英国史UK
Survey of UK
Key Points:
British Isles, British Commonwealth, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Highland Zone, Lowland Zone.
Basic Knowledge:
Name: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
National Flag: Union Jack
National Emblem: ( https://www.wendangku.net/doc/0116105546.html,/wiki/Royal_coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom) National Anthem: God Save the Queen
National Day: Queen’s Official Birthday (Second Thursday of June)
National Flower: Rose
Capital City: London.
Official Language: English
Position and Borders:
The British Isles are located off the northwest coast of Europe. The English Channel and the North Sea Separate Britain from Europe, and the Shallow Irish and Celtic seas separate Britain and Ireland.
Components: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.
Topography: the highland zone, the lowland zone
Rivers, Lakes and Coastlines: Thames River, Severn River, Lough Neagh.
Climate: The climate of Britain is classified as temperate, with warm summers and cool winters and plentiful precipitation throughout the year. And during a hot day in July the temperature can be the same as a mild day in January. (latitude far north, but for Atlantic warm current, not as cold as other place in the same latitude)
*Major Cities: London, Manchester, Brighton, Bath, Edinburgh, Cardiff, etc.
Clarification among “the British Isles”, “Great Britain”, “British Commonwealth”.
The People
Ethnic Composition
The British are often regarded as a “mixed” people, meaning that they are products of waves of invasion and immigration from different ethnic groups in the course of history.
(Celtic→Germanic peopl e from Europe –the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes: their language became the foundation of the basic, short, everyday words in modern English → Scandinavians(Vikings) →Norman Conquest→in the 20th century, Great Depression and Second World War)
Demographic Composition
The UK population is overwhelmingly urban, with 89.4 per cent living in urban areas and 10.6 per cent living in rural areas.
Linguistic Composition
Today, English is the official language of the United Kingdom and is the first language of the vast majority of its citizens spoken monolingually by roughly 95 per cent of the UK population.
The use of language in the UK has a strong association with class and social status. Some educated English-speaking people with the Received Pronunciation. To illustrate, the Cockneys in East London and people in northern England enjoy their particular way of speaking, regarding it
as warmer and friendlier than Standard English. Scottish people appreciate the Scottish accent…Of all the traditional languages spoken in the UK today, the earliest language to arrive in history was not English, but another Indo-European language, the Celtic, from which Irish, Welsh and Scottish Gaelic have developed.
Class Structure
Class is considered an incisive analytic tool for understanding social division, especially in British society that is traditionally class conscious.
History
Early Britain
Early Setters
Roman Britain (55 B.C. – 410 A.D.)
●Between 55 and 54 B.C., Julius Caesar invaded Britain twice. But it was only nominal
conquest for 96 years. The real conquest began in 43 A. D. and lasted for almost 350 years. ●The Romans never did succeed in subduing all of Britain. One of the greatest achievements
of the Roman Empire was its system of roads. The influence of Roman thought survived in Britain only through the Church. Romanization was not successful in other areas like language and culture.
●The resulting growth of civilization under the influence of the Romans was more obvious in
urban areas and on the aristocracy while the vast majority of the populace remained relatively untouched.
Anglo-Saxon Britain
Anglo-Saxon Period
About the middle of the 5th century, the Germanic tribes “Anglo-Saxons”settled. English people owe much of their tradition, language, and physical heritage to these invaders. Christianity came; the church was a very important force: the only truly national entity tying together the different Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
The seven kingdoms: Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Wessex.
The first known inhabitants –Iberians in about 6,000 B.C. From 2,000 B.C. or
so, the bellicose
Celtic tribes moved
westward and arrived
here.
The waves of
invasion from the
Celts
About 700 B.C., Gaels came first.
About 500 B.C., Britons drove the Gaels to the north and the west. About 100 B.C., Belgae came from Gaul.
Medieval Britain
William ’s Rule (1066-1087)
● A strong Monarchy was established; from all the varying tribes that dwelled in England, with
their mutually incomprehensible dialects and varying legal customs and traditions, a new nation was being forged out of the common respect for the King ’s writ.
● The French language became the language of the court and upper classes until the 14th
century.
