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UNITED KINGDOMS North - west coast of Europe -> British Isles islands Largest island: Great Britain Other: Ireland (England, Scotland, Wales) states The first state: Republic of Ireland (Eire) The second state (include the whole of Great Britain, the Northeastern area of Ireland and most of the smaller islands): The UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Four nations England Scotland Wales Ireland The people in Ireland, Wales and highland those in England and lowland Scotland: Scotland: Celtic race -> spoke Celtic Germanic origin -> spoke Germanic languages: Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic and dialects (including the one which has Welsh developed into modern English) What you know about the meanings of the colors and symbols on the UK flag? Flag description: blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag; but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British overseas territories Description of the United Kingdom (UK) Flag - The Union Jack As the above picture of the United Kingdom (UK) Flag indicates the colors of the United Kingdom (UK) Flag, or Union Jack, are red, white and blue - the actual background, or field, is blue According to Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated with colors The colors on the United Kingdom (UK) Flag represent the following: White - peace and honesty Red - hardiness, bravery, strength & valour Blue - vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice All Flag pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view, from left to right The Union Flag, or Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom It is so called because it combines the crosses of the three countries united under one Sovereign - the kingdoms of England and Wales, of Scotland and of Ireland (although since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom) The flag consists of three heraldic crosses The cross of St George, patron saint of England since the 1270's, is a red cross on a white ground After James I succeeded to the throne, it was combined with the cross of St Andrew in 1606 The cross saltire of St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, is a diagonal white cross on a blue ground The cross saltire of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, is a diagonal red cross on a white ground This was combined with the previous Union Flag of St George and St Andrew, after the Act of Union of Ireland with England (and Wales) and Scotland on January 1801, to create the Union Flag that has been flown ever since What is notable on the population distribution on the UK? 1995 England million Scotland 48.9 5.1 million Wales 2.9 million Northern Ireland million 1.6 UK total million 58.6 Can you tell the differences among England, Great Britain and the UK? The name United Kingdom refers to the union of what were once four separate countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (though most of Ireland is now independent) (UK include the whole of Great Britain, the Northeastern area of Ireland and most of the smaller islands) Great Britain is the largest island of the British Isles Great Britain comprises only England, Scotland and Wales Therefore, England is part of Great Britain, which is part of the United Kingdom The U.K includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are not independent countries but the United Kingdom is The remaining portion of the island of Ireland (that which is not the U.K.'s Northern Ireland) is an independent country called the Republic of Ireland (Eire) The actual name of the sovereign state we are talking about is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) The United Kingdom is made up of the countries England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland The confusion of the terms seems to revolve around the term “country” and the political powers that are perceived based on that word While the four countries that make up the UK are considered separate in the minds of locals, and in certain sporting events, their powers for local law and control are devolved from the UK Think of the 50 states of the United States, while each state has their own set of laws, they all are still under the power of the federal government In the case of the UK, it is somewhat similar, though certain responsibilities are also implied, like healthcare and education, that are delegated to three of the four countries The responsibilities that are delegated differ from one country to the next England is the only country in which the UK does not devolve any powers and instead it is legislated directly by the UK government When it comes to international politics, it is the sovereign nation of the UK that is recognized and not any of the four constituent countries The term “Great Britain” refers to the land mass that comprises England, Scotland, and Wales Something that aids in the confusion as to the difference between Great Britain and the UK is that the term is sometimes internationally used as a synonym for the UK For instance, the UK’s Olympic team competes under the name “Great Britain” and the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) gives the UK the country codes of GB and GBR This can be confusing given that the ISO also codes England, Scotland, and Wales as subdivision countries of the UK but Northern Ireland as a subdivision province If you’re getting the impression that Northern Ireland is the redheaded stepchild of the UK, you may be right! (both figuratively and literally, if you believe the current statistics for redheaded populations that is) The confusion over the definition of these four countries, in reference to the UK, is further muddied up in sporting competitions There are several international sporting events, like the commonwealth games, and football competitions, in which each of the four has their own team, and not compete under a unified national team When competing under these