the european union:

The European Union:

Concept began with Winston Churchill after WWII

1992 – Officially began 2000 – Euro € became official currency of

the EU Today there are 27 countries in the EU

The United Kingdom

Nations Included: England, Wales,

Scotland & No. Ireland

Capital: London (Urban area population of 9.8 million ) Population of UK: 60.9m

Great Britain (Britain) is made up of England, Scotland and Wales, whereas the UK is Britain as well as Northern Ireland.

Money: British Pound 1 = $1.66

Member of the E.U. but do NOT use the Euro

Government: Constitutional Monarchy- Queen Elizabeth II is Figure-Head leader

Parliament:

Has 2 houses:

House of Lords

House of Commons

LEADER:

David Cameron – Prime Minister

Elected 2010

Religion:

Church of England

(Anglican)

Catholic

Other Christian

Denominations

Muslim &

Jewish

Climate: Mostly Marine West Coast

Languages:

-English w/ many

dialects

-Welch

-Scottish

-Gaelic

-Many other foreign languages

Natural Resources:

Coal, oil, natural gas Tin, limestone Iron ore, salt Potatoes, fish

Flag of the United Kingdom:

Cross of

St. Charles

(English)

Cross of

St. Andrews

(Scottish)

Cross of

St. Patrick (Irish)

Stonehenge: located south of London on a large plain A large circle of huge

stones

Built in 3 stages b/t 3000-1000 BC

Temple for Druids? Sun dial? Calendar stone?

Don’t know the actual reason!

Stratford upon Avon: Birthplace of William Shakespeare Royal Shakespearian

Theatre built here in 1952

Wm. Shakespeare: 1565-1616

Considered the greatest dramatist in the world

Wrote 37 plays

154 sonnets

Other poems

Thatched Roofs: Cottages in Stratford are built with thatched roofs from local grass

Anne Hathaway’s Home - Shakespeare’s wife

Crusades:

A series of military campaigns to regain Jerusalem from the Islamic people

Took place b/t 1095-1291

Basically a failure that caused long lasting hatred and shattered lives

Oxford University:

Oldest institution of higher learning in the English-speaking world

1st classes began in 1117

Located north of London

Buckingham Palace

Official residence of the British kings and queens

600 rooms filled

with beautiful art

Home of QEII

Changing of the guard atBuckingham Palace

Big Ben:

Named after Sir Benjamin Hall in 1859

Ben is the bell not the tower

Bell is 13.5 tons Can be heard all over

London Located by Parliament

on Thames River

Trafalgar Square

Located in central London

Celebrates the British naval commander, Sir. Horatio Nelson – He defeated Napolean.

Cleopatra’s Needle

Obelisk taken to London from Egypt by the Romans

Located along the Thames River bank

Once belonged to Cleopatra

St. Paul’s Cathedral:

Once a Catholic Church

but changed by Henry VIII

Now Church of England

Plagued by

numerous fires

Sculptures,

Paintings, etc

Princess Diana was married here to Prince Charles

Tower Bridge:

Located over Thames River in London

Windsor Castle:

Royal Palace Located 22 mi south of

London Overlooks the Thames

River

“Keep” or round part is most likely where the knights of the round table met during King Arthur’s time (Camelot)

Tower of London:

Located on the north bank of the Thames River

Built 1078 Once royal

Residence Later a prison Today it is where

the crown jewels

are kept

Westminster Cathedral

Most famous of all England’s churches

Built in 1245

Style is French Gothic

Where Princess Diana’s funeral was held

Sports

Soccer cricket

Rugby

Chunnel

32 mile long tunnel b/t England and France

3 tubes (tunnels) 2 for trains going each direction and 1 for service

Takes about 35 minutes to go under the ocean floor!