Henry II ’s reform (1154-1189)
Henry, the founder of the Plantagenet Dynasty, also a scholar and churchman, one of the most powerful rulers in Europe
Civil and legal reform: Henry ’s greatest accomplishment was to replace the feudal law by a body of royal or common law. A major innovation was the replacement of the older system of a sworn oath or an ordeal to establish truth by the jury of 12 sworn men. Magna Carta (the Great Charter)
In 1215, signed by John (1199-1126) under the force of the barons, later regarded as the basis of the modern English constitution ; the most lasting effect of the somewhat vague conditions of the Magna Carta was the upholding of individual rights against arbitrary government. The Parliament
Under Henry III ’s reign, in 1265, called by Simon de Montfort, the Parliament in which commoners sat for the first time was produced as the milestone of the English history. The Hundred Year ’s War (1337-1453) [French won at last]
Significance: giving impetus to ideas of both French and English nationality The first standing armies in Western Europe introduced
The growing bourgeoisie pushed onto a higher rang of the social ladder The fall of the French language in England was confirmed
Viking Invasion:
By the 8th century the Danish began to invade England in a successful way until Alfred the Great, a young king of Wessex, defeated them.
When Edward the Confessor died in 1066 without a male heir, Harold claimed the throne.
Duke of Normandy, who defeated Harold and was crowned William I in London on Christmas Day 1066.
● a new dynasty for England and a new aristocracy
● the weak Saxon rule replaced with a strong Norman government, with the feudal
system completely established in England.
● The upper ranks of the clergy were Normanized and feudalized, following the pattern
of lay society, with the attendant changes in the relations of Church and State.
The Black Death (1348)
Wat Tyler ’s Uprising (1381)
It ’s one of a number of popular revolts in late medieval Europe, in fighting against the Poll Tax in 1380, the third of such taxes in four years.
It marked the beginning of the end of serfdom in medieval England. The War of Roses (1455 - 1485) [Henry Tudor, Henry VII won]
Transition to the Modern Age (1066-1485) Henry VIII (1509-1547) and the Reformation
In 1530s, the Church of England separated from Roman Catholicism. The king of England became the head of both the secular and religious world; he became the real head of England as a nation state.
Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
The last Tudor monarch, never got married for the good of the nation; one of the most glourious rulers in English history.
A secure Church of England was established, a compromise between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
The destruction of the Spanish Armada showed England ’s superiority as a naval power. The English Renaissance The greatest English humanist Sir Thomas More Finest dramatists Christopher Marlowe, Ben
Johnson,
William
Shakespeare
Non-dramatic poets
Edmund Spenser, Philip Sidney, Shakespeare, John Donne, John Milton Progenitor of English materialism
Francis Bacon
The Civil War (1642-1651)
Spread by rat fleas
Killed 1.5 million of an estimated total of 4 million
For the lack of manpower, grain farming became less popular while many lords turned to sheep farming
House of York, white rose
House of Lancaster, red
Commercial-minded gentry in the South Backward landowners in the North and West
The ending of the war marked the ending of the middle Ages in European history and the beginning of modern world.
Restoration (1660)
Since a king was an integral part of their history and a source of great national pride when things went well, England was tired of being without a king. Charles II returned with big welcome of a London mob and was crowned in April 1660.
Glorious Revolution (1688)
The age of Empire (1689 - 1901)
Britain came into being in 1707 with the Act of Union which united England and Scotland in the reign of his successor Anne.
Whigs and the Tories
The Wigs Those who opposed to the religious policies of Charles II and favored reform Liberal
The Tories Monarchists, who favored royal authority, the established church
and the traditional political structure and opposed parliamentary
reform
Conservatitve
Enclosure Parliament Victory in 1651 Execution of Charles I in 1649
In 1642, the war broke out Protectorate (1653-1659) under Oliver Cromwell and his son.
In 1688, king James II of England was overthrown by a union of Parliamentarians with an invading army led by the Dutch stadtholder William of Orange The Bill of Rights (1689) was passed, confirming the principle of parliamentary supremacy. Autocratic monarchy was replaced with a constitutional monarchy.
It marked the end of medieval period –the period of feudalism and the beginning of the modern period – the period of capitalism.
Piecemeal enclosure took place throughout the medieval periods. A significant rise
during the Tudor
period
During the 18th and 19th
centuries, the Enclosure
Acts by the Parliament
Harm: Peasant farmers were dispossessed of their land; those who were much more dependent on their owner. Significance:
Better farming methods possible
An accumulation of capital
Abundant food for the industrial centers
A steady supply of cheap and mobile labour for her industrialization.