conditions, their nations are referred to as “home nations” Because each team is from a specific home country, it can lead some to think these countries have political autonomy as well Given the inebriated thought processes attained during the enjoyment of these competitions, it’s not too hard to understand where this drunken confusion comes from If you’re curious when these unions between the countries that comprise the UK came about, it happened as follows: England and Wales were joined in 1536 Scotland and England were joined together in 1707, along with the previously joined Wales, to officially form the Kingdom of Great Britain Ireland decided to join up in 1801, at which point the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed In 1922, however, many of the Southern counties of Ireland decided to remove themselves from the union and the UK changed their name to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland So in summary: Great Britain = England, Scotland, and Wales UK = England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (and the full name is the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”) England = Just the part of the island that is England How did Britain gain an Empire (đế chế)? An Empire is a large collection of countries all ruled by one single country – e.g Britain, making that country very powerful The British turned out to be the best Empire builders in History a Geography Both Wales and Scotland were independent kingdoms that resisted /ri’zist/ (chống lại) English rules The English conquest (sự xâm chiếm, chinh phục) of Wales succeeded in 1282 under Edward I, and the Statute of Rhuddlan established English rule years later To appease (xoa dịu) the Wesh, Edward’s son (later Edward II), who had been born in Wales, was made Princess of Wales in 1301 An act of 1536 completed the political and administrative union of England and Wales While maintaining /men ‘tein/ (duy trì) separate parliaments, England and Scotland were ruled (bị cai trị) under one crown (vua) beginning in 1603, when James VI of Scotland succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I as James I of England In the ensuing (= next) 100 years, strong religious and political differences divided the kingdoms Finally, in 1707, England and Scotland were unified (hợp nhất) as Great Britain, sharing a single Parliament at Westminster Ireland’s invasion by the Anglo - Normans in 1170 led to centuries of strife Successive English kings sought to conquer Ireland In the early 17 th century, large-scale settlement of the north from Scotland and England began After its defeat, Ireland was subjected, with varying degrees of success, to control and regulation by Britain The legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was completed on January 1, 1801, under the name of the UK However, armed struggle for independence continued sporadically into the 20th century The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 established the Irish Free State, which subsequently left the Commonwealth and becam a republic after World War II Six northern, predominantly, Irish counties have remained part of the UK b Power to the world At its peak, the British Empire was the largest formal empire that the world had ever known As such, its power and influence stretched all over the globe; shaping it in all manner of ways This site is dedicated to analysing the history of the British Empire: The triumphs, the humiliations, the good that it brought and the bad that it inflicted For better or worse the British Empire had a massive impact on the history of the world It is for this reason that this site tries to bring to life the peoples, cultures, adventures and domination that made the Empire such a powerful institution It is neither an apology for, nor a nostalgic reminiscince of the institution that so dominated the world for over two centuries Rather, it analyses and describes the vast institution that so influenced the shape of the world that we see today The most important reason why Britain gained an Empire is because of political and military reasons An example is “Britain gained colonies to stop other European nations from taking them over” This is the most important because taking Over countries gave Britain more power and it stopped other European countries from getting powerful and rivalling Britain’s power At the end of the 19th century Britain’s position as the world's greatest imperialist power was uncontested, and the expression "the sun never sets on the British Empire" was coined – meaning, literally, there was always some part of the empire on which the sun was shining, and, figuratively, that the empire would never end One can understand the thought – after all, between 1880 and 1900 new colonies were added to the empire, and the population of the empire had grown by a third Through its colonies and dominions, Britain exercised authority over one fifth of the world's entire population How did Britain manage to acquire such an empire? It is a complicated story and there are no easy “reasons” or “causes” One thing is certain: at no time did the government in London sit down and look at a map of the world and say “We want that…and that…that.” Instead, the empire grew in fits and starts Three basic factors made it possible:people, skills, and resources The people who built the empire often did not mean to: they were simply involved in a whole range of activities which took them overseas to new lands Explorers explored Traders traded Ship-owners and sailors carried trade to and from harbours all over the world Britain was the world’s leading trader, and even after about 1870 when the USA and Germany had overtaken Britain as industrial nations, Britain continued to be the world’s leading trading nation Bankers invested money in trading projects Above all, people emigrated From 1800 to 1900 Britain’s own population increased fourfold Earlier, it was feared that emigration might deprive Britain of the people it needed No one