United Kingdom, inglese turstico c1

UNITED KINGDOM

LOCATION: British Isles are located off the north west coast of mainland Europe, and cover an area of over

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310.000 km . The two main islands are Great Britain and Ireland, but there are also hundreds of smaller

islands, within these, the most well-known are the Isle of Main, the Shetland islands, the Hebrides and the

Orkney Islands (off the coast of Scotland), and the Channel Islands (in the English Channel).

CLIMATE: variable, in general temperate. The west is the wettest area, east is drier and less windy, north is

the coldest. Snow can fall everywhere, but it’s most common in Scotland and northern England. During

summer, temperatures are around 20.6°C in England and 16.9°C in Scotland, while during winter are

around 1.2°C in England and -0.2°C in Scotland.

LANDSCAPE: there are a lot of forests, farmland, hills, lakes and mountains. The highest peak is Ben Nevis in

the Grampian Mountains in Scotland, the second is Snowdown in Wales.

The largest lake is Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, Lake District in north-west England. In Scotland the

most famous is Loch Ness.

The Pennines are hills which run down the centre of England. Eastern England is the flattest region, i n the

South there are gentle hills and fertile farmland.

COAST AND RIVERS: Great Britain has over 11.000 miles of coastline, with high cliffs, rocky headlands,

sandy beaches, dunes, fishing, containers and ferry ports like Felixstowe, Harwich and Plymouth.

River Thames flows through important town like Reading, Oxford and London. River Severn starts in the

Mid Wales and flows through central England to the Bristol Channel. River Shannon runs through 11

counties of Ireland, ending in the Atlantic Ocean.

UK POLITICAL SYSTEM: it’s a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch. The king or the

queen is the Head of the State; the prime minister is the Head of the Government, and voted by the

people. The monarch has ceremonial duties, but limited powers.

In 1999, UK created a national Parliament in Scotland, a national Assembly in Wales, and a national

Assembly in Northern Ireland. The authority is kept by the UK parliament. The developed powers include

education, environment, culture, transport, justice and health.

PREHISTORIC HISTORY: hunters and gatherers introduced, around 4500 BC, farming, and this marked the

beginning of the Neolithic period. People introduced rituals and ceremonies, monuments were built in this

places (Stonehenge). During the Bronze and the Iron Ages, population increased and defensive forts were

built.

THE ROMANS (43-410 AD): they arrived under Julius Caesar in 55-54 BC, the first conquests happened

under Claudius, in 43 AD. They conquered England and Wales, they built the Hadrian’s Wall that divided

their lands and the country protected from the Scottish tribes. They founded settlements (London, Bath,

Manchester, York), they built roads and introduced sanitation and sewage systems.

THE ANGLO-SAXONS (410-800): after the Roman’s depart in 410, the Anglo-Saxons, coming from northwest

Europe, started to attack Britain. They settled in England and parts of Scotland, the country was divided

into numerous kingdoms.

THE VIKINGS (800-1066): the next population to arrive was the Vikings one, coming from Scandinavia. They

dominated a big part of the country and took over political control. Yorvik (York) was the capital. They

created the independent kingdom of Scotland and England.

THE NORMANS (1066-1154): William, the duke of Normandy, defeated the Saxons in 1066 in the battle of

Hastings. He became King William I of England. He ruled a feudal system, where he had complete control

and owned all the lands. Normans built stone churches, cathedrals, and castles.

HIGH AND LATE MIDDLE AGES (1154-1485): part of the Middle Ages was marked by the war (Hundred Years

war), natural disasters (plague), and public rebellion. King John was forced to sign the Magna Charta in

1215, a constitutional charter that limited the monarchy’s powers.

THE TUDORS (1485-1603): Henry VIII had six wives trying to have a male heir. The Catholic Church didn’t

allow him to divorce, so he separated from it and appointed himself head of the Protestant Church of

England. His daughter, Elizabeth I, reigned during a period of great discovery and exploration. After her

death, the crown passed to her cousin James Stuart, King of Scotland.

THE STUARTS (1603-1714): James I was the king of Ireland, England and Scotland. In 1642 started the Civil

War between Royalists who supported the monarch, and Parliamentarians who supported a parliament,

they were led by Cromwell. He was succeeded by King Charles I, who was executed in 1649, and then

Cromwell became Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland. Monarchy was restored in 1660.

THE GEORGIANS (1714-1837): after the last Stuart, Queen Anne, the crown passed to the House of

Hanover, with king George, the Georgian period was characterized by social changes like the abolition of

slavery, more power to the Parliament. It was also a period of wars: American War of Independence; the

Napoleonic Wars, when Napoleon was defeated by Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar and Wellington’s

victory of Waterloo.

THE VICTORIAN PERIOD (1837-1901): during the reign of Queen Victoria, there were dramatic changes

Industrial Revolution, invention of the steam engine. Railways and telegraph; increased urbanisation, move

away from rural life. Britain expanded its power and wealth for upper and middle class. At the same time,

working classes faced terrible poverty, deprivation and injustice.

WAR AND CONFLICT:

 After WWI and WWII, Britain had serious economic difficulties.

 In April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands (South Atlantic Ocean). The British

government decided to send troops, and in June 1982 Argentina surrounded.

 Northern Ireland “Troubles”: between the riots in 1969 and the “Good Friday Agreement” in 1998.

There was so much violence and killing from the unionist community (UK, Protestant) and

nationalist community (Ireland, Catholic).

 British troops were part of the Gulf war (1990-1991) after Iraq invaded Kuwait; and the Iraq War

(2003-2011).

 After 2001 they were involved in the military action in Afghanistan against al -Qaeda.

 On July 2005, 4 suicide bombers attacked London tube station and killed 52 people .

 In 2017 there were terrorist attacks in London and Manchester.

POLITICS AND ECONOMY:

o Economic recession between WWI and WWII. Trade unions became stronger and there was a 9-day

general strike in 1926, in order to cut wages and increase working hours.

o After WWII, Labour won and modern welfare state was created with the foundation of a national

health service. The government nationalised industries (coal mining, railways).

o In 1979, Margaret Thatcher (leader of the conservative Party), became first minister. She ordered

cuts in government spending and the closure of industries; these things lead to a massive

unemployment in the north of England and strikes. It was also the period of economic boom, with

privatisation