History of the United Kingdom

Zhejiang University of Finance & EconomicsDong Fang College

Toriano Cook

First invaded by Julius Caesar in 55 B.C. The native Celts fled to the mountains of Scotland

and Wales. Became a part of the Roman Empire in 43 AD Romans founded ‘Londinium’ (London) around 50 AD Romans found many towns and cities that still exist

today. The Romans left Britain in 410 AD to protect Rome

from invaders from Northern Europe.

Founding of ‘Britannia’

The Anglo-Saxons arrived in Britain from the area of modern Germany shortly after the Romans left.

Replaced the Celt language with early English language. Governed by tribes controlled by local kings and chiefs

and followed the idea of private ownership. By the 7th century, missionaries from Rome had

converted much of the population to Roman Christianity. During the 8th century, in an attempt to fight back

invading Vikings, Alfred the Great united the seven Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, forming what is now known as England.

The Anglo - Saxons

After the death of King Edward in 1066, there was no heir to the English throne.

Duke William of Normandy (in France, the people called the Normans) decided to take power & invaded England.

Became King William I, also known as “William the Conqueror”.

Took over Wales & made it a part of England. Brought with him the concept of Feudalism (a

system of land owners, Lords and those who worked for them, the serfs)

William the Conqueror

After the death of William I, many fought and created conflict to control the power of the throne.

In 1154, the eventual King Henry II worked to establish courts and laws to govern the kingdom.

The son of Henry II, King John demanded more taxes and army service from the people to continue wars with France.

Local lords and rulers grew tired of the king’s need for money and forced him to sign the Magna Carta on June 15, 1215.

The Magna Carta was a new set of rules to protect the people from abuse from the King and limit his powers.

Magna Carta (‘Great Charter’)

Henry III (John’s son) became king in 1216. Like his father, he continued to spend money on wars

against France and ignored many of the laws in place by the Magna Carta.

A group of lords led by Simon De Montfort created the ‘Provisions of Oxford’ in 1258.

This provision set up a group of representatives to advise the King on all matters, as to avoid him further abusing his power.

The First Privy council had 15 members. Important as one of the first forms of parliament or

representative government.

The Privy Council

Involved many battles between England and France to control parts of France (more specifically the area in the northwest of the country, now called Brittany).

During this time, the English fought to retain lands lost before.

By the end of the wars, England had lost all of its territory in France except for a small port area called Calais.

Important for English culture in that the wars created a sense of English nationalism, the growth of a textile industry and the rise of a bourgeois class. (from the French bourgeoisie or ‘middle-class’)

The Hundred Years’ War (1337 – 1453)

War between two wealthy families of England. The House of York The House Lancaster

Fought for control of the throne (to become King), money and land control.

The House of Lancaster won the war, with their leader, Henry Tudor, becoming King Henry VIII.

During the reign of Henry VIII, formed a centralized English government and brought about a great modernization of the kingdom.

The War of the Roses (1455 – 1485)

Ruled as King of England from 1509 to 1547. Most remembered for his role in the Holy Reformation. Forever placed England outside of the common Europe. Enacted an absolute monarchy in England (absolute

and total rule by the King) Created the Church of England (also called the

“Anglican Church”) Most famous for his many wives and his attempts to

have a male son to succeed him as King of England.

Henry VII

King Henry VIII desperately wanted a male heir to become king.

His first wife did not produce a son and it is believed that because he grew bored with her, he used this as an excuse to request a divorce.

The Catholic Church denied his request and so he began the split of the English away from the Church’s leadership.

The King had six wives, with hopes of each giving him a son.

Was believed that the King was insane in his treatment of his wives and his over-indulgence in women.

The Wives of King Henry VIII

First wife, gave birth to a daughter, Mary I.

Became queen as part of a plan to unite England and Spain against France.

Did not want to divorce the king.

After the divorce, became very sick and died.

Some think the King had her poisoned, as to not cause trouble for his new marriage.

1. Catherine of Aragon

Had an affair with the King while he was married to Catherine of Aragon.

Gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth I.

Not popular with the people. After suspicion that she was

having affairs with other men while married to the King, was ordered to prison and finally beheaded.

2. Anne Boleyn

Married the King shortly after the execution of Anne Boleyn.

Had a good relationship with the King.

Was very popular with the people.

Gave birth to a son, Edward. Died while giving birth. Only Queen to be given a

royal funeral and buried at royal grounds.

3. Jane Seymour

King agreed to marry her after only seeing her picture.

Marriage was a plan to unite England and Germany against countries that supported the Catholic Church.

Immediately after meeting her, said she looked like a horse and ordered a divorce.

Became a family friend of the King and lived in England.

4. Anne of Cleves

Married the King when she was only 16 or 17 years old.

Known as the King’s ‘rose without a thorn’

Quickly caused troubles, as it was common to witness her out in public with what many thought were lovers.

Caught having an affair with the King’s most favored assistant.

Both were beheaded.

5. Catherine Howard

Last wife of Henry VII (she lived on after his death)

Very influential with the three children of the King.

Most active of the King’s wives in running the Kingdom.