worried about this with such a huge population increase at home Between 1815 and 1880, about 12 million Britons emigrated, most of them either to British colonies or to the USA The skills were primarily sailing skills, financial skills, medical skills and technological skills Sailing skills made it possible to reach places all over the world Financial skills allowed the City of London to lend money to traders and others Medical skills reduced the dangers of tropical diseases Technological skills – notably the production of trains, steamships and underwater and overland telegraph – shortened distances that had once seemed unmanageable The resources were ships to cross oceans and steamboats to sail up rivers and money that could be invested by the City of London in all sorts of commercial operations – England was the first country to develop a modern financial and banking system The industrial revolution gave Britain low-cost, factory-made goods for which it wanted world markets If and when things got difficult, there were military resources to protect the British traders: a navy that was the world’s strongest, and soldiers that could be stationed overseas None of these factors – people, skills, resources – alone explains the growth of the empire, and most historians today reject the belief that a single theory can account for the growth of the British empire; instead, they study the edges and corners of the empire and recognise how different the story was in different places Ruling the waves Trade and naval power went hand in hand in the sense that the navy could send a warship to any British “interests” that were in trouble, or two warships, or a garrison of soldiers who could build a fort This was the period when Britain’s navy “ruled the waves” and could control sea traffic almost anywhere in the world, fighting off competitors like Holland and France, and at times using a form of piracy, such as when warships were sent up Chinese rivers to force China to import opium The best example of empire building is India, where, until the 1850s, trade was organised and protected by a series of arrangements with local elites by which the East India trading company “ran” parts of India Britain chose to take over the government of India after 1858, when the Indian Mutiny collapsed India became the most important colony – the “jewel” in the imperial crown To ensure safe access to India, Britain established control over a series of ports and islands on the sea route This, too, was typical.Many outposts of the empire were established to protect trading routes and to provide coaling-stations for naval ships Once direct imperialism was the chosen policy for any part of the world, it was not half-hearted British officials took over government; British engineers took over major construction projects such as sewage systems for towns and railway systems; British administrators organised local government, and so on Clearly, with this sort of commitment, Britain’s impact on its colonies was enormous and lasting To fully appreciate the significance of the Commonwealth, Britain's global position, it is important to understand its origins from the British Empire Technically, there have been three empires, the first in France, lost by 1558; the second in North America, which became the United States of America after 1776; and the third was global, which became the modern Commonwealth of Nations after 1949 Each one being larger than the one before That's something of a distillation of the Britannic heritage of the Commonwealth It is striking that when one looks around the world at the most successful countries, many of them have British colonial roots - Canada, United States, Australia, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, the various peaceable Caribbean islands Given the diversity of cultures, histories and languages, it is the "commonwealth" values of peace, order and good government that have set those disparate nations on the path to success* Quote from Father Raymond J De Souza, National Post, 27 October 2011 The origins of the British Empire can be seen as going back to the Middle Ages with the beginning of the conquest of Ireland (1172) and conquest of much of France during the Hundred Years' War However, the modern British Empire can be considered having started in 1497 with John Cabot's claim to Newfoundland The British Empire was the largest Empire in history; At it's zenith, it held sway over a population of nearly 500 million people - roughly a quarter of the world's population - and covered about 14.3 million square miles (17.4 million including Antarctic claims), almost a third of the world's total land area During the mid-19th century Britain was the sole developed hyper-power, enjoying unparalleled prosperity Britain was "the work-shop of the world," and even by 1870 she still was producing well over 30% of the global industrial output, no other nation coming even close to her production superiority In 1885 America and Germany can be considered as having become industrialised, but Britain was still the world's most developed nation until around 1913 when she was surpassed by America Due to the supremacy of the Royal Navy, Britain truly did rule the waves for centuries With territories scattered across every continent and ocean and in every timezone, the "Empire Under Palm and Pine" was accurately described as "the empire on which the sun never sets." The Empire facilitated the spread of British technology, commerce, language, and government around much of the globe through Pax Britannica and British Imperial hegemony The contributions the British Empire made to the world, the technology, philosophy, literature, medicine, investment, institutions, and plain advancements of mankind have left a profound legacy The British Empire consisted of various territories all over the world conquered or colonized by Britain from about 1600 It was expanded by commerce, trade, colonisation, and sometimes conquest Over all the Empire was built