Of course, I live here in England, and am half-British by blood. I think living here is pretty awesome. There's always something to do, and most of my friends live here! I'm in touch with the majority of my family, here, too.
England has a really intriguing past, and an eclectic and amazing present. Its history is known all over the world, and its government is envied widely. Read about it all here on this page - I aim to educate as well as to amuse, y'know. ;)
Name: England
Land Mass: 130,395 square kilometres
Population: 50,431,700
Capital: London
Language: English (Gaelic/Welsh closer to Scotland, Ireland and Wales)
Currency: Pound Sterling (GBP)
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Head Of State: Queen Elizabeth II
GDP Per Capita: 18,269 GBP
National Day: April 23rd
Early English People
Early humans lived in England 700,000 years ago, connected to the rest of Europe by a bridge of land. The area’s hospitable climate meant that people were settling there long before they did in other parts of the British Isles.
Invasions AD 43-1066
The Romans invaded Britain in AD 43. The Romans had long influenced Britain, such as during the pre-invasion Iron Age, especially in the south of Britain and enjoyed trading links with the Roman Empire. The Roman capital of England was Colchester, not London. (I live in Colchester!) However, by the 5th century, the Roman empire in England had ended, and Anglo-Saxons ruled the country. Between the 7th and 10th centuries, Christianity spread through England (from Scotland, Ireland and Rome) and England became politically united.
Medieval & Early Modern England
In 1066 at the Battle Of Hastings, William The Conqueror of France won to become King William I of England, who created one of the most powerful monarchies in Europe and the most sophisticated governmental system. At this time, the language and culture was also changed largely. The Domesday Book was created in 1086, and is England’s earliest surviving public records publication.
In the sixteenth century, King Henry VIII abolished Catholicism in Europe (as it wouldn’t allow him to divorce his first wife, Catherine Of Aragon! LAWL.) and replaced it with his own church, the Church Of England, which remains the state church to this day. The last of the Tudor dynasty was Queen Elizabeth I, the “Virgin Queen”, who brought great prosperity to the country and whose reign is often cited as a “golden age” by historians.
Civil Wars & Formation Of The United Kingdom
Between 1642 and 1651, three civil wars broke out between the Royalists (supporters of King Charles I) and Parliamentarians (led by Oliver Cromwell.) At the Battle Of Worcester on September 3rd 1651, Parliament won. Charles I was put on trial, and eventually beheaded by his own people. Britain was then a Commonwealth, then a Protectorate. When Cromwell died in 1660, Charles II “The Merry Monarch” was then made King Of England and royal rule was restored.
Scotland joined England to become the Kingdom Of Great Britain in 1707. In 1801, Ireland joined and the union became the United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Ireland, but in 1920 Home Rule was granted to Southern Ireland, making the United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland. Wales was included in the union from 1707, but was not named as a separate entity until later on.
The Empire & Britain At War
The British Empire under Queen Victoria expanded all over the world, in countries such as those in the Caribbean, India, Canada and Australia. It was a rich empire, one which led and birthed the Industrial Revolution, bringing new technology to the whole world. Unfortunately, Britain also advocated the slave trade during this time alongside the United States. The slave trade was abolished in Britain in the 19th century following the Anti-Slave Trade Act (1807) and Abolition Of Slavery Act (1833), and black people steadily gained more respect in society.
Britain went to war with Dutch farming settlers in South Africa during what was known as the Boer War, from 1899-1902. Sadly, the British also invented the concentration camp in South Africa, where they sent the bereaved women and children of the men they killed and burned their farms. The Boer War was the first war in Britain to have extensive media coverage, and outrage erupted back home in England because people were shocked at how the Brits were treating their prisoners of war, and the sporadic nature of how the war was conducted (despite their superior combat technology, the British hadn't researched the land well, and often became lost or stuck in rivers, much to the advantage of the native Zulus and Boers. Many Britons died of diseases such as dysentry and typhoid fever due to misjudging the safety and general cleanliness of the river water, which was full of sewage and corpses, among other things.) The Boer War brought a victory to the British, but at a great cost, with a lot of casualties and a huge waste of tax money. This annoyed the people of Britain enough to vote out the Unionist government in 1906 and instate a Liberal government, which proceeded to tackle the social problems plaguing the nation at the time (some areas of Britain, particularly in inner-city areas, still endured great poverty and appalling living conditions.)
Britain played a major part in both world wars. In 1914, Britain and the Allies went to war with Germany in what became known as “The Great War.” The war lasted until 1918, leaving a death toll for the Britons of over a million. World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945, with another victory for the Brits.
Post-War Recovery
Britain then went through a radical economic recovery from 1945 onwards, bringing cultural and social revolution to the people. England today enjoys a varied and diverse culture of all races and denominations, and a good quality of life for its citizens.
1) England enjoys a varied diet consisting of traditional British cuisine and foreign foods. Indian, Chinese and Italian food are all highly popular.
2) Wildlife present in Britain includes otters, red squirrels, badgers, hedgehogs, stoats, foxes, adders, puffins and eagles. Dolphins and whales can be spotted in some parts, particularly off the North Sea coastline, and sharks are common in the warmer seas of the West Country.
3) Oxford University once had rules forbidding students from bringing a bow and arrow to class.
4) Windsor Castle is the oldest royal residence, and the largest, that is still in use.
5) More tea per person is consumed in England than in any other country. I guess we really do live up to the stereotype!
6) Summers in England can rise to around 30°C/86°F.
7) The education in England is envied throughout the world, with many famous universities and schools, such as the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, and Eton College, which is regularly attended by members of the Royal Family.
8) Britain is just 35km from France. It is connected by the Channel Tunnel and the continent is easily accessible via this route.
9) The UK has been at the forefront of youth culture since the heyday of the Beatles and Rolling Stones in the 1960's.
10) Young people in England can marry from the age of 16, however, couples usually choose to marry much later than in other countries.
11) England has a rich literary culture including the talents of William Shakespeare, Dylan Thomas, Robert Burns and Seamus Heaney. Artistically, such artists as William Turner, Francis Bacon and David Hockney.
12) In 1666, a large fire destroyed most of London after what appears to have been an accident in a bakery belonging to Thomas Farynor, baker to King Charles II. Because most buildings in London at the time were constructed mainly of wood and pitch, London burned quickly to the ground, 430 acres decimated by the blaze. Fortunately, it is estimated that only sixteen people perished in the fire, including Farynor’s maid, who became too frightened to leave the building successfully.
13) From 1665 for several years, an epidemic of bubonic plague ravished London known as the Great Plague. 15% of London died of the Plague - that‘s over 100,000 people. The Great Fire Of London in 1666 diminished much of the infection, as it killed many of the rats which carried the disease, and the cold winters which followed eventually killed off the rest of the fleas breeding on the rats. In the 14th century, an earlier epidemic called The Black Death (consisting of pneumonic, bubonic and septicaemic plague) killed 30-40% of England’s population. Symptoms of the plague included a high fever of 101-105 degrees, vomiting, aching joints, and large, black pustules called buboes.
14) The Speaker of the House in Parliament is, ironically, not allowed to speak.
15) England is famous for hauntings of weird and wonderful ghosts. Wandering spirits can be found in old buildings all over England, from Florence Nightingale and her cats (St. Thomas’ Hospital, London) to a spectral ape (at Athelhampton Hall, Dorset)!
start by looking at the England Wikipedia article! :)