Question 1:

“British history has been a history of invasion.” Please illustrate this point.

·        4th century BC: Britain = Briton, and the people here were called Britons. They belong to the Celtic race

·        1st century AD (43): Briton was invaded by the Roman Empire. England and Wales (though not Scotland or Ireland) became a part of the Roman Empire for nearly 400 years.

·        5th century AD (410): Anglo-Saxon invasion - Germanic peoples: the Angles,

·        From the late 8th century on, raiders from Scandinavia, the cruel Vikings, threatened Britain's shores. The English heroes were truly English (Anglo-Saxon), such as King Alfred the Great

·        The next invaders were the Normans, from northern France in 1066.

·        Next few hundred years: a process of joining together the various parts of the British Isles under English rule.

Question 2

What are some general characteristics of Scotland? How did Scotland become part of the union of Great Britain?

·        the second largest of the four nations, both in population and in geographical area.

·        the most confident of its own identity

·        the most rugged part of the UK, with areas of sparsely populated mountains and lakes in the north (the Highlands), and in the south (the Southern Uplands).

·        Scotland was not conquered by the Romans or the Anglo-Saxons

·        Scotland began to experience Viking raids in the 9th century, and it was the pressure from this outside threat that led Scottish kings to unify, forming an independent singular Scottish state

·        In 1314, the Scottish defeated the English at the Battle of Bannockburn, leading to 300 years of full independence.

·        In 1603, Queen Elizabeth the First of England died childless, so James the Sixth of Scotland became James the First of England, uniting the two thrones. But for another hundred years Scotland maintained its separate political identity.

·        In 1707 the English and Scottish parliaments decided to form a union based on agreement. Great Britain was established

·        The dream of an independent Scotland has not vanished. Scotland elects its members of parliament to the London parliament and sends 72 representatives to London.

Question 3

 “Ireland has been divided by a long and bloody conflict.” Please illustrate this point. What do you know about the Good Friday Agreement?

Ireland has been divided by a long and bloody conflict:

·        From the time of Queen Elizabeth I (late 1590s) the new settlers, loyal to the British crown and Protestants in religious persuasion, were granted land, position, and privileges (from Roman Catholic)

·        In 17th century, English and Scottish Protestants were sent to Northern Ireland to stop Irish Catholics from causing trouble.

·        Fighting: English and Scottish Protestants against Irish Catholics

·        The Irish Protestants helped the English and Scottish Protestants, so Irish Catholics were defeaded. Irish Catholics had to escape to the South (Republic of Ireland)

·        In 1801 Ireland became part of UK.

·        Until 1921 the UK was "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland", not only "Northern Ireland".

·        In 1921, Ireland was divided into 2 parts:

- Northern Ireland: belonging to UK

- Republic of Ireland/ Irish Republic: independent

The Good Friday Agreement

The Good Friday Agreement (the Belfast Agreement), on 10 April l998 assures that Northern Ireland "remains part of the United Kingdom and shall not cease to be so without the consent of the majority of the people of Northern Ireland."

Question 4

What do you know about the Head of the UK? Why is she said to reign but not to rule?

The Queen reigns but doesn’t rule

In 16th and 17th centuries: a struggle for power between the Monarch and the Parliament. The Par. controlled most of national wealth so the Par. won.

The Par. allowed the Monarch to continue to function but within certain limits/ under the Par.’s control

The Queen:

represents Britain at home and abroad;

sets standards of good citizenship and family life

In law, the Queen is:

- head of state

- head of the executive and      the judiciary

- head of the Church of England

- commander-in-chief of the armed forces

The Queen’s remaining powers:

- to summon, prorogue or dissolve the Parliament;

- to give Royal Assent/Agreement to legislation passed by the Par.;

- to appoint importain positions;

- to confer honours;

- to remit sentences;

- to declare war or make peace;

but all are under the Parliament’s control or direction

    The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries

Question 5

What do you know about the British Parliament and the Prime Minister?

The Parliament

·        The Parliament today consists of the Queen, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

·        House of Lords: consists of about 1185 hereditary and life peers and peeresses; 2 Archbishops ; and 24 most senior bishops.

·        House of Commons: consist of 651 elected members from 651 constituences. They becomes Members of Parliament (MPs)

·        Par. is the seat of British democracy

·        The House of Lords was created to provide a council of the nobility for the King.

·        The Commons was summoned to provide the King with money.Because of the financial power, from 17th century, the Commons gained power in matters of finance as well as of legislation over both the Monarch and the Lords.The Commons can force the government to resign by passing a resolution of “ no confidence”.

·        Parliament’s functions:      

- to pass laws

- to raise monney through taxation to enable the government to function.

- to examine the government policy, administration and expenditure

- to debate or discuss major political issues.

The Prime Minister:

- the most powerful

- leader of the winning/ majority Party in the  general election

- appoints about 100 ministers

- chooses about 20 among the ministers to form the Cabinet