on commerce, not conquest There were colonies conquered, but they were done for a reason For instance, France hired the Mughal Empire to fight Britain Britain then fought back and conquered the Mughal Empire which made up the Northwest corner of present day India The 19th century saw the largest expansion of the Empire as the British took many former French possessions in the West Indies and began to settle in large numbers in Australia in the early part of the century and later competed fiercely with other European powers for territory in Africa At the same time, there was serious expansion in Asia, notably the acquisition of Singapore (1824), Hong Kong (1841), and Burma (1886), and the South Pacific, particularly the settlement of New Zealand (1840) The final big expansion of the empire was following World War I, when former German and Turkish territories were mandated to Britain and the Dominions The only serious loss of territory was the loss of the 13 American colonies in the American Revolution of 1776 – 1783, which became the United States of America The British Empire was at its largest territorial expansion after the First World War – after 1918, until the 1940’s, consisting of over 25% of the world's population and 30% of its area Since 1949, the British Empire was replaced by the Commonwealth of Nations Most colonies are now independent; today’s Commonwealth is composed of former and remaining territories of the British Empire and a few non former British Empire countries which once belonged to other powers such as Portugal, France and Belgium The Commonwealth is a loose, voluntary organisation dedicated to preserving human rights and democracy and is held together by a desire for membership and the English language as well as history An Overview of the British Empire Size, Extent and People — The British Empire included all those parts of the world whose inhabitants owed allegiance to the British sovereign It comprised more than a quarter of the land area of the globe—about 13,355,000 square miles (34,590,000 square km) of territory Unlike most of the great empires of the past, the British Empire was made up of many widely separated countries and territories, varying in, size from Canada, with her vast area of over 3,600,000 square miles (9,324,000 square km), to Gibraltar, two square miles (5 square km) in extent British lands were found in every continent British islands dotted every ocean The empire extended from farthest north to farthest south, from farthest east to farthest west, girdling the globe with lands over which flew the Union Jack Within the Empire was found every kind of scenery, from the snow-capped summits of the Rockies and the Himalayas to the sun-scorched plains of Australia There was every variety of climate, from the hot, humid air of the Guinea Coast to the clear atmosphere and biting cold of the Polar Isles Every type of plant grew somewhere on British soil, from the lowly moss and lichen of the tundra to the stately teak of Burma Every kind of useful animal was found somewhere within its borders, from the dog of the Inuit to the camel of the Arabs Under the Union Jack lived members of all the races of the world All told, the inhabitants of the British Empire numbered 500,000,000 — more than a quarter of all the people in the world at that time There were, in the whole world, about 300,000 miles (480,000 km) of submarine cables Of these, almost ahalf - 140,000 miles (225,000 km) — were British property By this immense and far-reaching cable system the governments of various parts of the Empire were in constant touch with one another; commercial transactions were greatly facilitated; and in time of war valuable information was quickly sent to its proper destination The protection of the cable system was one of the duties of the Imperial Royal Navy Nothing brought home the great extent of the Empire more forcibly than to trace the "All-British cable" route around the world Leaving the British Isles, it crossed the Atlantic, coming ashore at Trinity Bay, Newfoundland From there it was carried overland across Newfoundland, thence by sea again to Sydney, Cape Breton Island, and from there to Halifax, which had direct communication with Vancouver upon the Pacific coast From Vancouver Island a cable ran by way of Fanning Island, Fiji, and Norfolk Island to Auckland in New Zealand and to Brisbane in Australia The latter city had telegraphic connection with the cities of Albany and Perth, from which a cable traversed the Indian Ocean by way of Cocos, Colombo, Madras, Bombay, and Aden From Aden the route lay through the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean, by way of Suez, Port Said, Malta, Gibraltar, and London There were several loops or extensions along the route An important one from Cocos Island connected Mauritius, Durban, Cape Town, St Helena, Ascension, and Sierra Leone Nearly all these places and very many others were also equipped with wireless installations, which supplemented the cables and added materially to the speed and safety with which messages could besent The commerce of the Empire followed certain routes, all centring upon the British Isles The following were the chief: From the British Isles across the Atlantic to Canada, thence by either the Canadian National or the Canadian Pacific across Canada, and from there across the Pacific Ocean to Hong Kong, Singapore, and India, or to New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and Australia From the British Isles across the Atlantic to the Panama Canal, and thence to New Zealand and Australia From the British Isles to the East by way of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean From the British Isles along the west coast of Africa to Cape Town, and thence across the Indian Ocean to India and to Australia and New Zealand Government — The countries of the Empire, aside from the United Kingdom, were divided into five groups, as far as government was concerned: (1) The Dominions, (2) The Indian