Industrialization
1.Factors favorable to England
Geographical Situation Favorable for trade and its own economic development
Political Stability, Laissez-faire Policy A parliament composed largely of capitalistic
landowners and some merchants
Economic Factors Purchasing power growing; considerable markets
Agriculture Growing agricultural production and a larger
workforce
Natural Resources Local supplies of coal iron, lead, copper, tin, limestone
and water power; damp, mild weather condition in the
North West
Raw Materials Abundant and cheap fuel and raw material, mainly at
home but also in her colonies
Sound Monetary System and Cheap Capital The successes in trading operations, large scale
agriculture and extensive network of banks
Social Factors Less rigid structure; early British industrialists with
enterprise and managerial skill
Technological Factors A long accumulation of scientific knowledge; the
rising demand necessitated new techniques and
invention
Value System Protestant work ethic
2.some big innovations
John Kay Flying shuttle (1733)
James Watt Steam engine (1765)
James Hargreaves Spinning Jenny (1766)
Samuel Crompton Spinning Mule (1769)
3.consequences
The New industrialists appeared and industrial production prospered;
Towns grew up and many big cities sprang up in Central and Northern England, and became the sources of the nation’s wealth;
The class structure was simplified and the middle class became the ruling element in the society;
A class of proletariat appeared and relations between capital and labor were aggravated;
The trade union came into being.
Victorian Britain (1837- 1901)
The Chartist Movement
Parliamentary Reforms: (1832- 1885)
The Reform Bill of 1832 – Newly formed industrial towns were now represented in parliament and the urban middle class had an increasing voice (the act extended the right to vote to any man owing a household worth ? 10.)
In 1867, the Great Reform Bill finally ended the Chartist Movement – Forty-five new seats were created, and the vote was given to many working men as well as tenants of small farms.
The 1884 Third Reform Act and 1885 Redistribution Act tripled the electorate again, iving the vote to most agricultural laborers. By this time, voting was becoming a right rather than the property of the privileged . Colonial Expansion
1. The motivation of the expansion: economic motivation; industrial revolution and search for
new markets; the struggle for mastery; maintaining order in profitable areas; the moral guardian
2. the dominions: English colonial expansion started with the colonization of Newfoundaland in
1583. After defeating Napoleon in 1815, she spent the 19th century building up a great overseas empire where “the sun never sets ”. Between 1870 and 1900 the formal Empire expanded to occupy an area of 4 million square miles. Not only was she now head of the self-governing colonies, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand; but also the vast Empire of India and a veritable host of dependent territories, like Burma, Sudan, Egypt and large swathes of Africa all over the world ’s oceans. Britain Since 1901 The Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was founded in Bradford in 1893 and was the origin of the Labour Party. It took the place of the Liberal Party as the second major party since 1914. First World War
The war was fought from 1914 to 1918 between the two European power blocs: the “Central Powers ”, including Germany and Austria-Hungary, and the “Allies ”, including Britain, France and Russia.
During the war Britain lost over a million people and its economy and society were much destroyed. Britain was greatly weakened by the war. Between the wars
Economically, the period between the two World Wars was dominated by economic weakness known as the “Great Depression ”.
Labour had become the chief challenger to the Conservative Party, and formed its first government in 1924 under James Ramsey MacDonald. Second World War
Chartism: a movement for political and social reform during the mid- 19th century The six main aims in the People ’s Charter of 1838 were largely realized later.
Giving birth to the first mass working class political party, the National Charter Association and paving the way for the success in a universal right to vote
By the eve of the war, Britain followed the policy of appeasement under the Prime Minister Chamberlain. But two days after Hitler ’s armies had invaded Poland, Britain was forced to declare war on Germany on September 3, 1939. Postwar Britain
Britain was greatly impoverished by the war;
The Government had taken on an emergency welfare responsibility; in 1948, the “Welfare State ” had begun.
The war hastened the end of Britain ’s empire and its former colonies won independence one after another; many became charter members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Joining the EEC
In January 1973, Britain became a full member of the European Economic Community, which was called the Common Market at that time, and began its integration into Europe again. Thatcher and her era
Britain in 21st century
Iraq war and a War Against Terrorism
After the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001, Blair allied the United Kingdom with the United States and its president George W. Bush, in a global war against terrorism. In March 2003, Bush and Blair led a coalition of military forces in an attack on Iraq. David Cameron
In 2010, the Conservative Party formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. It was the first coalition government since the World War Two in 70 years. Britain and EU
As EU grows more powerful, resistance grew; the polls by Global Vision in 2007 showed that the vast majority of people in Britain would like “a looser relationship with the EU ”. They do not want Britain to be run by Brussels.
Government and Politics
The Constitution and the monarchy
The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy – the head of state being a monarch with limited powers. One of the essential features of the British Constitution is a parliamentary government under a limited, or symbolic, monarchy.
“the Iron Lady ” (tight control of Britain ’s monetary policy) – the first female Prime Minister in the nation ’s history in 1979
The return to private ownership of state-owned industries
The use of monetarist policies to control inflation The weakening of the trade union
The strengthening of the role of market forces in the economy
An emphasis on law and order
The Queen personifies the country
Parliament
Parliament is the legislative body of Britain.
It comprises three elements: the Crown, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons; House of the Commons is the real source of power.
