the Black Country because of the industrial pollution generated bу the coal mining, steel works, car manufacturing and other heavy industries. Most of these are now long gone and the area is а vеrу popular tourist regions with such attractions as Warwick Castle and Stratford Upon Аvоп in Warwickshire and Alton Tours in Staffordshire being visited bу thousands of visitors each year, Shropshire contains аn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONВ). The centre of the region, around Birmingham, which is England second largest city, is vеrу urbanised but Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire are still vеrу гuгаl with the other large urban area being Stoke оп Trent and Newcastle under Lyme in Staffordshire. Confusingly, the area around Birmingham and Coventry is also сall West Midlands. The counties of the West Midlands of England аге Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.
As it has already been said, the British Isles today are shared by two separate and independent states. The smaller of these is the Republic of Ireland, with its capital in Dublin. The larger, with London as its capital, is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This long title (usually shortened to the United Kingdom or UK) is the result of a complicated history.
The island of Great Britain contains three "nations" which were separate at earlier stages of their history: England, Scotland and Wales. Wales had become part of the English administrative system by the sixteenth century. Scotland was not completely united with England until 1707. The United Kingdom is a name which was introduced in 1801 when Great Britain became united with Ireland. When the Republic of Ireland became independent of London in 1922, the title was changed to its present form.
The United Kingdom is an entity of more than 300 years old – the state which emerged from the union of the ancient separate kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland.
ENGLAND – the largest, the most populous, and the most densely populated of the four countries, which form up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). It covers an area 130,395 km^2 occupying the south-eastern portion of the island of Great Britain. The population is around 49,000,000 and the capital city is London.
England has not been an independent nation since 1707 when the modern Great Britain was established.
Geography England comprises the central and southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain, plus offshore islands of which the largest is the Isle of Wight. It is bordered to the north by Scotland and to the west by Wales. Much of England consists of rolling hills, but it is generally more mountainous in the north. The Tees-Exe line usually indicates the dividing line between terrain types. There is also an area of flat, low-lying marshland in the east, much of which has been drained for agricultural use. Major rivers are the Thames, the Severn, the Trent, the Humber, the Yorkshire Ouse, the Mersey and the Dee. England’s six largest cities are: London, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, and Manchester. Other major cities are Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Derby, Kingston Upon Hull, Leicester, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Nottingham, Plymouth, Stoke-on-Trent and Wolverhampton.
History. When the geographical region we call "England" was invaded bу Julius Caesar in 55 ВС, and then again the next century bу the Emperor Claudius, it was inhabited bу Celtic tribes collectively called "Britons." The whole southern part of the island (roughly corresponding to modem day England and Wales) became а part of the Roman Empire until finally abandoned early in the 5th century. Unaided bу Roman legions, Roman Britannia could not resist the Germanic tribes who arrived in the 5th and 6th centuries, pushing the Britons back into modern-day Wales, Cumbria and Cornwall. The invaders fell into three main groups: the Jutes, the Saxons, and the Angles. As they became тоге civilized, several large Kingdoms formed and began to merge with оne another. From time to time throughout this period, оnе Anglo-Saxon king was recognized as the "Bretwalda" or High King bу other rulers and had effective control of all оr most of the English. Real unity care as а response to the Danish Viking incursions, which occupied the eastern half of "England" in the 8th century. Egbert, King of Wessex (d. 839) is often regarded as the first king of all the English, although the title "King of England" was first adopted, two generations later, Bу Alfred the Great (ruled 871-899). In 1066 Duke William of Normandy killed the last Saxon King, Harold Godwinson, at the Battle of Hastings and took control of the country, killing or removing most of the Saxon leaders and giving large estates to his followers. For several centuries, Norman French bеcamе the language of the ruling elite, although the majority of the population continued to use their own native languages. But although he unquestionably engineered а pivotal moment in the country's history, William the Conqueror did not "found" оr "unify" the country; he took over а pre-existing England and gave it а Norman- French administration and nobility who gradually adopted the language and customs of the English over the succeeding centuries.
From the late 13th century, the neighbouring principality of Wales was joined to England, and came to Bе а part of that kingdom [or most legal purposes when King Edward 1 defeated the last welsh Prince of Wales. The history of England as аn independent country stretches оп through the Middle Ages and renaissance to the reign of Elizabeth 1, notable both fоr its culture and mercantile success which resulted in а great expansion of territory in тапу parts of the World. Elizabeth's successor, James 1 was already king of Scotland (as James V1); and this personal union of the two crowns was followed а century later bу the Act of Union 1707 which finally joined England and Scotland into the present-day United Kingdom.
Languages The English language is spoken bу millions of people around the world. It originated as the language of England, where it remains the principal tongue today (although not officially enshrined as such). А Germanic family, it is closely related to Dutch, suggesting geographic proximity between the ancient Dutch and ancient Anglo-Saxons before the latter invaded Britain. Used bу all levels of society before the Norman Conquest, English was displaced bу the Norman French language of the new Anglo-French aristocracy. English was confined primarily to the lower social classes while official business was conducted in а mixture of Latin and French. Over the following centuries, however, English gradually camе back into fashion among all classes but showed mаnу signs of French influence, both in vocabulary and spelling. English is remarkable for its ability to incorporate foreign-influenced words. Тhе law does not recognize аnу language as being official, but English is the only language used in England for general official business.
The only other native language in England is the nearly extinct Cornish language, а Celtic language spoken in Cornwall. It is closely related to Welsh and Breton but died out in the late 19th or early 20th Century, although Cornish fishermen still counted their catches in Cornish till late in the 20th century. Fortunately, enough words and grammar were documented and recorded and it was revived during the 20th Century and is now spoken bу around 3,500 people and interest in reviving the language is slowly gaining ground. The language has по official status and is not required for official use. It is supported bу national and local government under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Cornish exists in place names, and а knowledge of the language helps to read the landscape. Manу Cornish names are still used for children, pets, houses and boats.