Empire, (3) The Crown Colonies, (4) The Protectorates, (5) The Mandated Territories After Acts of Union between England and Scotland as Great Britain in 1707 and between Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, the United Kingdom was a unitary state of the British Isles Until 1920, it was the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland with only one parliament at Westminster for the whole nation which then included all of Great Britain and Ireland In 1920, a separate parliament was set up in Northern Ireland, overseen by a Governor, though it continued to be represented at Westminster also In 1921, the southern part of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom to become the Irish Free State – a self-governing Dominion In 1927, the United Kingdom was restyled as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to reflect these changes Great Britain continued to be governed under a single parliament at Westminster while Northern Ireland had self-government The Irish Free State was renamed as Eire in 1937 as it had adopted a quasi-republican constitution In 1949, it became the Republic of Ireland and it severed all links with the British Empire In 1972, owing to an escalating violent situation, self-government in Northern Ireland was suspended and replaced with direct rule from Westminster The United Kingdom had once again become a single unitary state with only one parliament at Westminster This changed in 1999, in a response to growing nationalist aspirations, as self-government was restored to Northern Ireland and given to Scotland and Wales For the first time since 1707, Scotland was given a full parliament while Wales and Northern Ireland received less powerful assemblies However, they all continued to be represented in the United Kingdom parliament at Westminster also The United Kingdom, though officially still a unitary state, is now looking more like a federation, though England still does not have its own self-government The Dominion of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Dominion of New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, and the sovereign state of Eire (Irish Free State) were self-governing Dominions under the Crown Northern Ireland was also selfgoverning, but it differed from its sister Dominions in that it sent elected representatives to the Imperial Parliament at London In the Dominions the government was modelled after that of the United Kingdom, the King being represented by a Governor-General or a Governor Each had a Parliament consisting of two Houses The Parliament of each Dominion was supreme, but all owed allegiance to the King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Newfoundland was a self-governing Dominion until 1933 when it reverted back to being a colony for economic reasons Malta and Southern Rhodesia, though not having full Dominion status, were mostly self-governing The King’s title throughout the Empire was ‘by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India’ Dominion status came to an end in 1948 as the Dominions were restyled as Commonwealth Realms By 1953, the Monarch’s title was changed to reflect this: ‘by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith’ Distinct variations of this title were adopted in each of the overseas Realms Even though the Dominions were self-governing (fully self-governing after 1931), the United Kingdom parliament still had the final control over their constitutions This ended in the Union of South Africa when it became a republic in 1961 and in Canada, Australia and New Zealand in the 1980’s Since then, they have become completely independent nations In the Indian Empire, the King of Great Britain was also Emperor of India In the Imperial Cabinet there was an official known as the Secretary of State for India, who was assisted by an Advisory Council The government was known as ‘the British Raj’ While the Secretary and his Council had control over all matters relating to India, they did not attempt, unless under unusual circumstances, to interfere with the actions of the Indian Government The King was represented by the Viceroy, or Governor-General, who was assisted by a Council of State and a Legislative Assembly, the latter almost wholly elective after 1935 The actual work of government in India was carried on by the Viceroy (Governor-General) and an appointed Executive Council The country was divided into fifteen provinces, with a Governor or an Administrator in each They were assisted by a Legislature largely composed of native members after 1935 In fact, the form of government after 1935 resembled in many ways that of Canada In response to the growing Indian Nationalist movement, the endeavour after 1935 was to try to allow the natives of India the utmost freedom possible, and to give them a large share in the conduct of government The relations of the Indian Government to the various native states differed widely Except in matters pertaining to war and to a standing army, they were allowed largely to govern themselves, the British Government being represented in each state by a Resident The Indian Empire came to an end with independence on August 15, 1947 In general, Crown Colonies were those parts of the Empire which did not have self-government Owing to an unsuitable climate or to a large native population, few Europeans made permanent homes in the Crown Colonies, however, they developed and controlled the resources of them Some of the smaller Crown Colonies, however, were purely naval or military posts, important for the protection of the trade-routes of the Empire In every Crown Colony was a Governor, representing the King In some cases, as in Gibraltar and St Helena, the Governor had absolute powers In others, as in Ceylon and the Straits Settlements, he was assisted by a Council nominated by the Crown In a third group, which included most of the British West Indies and Malta, the laws were made by a Legislature wholly or partly elected by the people By the 1930’s,in