The maximum duration of Parliament is a five years. Government
the Prime Minister and the Cabinet:
The Prime Minister is the chief executive of the government. He is the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, who presides over the Cabinet and selects the other Cabinet members. The Prime Minister in Britain is head of the Cabinet. Divisions of members of the Cabinet: Secretaries of state
Cabinet ministers who head a particular government department (e.g. Ministry of Defense)
The Prime Minister serves as the first lord of the treasury and minister for the civil service.
The ministers who hold traditional offices For example: the Lord President of the Council, the
Paymaster General and the Lord Privy Seal The ministers without portfolio
Those who do not have specific responsibilities but are assigned to specific takes as needed.
The Lord Chancellor
He holds a unique position. His duties include being responsible for legal affairs in the UK; he is also head of the judiciary.
Since 2007 it was replaced with Minster of Justice.
Political Parties and Elections
Major parties: Conservative Party, Labour Party, the Liberal Democratic Party
The party wins most Member of Parliament seats in the House of Commons becomes the
the head of the state the commander-in-chief of the armed forces the head of the judiciary the temporal head of the established Church of England
The formal exercise of political functions provides significant sense of continuity: governments may come and governments may go, but the queen continues to reign.
The Queen reigns but she does not rule; the vital power lies in the Prime Minister and his Cabinet.
Government.
The Privy Council (P.50) Judiciary
Courts of England and Wales*
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Economy
British agriculture does not produce enough food to meet the country ’s basic need: about 40% of its food supplies are imported.
In Britain, services, accounts by far the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. Industries:
Energy (past, present), Agriculture (livestock farming), Manufacturing (history; development; present status), Finance and Trade (World Financial Centre; Trade: past, present), Transportation and Communications* (railway, airlines, etc.) Labour
Trade Unions, TUC (Trades Union Congress – closely connected to the Labour Party), CBI (Confederation of British Industry – closely connected to the Conservative Party).
Social Service
The National Health Service
The National Health Service in Britain provides for every resident, a full range of medical services, regardless of income.
According to the National Health System, the retirement benefits begin for men at the age of 65 and for women at the age of 60.
Religion
The Judiciary
Two levels In terms of the nature of cases
central and local The Civil Courts The Criminal Courts
This system takes cases of debts, contacts, divorce, questions arising out of wills, individual properties and others. Punishments mainly take the form of fines . This system deals with cases involving various crimes. The punishments are chiefly imprisonments , but fines are imposed as well.
The state church in England is the Church of England (also called the Anglican Church).
The archbishop of Canterbury is the Primate of All England; the archbishop of York is the Primate of England.
The Free (or Nonconformist) Churches:
卫理公会
教
清教公里会教浸礼会教友会长老会救世军
The Methodist Puritanism The
Congregational
The
Baptist
Quakers The
Presbyterian
Church
The Salvation
Army
Other major religions:
犹太教罗马天主教苏格兰国教加尔文教会
The Jewish Faith The Roman Catholic
Church The Church of
Scotland
The Calvinist Church
Education
Key points:
The state school, the public school; primary and secondary Education, GCSE test; AS-level College, A-level Test; Higher Education (Universities in Britain).
Way of Life
Sports
Cricket is regarded as the most English of all games, but has become less popular in recent years.
Soccer claims the highest popular attendance in the country. It has its traditional home in England. The season lasts from mid August to early May.
Rugby football is more popular tan soccer in some regions like Wales. It was invented at Rugby School in Warwichshire in the early 19th century.
The modern tennis originated in England in the late 19th century.
Golf is probably the most attractive of British sports. It has its home in Scotland.
London is the only city to host the Olympic Games three times: the 1908, 1948 and 2012 summer Games.
Media
The Observer, which is still published every Sunday, first appeared in 1791, making it the world’s oldest national newspaper, while The Times, first published in 1785, is Britain’s oldest daily newspaper.
There are 10 different daily nation papers, which are available throughout the country and cover issues of national importance. About half of these are usually referred to as the “quality press” or “broadsheets” (because they are printed on large-size paper). The “quality press” carries in-depth articles of particular political and social importance, reviews and feature articles about “high culture”and are generally read by a well-educated, middle-class audience. The Times, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph are referred to as Britain’s “Big three”. The Times has a reputation for its cautious attitude. It often reflects the view held by the government. The Guardian is the most left-wing of these newspapers. It is politically closer to the Labour Party
than to the Conservative. The Daily Telegraph appeals to readers who favor free enterprise over social programs.
The other category of national newspaper is the tabloids, small format newspapers with color photos and catchy headlines. They deal with scandals and gossip, usually about famous people, whether in politics, sports or entertainment. The stories are shot, easy to read and often rely more on opinions than facts.