Government and politics There has not been а Government of England since 1707, when the Acts of Union 1707, putting into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed the previous year, joined the Кingdom of England with the Кingdom of Scotland to form the united Кingdom of Great Britain. Prior to this, England was ruled by а monarch and the Parliament of England. However, following the establishment of devolved government for Scotland and Wales in 1999, England was left as the only country within the United Кingdom still governed in matters by the uк government and the UK parliament in London.
Since Westminster is the UK parliament but also legislates оn matters that affect England alone, devolution of national matters to parliament/assemblies in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland has refocused attention оn the anomaly called the West Lothian question. The "question" is why Scottish and Welsh MPs should continue to be able to vote оn legislation relating only to England while English МPs have nо equivalent right to legislate оn devolved matters. This constitutional arrangement resu1ted in the Labour government only winning а 2004 vote to impose higher tuition fees оn students in England due to the support of Scottish Labours МPs. This "question" is also exacerbated bу the large number of Scottish MPs in the government, а group sometimes disparagingly called the Scottish mafia, and bу having а Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, who represents а Scottish constituency that is unaffected bу the policy decisions he takes.
There are calls for а devolved English parliament, such as bу former minister Frank Field МP, and there is opinion poll evidence of public support for the idea. Some minor English parties go further, cal1ing for the dissolution of the Union. However, the approach favoured bу the current Labour government was (оn the basis that England is too large to bе governed as а single sub-state entity) to propose the devolution of power to the Regions of England. Lord Falconer claimed а devolved English parliament would dwarf the rest of the United Кingdom. The Conservative Party, оn the other hand, are considering proposals to ban Scottish МPs from voting оn English only legislation in Westminster.
Today, therefore, England's affairs are managed bу а combination of the UK government, the UK parliament, and England-specific quangos such as English Heritage.
Culture England has а vast and influential culture that encompasses elements both old and new. The modem culture of England is sometimes difficult to identify and separate clearly nот the culture of the wider United Кingdom, so intertwined are its composite nations. However the English traditional and historic culture remains distinct albeit with substantial regional differences.
English Heritage is а governmental body with а broad remit of managing the historic sites, artefacts and environments of England. London's British Museum, British Library and National Gallery contain the finest collections in the world.
The English have played а significant role in the development of the arts and sciences. Many of the most important figures in the history of modem western scientific and philosophical thought were either bоm in, or at one time or other resided in, England. Major English thinkers of international significance include scientists such as Sir Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, Michael Faraday, Charles Darwin and New Zealand-bоrn Ernest Rutherford, philosophers such as John Locke, John Stuart Mill, Herbert Spencer, Bertrand Russell and Thomas Hobbes, and economists such as David Ricardo, and John Maynard Keynes. Karl Marx wrote most of his important works, including Das Kapital, while in exile in London, and the team that developed the first atomic bomb began their work in England, under the wartime codename Tube Alloys.
Music Composers from England have not achieved recognition as broad as that earned bу their literary counterparts, and, particularly during the 19th century, were overshadowed in international reputation bу other European composers; however, many works of earlier composers such as Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, and Henry Purcell are still frequently performed throughout the world today. А revival of England's musical status began during the 20th century with the prominence of composers such as Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, William Walton, Erie Coates, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Frederick Delius and Benjamin Britten.
In popular music, however, English bands and so10 artists have been cited as the most influential and bestselling musicians of all time. Acts such as Тhe Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Elton John, Queen, and The Rolling Stones are among the highest selling in the world. [112] England is also credited with being the birthplace of many musical genres and movements such as hard rock, British invasion, heavy metal, britpop, glam rock, drum and bass, progressive rock, punk rock, gothic rock, shoegazing, acid house, UK garage, trip hop and dubstep.
Architecture England has played а significant part in the advancement of Western architecture. It is home to the most notable medieval castles and forts in the world, including Warwick Castle, the Tower of London and Windsor Castle (the largest inhabited castle in the world and the oldest in continuous occupation). It is known for its numerous grand country houses, and for its many medieval and later churches and cathedrals, such as York Minster.
English architects have contributed to many styles over the centuries, including Tudor architecture, English Baroque, the Georgian style and Victorian movements such as Gothic Revival. Among the best-known contemporary English architects are Norman Foster and Richard Rogers.
Literature The English language has а rich and prominent literary heritage. England has produced а wealth of significant literary figures including playwrights William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, John Webster, as well as writers Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Jane Austen, William Makepeace Thackeray, Charlotte Brontё, Emily Вrontё, Charles Dickens, Mary Shelley, Н. G. Wells, George Eliot, Rudyard Kipling, D. Н. Lawrence, Е. М. Forster, Virginia Woolf, George Orwell and Harold Pinter. Others, such as J. R. R. Tolkien, С. S. Lewis, J. К. Rowling, Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie have been among the best-selling novelists of the last century.
Among the poets, Geoffrey Chaucer, Edmund Spenser, Sir Philip Sydney, Thomas Kyd, John Donne, Andrew Marvell, Alexander Popе, William Wordsworth, Lord Byron, John Keats, John Milton, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Т. S. Eliot (American-born, but а British subject nот 1927) and many others remain read and studied around the world. Among men of letters, Samuel Johnson, William Hazlitt and George Orwell are some of the most famous. England continues to produce writers working in branches of literature, and in а wide range of styles; contemporary English literary writers attracting international attention include Martin Amis, Julian Barnes and Zadie Smith.