every case, except in the naval and military colonies, the tendency was to give the natives an ever-increasing share of power as they showed increasing ability for self-government Eventually, many of the Crown Colonies gradually became self-governing as they moved towards independence Most of the Crown Colonies gained independence in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s Crown Colony status came to an end in 1998 when the few remaining colonies were restyled as British Overseas Territories (e.g Bermuda, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar) In the Protectorates, such as Somaliland, Bechuanaland, and Nyasaland in Africa, the natives were ruled by their own chiefs under the supervision of British officials Protectorates tended, as they developed, to become Crown Colonies, just as Crown Colonies, such as were formerly the states of the Australian Commonwealth, became selfgoverning Dominions Most of the remaining Protectorates gained independence in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s The last British Protectorate gained independence in 1978 (British Solomon Islands) At the conclusion of the First World War, certain territories captured from the enemy were assigned by the League of Nations to the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and others of the allied powers In this way it had fallen to the United Kingdom to be responsible for the government of large territories in Africa, as well as in Asia and in the South Seas Tanganyika, Cameroon, and Togoland in Africa, and Palestine, TransJordan and Iraq in Asia were included in these Mandated Territories, as they were called For the most part these new portions of the Empire were governed as Crown Colonies Further, under the League of Nations, mandates were given to the British Dominions also The Commonwealth of Australia had control of New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and other islands in the South Pacific; the Dominion of New Zealand controlled former German Samoa and other islands; the Union of South Africa had the mandate for the government of Southwest Africa In all cases of mandated territory, the government had to be carried on in strict accordance with certain regulations laid down by the League of Nations In 1946, the League of Nations was replaced by the United Nations and League of Nations Mandates became United Nations Trust Territories They continued to be governed by the administering powers as Crown Colonies, but under the supervision of the United Nations Trusteeship Council The last Trust Territory gained independence in 1990 (Southwest Africa – Namibia) Why are the Victorians so famous and significant in British history? The British Empire included all the territories that were ruled by Britain Under Queen Victoria's rule, she doubled its size to make it the largest empire in history – it controlled 23% of the world’s surface and 458 million people at its peak It was described as being the "Empire on which the sun never sets" Victoria was born at Kensington Palace, London, on 24 May 1819 She was the only daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III Her father died shortly after her birth and she became heir to the throne because the three uncles who were ahead of her in succession - George IV, Frederick Duke of York, and William IV - had no legitimate children who survived Warmhearted and lively, Victoria had a gift for drawing and painting; educated by a governess at home, she was a natural diarist and kept a regular journal throughout her life On William IV's death in 1837, she became Queen at the age of 18 Queen Victoria is associated with Britain's great age of industrial expansion, economic progress and, especially, empire At her death, it was said, Britain had a worldwide empire on which the sun never set During Victoria's long reign, direct political power moved away from the sovereign A series of Acts broadened the social and economic base of the electorate These acts included the Second Reform Act of 1867; the introduction of the secret ballot in 1872, which made it impossible to pressurise voters by bribery or intimidation; and the Representation of the Peoples Act of 1884 - all householders and lodgers in accommodation worth at least £10 a year, and occupiers of land worth £10 a year, were entitled to vote Despite this decline in the Sovereign's power, Victoria showed that a monarch who had a high level of prestige and who was prepared to master the details of political life could exert an important influence This was demonstrated by her mediation between the Commons and the Lords, during the acrimonious passing of the Irish Church Disestablishment Act of 1869 and the 1884 Reform Act It was during Victoria's reign that the modern idea of the constitutional monarch, whose role was to remain above political parties, began to evolve But Victoria herself was not always non-partisan and she took the opportunity to give her opinions, sometimes very forcefully, in private After the Second Reform Act of 1867, and the growth of the two-party (Liberal and Conservative) system, the Queen's room for manoeuvre decreased Her freedom to choose which individual should occupy the premiership was increasingly restricted In 1880, she tried, unsuccessfully, to stop William Gladstone - whom she disliked as much as she admired Disraeli and whose policies she distrusted - from becoming Prime Minister She much preferred the Marquess of Hartington, another statesman from the Liberal party which had just won the general election She did not get her way She was a very strong supporter of Empire, which brought her closer both to Disraeli and to the Marquess of Salisbury, her last Prime Minister Although conservative in some respects - like many at the time she opposed giving women the vote - on social issues, she tended to favour measures to improve the lot of the poor, such as the Royal Commission on housing She also supported many charities involved in education, hospitals and other