Convinced King to pass an act making it possible for Mary and Elizabeth to be considered to run the Kingdom as Queen in the future.

6. Catherine Parr

“Divorced, beheaded, died… divorced, beheaded, survived!”

Wars were fought mostly over money and monopolies (single businesses that controlled a certain industry or market)

The First Civil was began in 1642 between: Royalists: Cavaliers or those who ran monopolies given

to them by the King. Roundheads: Members of Parliament who passed laws

and fought against total control of markets like monopolies.

Leader of the Roundheads, Oliver Cromwell, led the New Model Army against the King.

The English Civil Wars

1646, King Charles I surrendered but escaped! During the Second Civil War, Charles I was captured and

executed by Cromwell’s army in 1649. Cromwell went on to defeat the King Charles’s son,

Charles II in 1651. Declared England a Commonwealth (a political system

for the ‘common good’ and a republic. (with no kings!) Was very unpopular with the people Died in 1658 and in 1660 Parliament decided to place

Charles II back as King of England.

Oliver Cromwell

After a few years of political tension with King James II choosing to reinstate Catholicism and finally fleeing to France, Parliament chose to appoint leaders of the country not royal in 1689.

This revolution, put into law by the Bill of Rights, gave power to the Parliament.

Created a system of constitutional monarchy, where the King ruled only with the power Parliament would choose to give him.

The Glorious Revolution

After Britain began to expand, creating and taking over colonies in America, their economy also grew with the surplus of raw materials from the New World.

With the increased supply of materials came wealth, which provided the incentive to develop the industry of England.

With an increased number of workers with no land to develop, the country had a large amount of people looking for paid employment, especially in industrial areas.

The textile industry was the first to begin during the revolution.

Industrial Revolution

With the growth of large-scale industry, many important inventions were created, like the steam engine, which improved transportation around the world.

The first railway was completed in 1825 and the idea of travel by rail for moving products and good swept around the world.

With new industrial centers, new cities were formed around them. (urbanization)

Many changes in social class structure (with the richest at the top, a small bourgeois or middle class and workers at the bottom)

Forever changed British society (some good, some bad)

Industrial Revolution

Pandemonium: the capital of Hell

The British Empire began with the colonization of Newfoundland (Canada) in 1583.

The founding of colonies in the Caribbean and America, as well as control of Canada from France (during the French and Indian War) created the First British Empire.

Queen Victoria during the 19th century expanded the Empire immensely.

The British government adopted the foreign policy of New Imperialism, where they meant to obtain and control new lands that would help grow the British economy.

The British Empire

During the reign of Queen Victoria, Australia, New Zealand and Canada became dominion of the kingdom.

In 1876, she took the title of “Empress of India” and declared herself ruler areas now known as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Most colonization of Asia by the British was led by the private East India Company.

The British waged the Opium War against China to force open trade and British economic development.

In 1842, the Qing government was forced to sign the Treaty of Nanking, opening five seaports for trade with England, allowing British colonists special privileges for travel and religious activities and giving Hong Kong to Britain (to last until 1997).

The British Empire

“The Empire on which the sun never sets”

“The Empire on which the sun never sets”

Today most of these countries now belong to the “Commonwealth of Nations”.

Several are still territories of the United Kingdom

Only Ireland and the United States gained their independence from Britain and did not join the Commonwealth. Ireland became independent in 1922 through

diplomacy. United States became independent in 1776 through

war.

“History of the British Empire for Dummies”

Britain fought in both World War I and World War II. Both wars critically injured the country, in human

lives and wealth. Although Britain fought to help allies in Europe,

they also were fighting to protect many of the colonies.

Many other nations were seeking to gain new lands and resources to expand their own economies.

These conflicts of interests and imperial rivalry split Europe and then the world during these wars.

Britain in the World Wars

Britain originally did not want to participate in the war against Germany.

In 1939, Germany invaded Poland, forcing Britain and France to declare war on Germany.

In 1940, Germany invaded France and Italy joined the war on the side of Germany, making things very dangerous for Britain.

Help came to the UK in 1941 when Germany attacked the Soviet Union (USSR) and the Japanese attacked the United States.

These actions by Germany and Japan brought in two of the world’s largest and strongest armies to fight as allies with Britain.

World War II

Although Britain was never invaded by Germany, many Brits died, the British economy was hurt badly and the mighty British navy that helped maintain the Empire was reduced by 30%.

Most of the Britain’s colonies demanded and fought against the UK for independence, with most becoming their own nations by the mid-1960s.

Most of these nations now have a very friendly relationship with the United Kingdom.

The Fall of the British Empire

The most recent revolutionary war fought by a colony against Britain.

The Falklands are a group of islands off the coast of Argentina that Britain claimed to be their territory since the 19th century.

On April 2, 1982, soldiers from Argentina invaded and occupied the islands, claiming they actually are the territory of their country.

The war was of small battles and finally ended on June 14, 1982, with the British reclaiming the islands as its own.

The Falklands War

The Falklands War

“The Great British Story – A People’s History Of Modern Britain”