areas Which Kings and Queens of England have reigned (trị vì) the longest? Victoria: 1837 -> 1901 Victoria died at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, on 22 January 1901 after a reign which lasted almost 64 years, the longest in British history UK Great Britain Northern Ireland - is the smallest country of the UK, situated on the second largest island of the British Isles - is composed of six of the 29 counties of Ireland - 5,452 square miles, 300-mile-long artificial boundary - make up the northwestern corner of the island - is bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by the Irish Sea, and on the south by the Celtic Sea - the climate is mild as a result of Atlantic Ocean breezes and the Gulf Stream, with comfortable summers and temperate witers - Topographic features are low mountain with steep cliff dropping off to the sea and fertile lowlands UK Great Britain England - 50,357 miles - lies off the Northwestern coast of Europe - The Gulf Stream makes the climate mild and rainy - divided into a highland zone (poor and rocky) and lowland zone (flatter, fertile, many navigable rivers) - Lowland zone: the majority of the population, supported most agriculture and trade, and had the largest cities - Capital: London Wales - is located in a wide peninsula in the western portion of the island of Great Britain - is surrounded by water on three sides: to the north, the Irish sea; to the south, the Bristol Channel; to the west, Saint’s George’s Channel and Cardigan Bay - is bordered by the English counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, Hereford, Worcester, and Gloucestershire - cover an area of 8020 square miles - Capital: Cadiff - is located in the southest on the Severn Estuary -> the most important seaport and shipbuilding center - is moutainous and has a rocky, irregular coastline with numerous bays, the largest of which is Cardigan Bay to the west - the highest mountain: Brecon Beacons: 3560 feet (1085 meters) - the largest natural lake: Dee River - Climate: mild and moist Scotland - occupies approximately the northern third of the UK’s mainland encompassing 7.5 million hectares - 29,975 square miles - the climate is cool, wet, and often windy - Highland and Border is rugged and difficult to cultivate - Lowland and parts of the Border include prime agricultural land - is surrounded by the North Sea, offering fish, oil and natural gas, and potentially tidal and wave power Which destination attracts you the most and why? England: Stonehenge; Stratford-upon-Avon; Big Ben Clock; Buckingham Palace; Windsor Castle; Westminster Abbey; Hyde Park London; The Tower of London; The London Eye Scotland: Scottish Castles; Edinburgh Castle; Stirling Castle Wales: Cardiff Bay; Powis Castle and Garden; Caernarvon Castle Northern Ireland: Giant’s Causeway The destination attracts me the most is Stratford - upon - Avon There are some reasons for this The first reason is that it is a picturesque town beautifully situated on the River Avon with a wealth of black and white timber framed buildings The second reason is that this town include houses relating to Shakespeare’s life, which are owned and cared for by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Therefore, for me, this place is one of the Shakespeare connection worth visiting History Pre-history Norman Britain (1066-1154) Middle Ages (1154-1485) Tudors (1485-1603) Civil War and Revolution (1603 -1714) Empire and Sea Power (1714-1837) Victorian Britain (1837 - 1901) Home Front: WWI and WWII (1901 - 1945) The Making of Modern Britain (1945-present) Holidays Guy Fawkes Day: - 5/11 - the more popular holiday in England - memorializes a failed plot to blow up the Parliament building in 1605 - referred to Mischier Night - is a favorite among young ppl who generally make pranks on this night Highland Games - are favorite among foreigners and locals - famous in Scotland - last Saturday in September Saint David’s Day - is celebrated mainly by the Welsh - 1/3 Edinburgh International Festival - long weeks between August and September - Scotland Christmas Day - 25/12 - the whole country shuts down on the day 10 Education England Wales Northern Ireland Scotland - Publicy-funded state school: > 90% - England, Wales, Scotland: is funded by Education department through a Local Education Authority - Northern Ireland: is funded from public fund through five Education and Library Boards - have national curriculum that include English (Wesh or Irish is a core subject in Wesh-speaking-schools or Irishspeaking schools), maths, science, design, technology, information and communication technology, history, geography, modern foreign languages, music, art and design, physical education, and citizenship - in other compulsory courses, core subject is also religious education - After 16, students attend sixth form colleges or other further education institutions - After year of secondary education, students take examinations in a range of subjects at the level of GCSE Afterwards, they may choose to continue their education at vocational or technical colleges, or they may take a higher level of secondary scholl examinations known as AS-level after an additional year study, which is required for university entrance in the UK - has its own qualification framework - years of primary education - year of secondary education - students aged 15-16 may take the SCE that is recognized throughout the UK as the equivalent to GCE A-levels and is usually the entry qualification for university - children start attend school - must begin at age between 5-16 - undergraduate degrees: years to complete - years to complete graduate level: master’s degree: years, research master’s degree: years, doctoral degree: years, professional courses: years undergraduate 11 Economy By PPP: 8th largest economy in the world & 2nd largest in Europe By GDP: 6th in the world & 3rd in Europe GDP per capita: $2.441 trillion (2012 est.) $36,941 (22nd, PPP, 2012) $38,589 (23rd, Nominal, 2012) London is a major centre for international business and commerce is one of the three "command centres" of the global economy th 13 largest producer of natural gas in the world and the largest in Europe (2009) Largely benefited from the exports of metals UK is the birthplace of modern democracy, the Industrial Revolution and many of the finacial and capital markets that are the foundation of the capitalist economic system How did other economies overtake the UK? In the early part of the twentieth century, these two forces combined disastrouly to lead to World War I and II Although the UK was on the winning side in both conflicts, it exacted a heavy price The economy was devastated, the British Empire came apart and the Republic of Ireland withdrew from the UK, leaving Great Britain to the union During this period, the US firmly established itself and the leading economic power of the world Although still a key global player, Britain has seen its influence decline steadily as other powers overtake it economically 12 Institutions Human rights - The European Convention on Human Rights is now built into UK law It protects your right to a fair trial, freedom of thought and expression, and respect for your family and private life - All public authorities, including the courts, must comply with these rights However, if they conflict with an act of Parliament, the courts can make a declaration of incompatibility and Parliament must then decide what to Institutions Legislative -> Wesminster System Parliament - Pass laws - Provide - by voting for taxation - the means of carrying out the work of government - scrutinise Government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure - debate the major issues of the day The Monarchy House of Commons House of Lords The Queen: - head of state - summoning and dissolving Parliament - giving royal assent to legislation passed - appoints important office holders including prime minister and other government ministers, judges, officers… - 646 MPs, elected by ppl from the 650 constituencies (England: 529, Wales: 40, Scotland: 59; N.I: 18) - MP: >18 years old, is a British citizen - Re-elected when a new government is formed - The Chief officer of H.C is speaker, elected by MPs to preside over the Houses - Other officers: Chairman of Ways and Means; Deputy chairmen Deputy Speakers… - Power: most legislative power rests with it; the leader of the party which has the most MPs becomes P.M and select his Cabinet among MPs - Functions: debating issues of national and international importance; supervising G by questioning; controlling G income and spending; being able to alter or oppose proposed new laws - 830 members - Functions: make laws (60% of its time); scrutinize the actions of the government and provide a forum of independent expertise (40%) - Consists of the Lords Spiritual and the Lords Temporal: + Lords Spiritual: 26 members: arcbishops of Canterbury and York; bishops of Durham, London and Winchester; 21 other bishops in England + Lords of Temporal: 92 hereditary peers (limited number since 1999); and life peers - Not elected -> appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister or of the H.L Appointment Commission - Ministers + Cabinet members from G - Many from previous G Executive Judiciary Prime Minister: - Supervising Authority: Civil Service; Government agency - Appoint and Dismiss: members of the Cabinet; other Ministers - Principal figure (in the H.C): majority support and always in the Commons - Other: Allocating functions; Informing; Recommending appointments: The Queen; Public Boards and institurions; Commissions Ministers: 21 in the Cabinet (H.C); 99 other (H.L) Government Departments: 24 ministerial Depts; 21 nonministerial Depts; 300+ agencies and other public bodies The Civil Service: Practical and administrative work of the government; Civil servants: Servant of the Crown and Oneseparate Northern Ireland Civil Service System: - English law - Northern Ireland law - Scots law Types: - Criminal law: + Crime and legal punishment of criminal offenses: Theft; assault; murder… + a jury decides whether they are guilty and the judge issues their sentence - Civil law: involves disputes between individuals, organizations, companies, in which compensation is awarded to the victim: Landlord disputes, divorce proceedings, child custody proceedings, property disputes + the judge decides who is right based on the evidence presented Supreme Court of UK - The Supreme Court of the UK is the highest court in land for all criminal and civil cases in England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and for all civil cases in Scots law - The Supreme Court came into being in October 2009, replacing the Appellate Committee of the H of Ls Supreme Court of the UK Court of Appeal Criminal Division Civil Division High Court of Justice Queen’s Bench Division (hear first instance cased of contract and tort) Family Division (hear matrimonial cases) Chancery Division (deals with land law, trusts, compaly law, partnership law It hears appeals from County Courts on probate and insolvency) Crown Court Magistrates’ Courts County Courts Scots Law Supreme Courts High Court of Justiciary (Criminal) Appeals First Instance Solemn (Judge and Jury) Court of Session (Civil) Outer House Inner House (First Instance) (Appeals) Sheriff Court Criminal Jurisdiction Solemn (Judge and jury) Summary (Judge only) Civil Jurisdiction Sheriff Principal (appeals only) Justice of the Peace Court Summary criminal jurisdiction only First Instance (judge alone) ... Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith’ Distinct variations of. .. Appellate Committee of the H of Ls Supreme Court of the UK Court of Appeal Criminal Division Civil Division High Court of Justice Queen’s Bench Division (hear first instance cased of contract and... a quarter of the land area of the globe—about 13,355,000 square miles (34,590,000 square km) of territory Unlike most of the great empires of the past, the British Empire was made up of many widely