CIVILIZATION OF THE BRITISH ISLES

Christophe TournuProfesseur, LSHA© Université de Strasbourg, 2010

Outline of the course

This course will fall into 6 parts:

1 A physical geography of the British Isles, together with some political elements

2 A Short History of Britain

3 The Constitution, the UK Parliament, and the Government

4 A Survey of the British People

5 UK Economy, Welfare and Social Evils

6 British Life and Culture

Useful material

A 57-page color booklet booklet accompaniesthe course. It is on sale at the PhotocopyingService (FR: Reprographie) (5€).

It contains different color maps and charts as well as a chronology of UK history. You

will also find a chapter on UK culture.

For the final exam, you will be asked questions on the course as well as on thematerial I have included in the booklet.

Information will be regularly posted on ourwebsites : E-Langues.

Exam

Guide pédagogique, p. 48 :

S2 – UE5 Civilisation

Anglais

Appliquer les concepts étudiés au semestre 1 aux aires géographiques américaine et britannique. Lire un ouvrage en lien avec le cours.

Contrôle des connaissances, session 1 :

« Type de questions analogues à ce qui est proposé au semestre 1. » [20 questions de type QCM; questions fermées ou questions ouvertes nécessitant une réponse courte]

Epreuve portant sur le cours et sur un texte de civilisation au programme (document d’une taille comprise entre 50 et 100 pages)

A PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE BRITISH ISLES, TOGETHER WITH SOME POLITICAL ELEMENTS

Course #7 – 16 March 2010

Introduction

Introduction

1. Basic facts

The British Isles is a geographical term for a group of islands lying off the north-west coast of mainland Europe.

The British Isles is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the North Sea to the North and East and English Channel to the south. Also the Irish Sea lies between mainland Britain and Ireland.

Introduction (ctd.)

England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands make up the British Isles.

It is a geographicalentity.

Introduction (ctd.)

As you may know, Ireland itself is di-vided up into 2 parts:

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

Introduction (ctd.)

If you consider the British Isles but ignore the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands, you obtain what is called the United Kingdom.

It is a political entity.

The UK is composed of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

The UK refers to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Introduction (ctd.)

If you consider the UKbut ignore Northern Ireland, you obtain what is called Britain –which is not to be mistaken for Brittany (FR.: La Bretagne).

Introduction (ctd.)

Britain includes England, Wales, and Scotland.

Introduction

2. Significant particularities

The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey) are also part of the British Isles.

2. 1. The Isle of Man

The Isle of Man occupies a central position in the Irish Sea, and also in the British Isles.

Introduction

Introduction

There are 80,058 inhabitants on the Isle of Man.

It is an internally self-governing dependent territory of the British Crown. It is not part of the United Kingdom, although the UK is responsible for its external relations.

The Island is a Crown Dependency which, through its own parliament, Tynwald, enjoys a high degree of domestic legislative and political autonomy.

Introduction

The Flag of the Isle of Man is red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee.

Introduction

2. 2. The Channel Islands

They used to be part of the Duchy of Normandy. Since William’s conquest of England in 1066, they have been subject to the English Crown as successor to the Dukes of Normandy.

They comprised two groups of islands.

Introduction

Map

Introduction

Jersey

The Bailiwick of Jersey (pronounced / d̍ʒɜrzi/) is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. It is not part of the UK, though its international representation and defence are ordinarily conducted by the UK government.

The Queen is represented by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor.

Introduction

There is a Council of Ministers, which comprises a Chief Minister (currently Senator Terry Le Sueur) and Ministers of the 9 Departments.

The Legislative is called the States Assembly. It includes 53 members (senators, conétables, deputies, and other positions) (>>)

The Bailiff (currently Mr Michael Birt), is appointed by the Queen to be head of the judiciary, President of the States and civic head of Jersey.

The resident population of Jersey was estimated at 90,800 in 2007.

Introduction

The Jersey flag is a red diagonal cross on a white background, with three gold leopards (or lions) on a red crest surmounted by a gold crown in the top triangle. See the flag of Jersey >>

Introduction

Guernsey

The Bailiwick of Guernsey (pronounced / ɡ̍ɜrnzi/; French: Bailliage de Guernesey) is a British Crown Dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.

It is not part of the UK, although its defense is the responsibility of the UK government.

Introduction

The deliberative assembly is called the States of Deliberation (French: Les Étatsde Délibération).

It consists of 45 People's Deputies.

They elect the Policy Council, which consists of the ministers/presidents of each of the ten departments plus the chief minister.

Introduction

The deliberative assembly is called the States of Deliberation (French: Les Étatsde Délibération).

It consists of 45 People's Deputies.

They elect the Policy Council, which consists of the ministers/presidents of each of the ten departments plus the chief minister.

Introduction

The flag of Guernsey is white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross.

Introduction

The UK or British flag is called the Union Flag.

Introduction

It is sometimes referred to as the Union Jack and is the flag of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The flag is actually three flags in one.

It is made up from the:

England flag,

Scotland flag and

the patron saint of Ireland's Flag.

Introduction

Scotland is represented by the flag of St. Andrew.

England is represented by the flag of St. George.

Northern Ireland is represented by the flag of St. Patrick.

Introduction

This is the flag of Wales

It does not appear on the British flag.

I – The Geography of England

I – The Geography of England

The largest, the most populous, and the most densely populated of the four countries, which form up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). England covers an area of 130,395 km² (i.e. less than 25% of Metropolitan France: 550,000 km2) occupying the south-eastern portion of the island of Great Britain. The population is around 49,000,000 and the capital city is London.

England is bordered to the north by Scotland and to the west by Wales.

I – The Geography of England

Most of England consists of rolling hills, but the country is more mountainous in the north. There is also an area of flat, low-lying marshland in the east.

Major rivers are the Thames, the Severn, the Trent, the Humber, the Yorkshire Ouse, the Tyne, the Mersey and the Dee.

England's six largest cities are: London, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, and Manchester. Other major cities are Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Derby, Kingston upon Hull, Leicester, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Nottingham, Plymouth, Stoke-on-Trent and Wolverhampton.

I – The Geography of England

England is administratively divided up into 9 regions (Cf. FR: 22):

I – The Geography of England

1. London

It is the capital of England. The UK government is located there, around the Palace of Westminster.

With a population of 7.5 million inhabitants, London is the most populous municipality in the EU.

London is well flat. The city is crossed from the south-west to the east by the Thames, a navigable river.

I – The Geography of England

1. London (ctd.)

“London is not so much a city, as the world’s biggest village.” (G. K. Chesterton)London consists of 32 small cities, plus The City, each with their own governments, schools, areas of wealth and poverty and sense of individual identity. Each borough has national government representation and a local council whose function is to collects taxes and to provide essential services.

For detailed information on each borough, plus the borough of the City of London >>See also: London Directory >>

I – The Geography of England

I – The Geography of England

1. London (ctd.)

Clickable map >>

Richmond, in the West end, is the wealthiest district, whereas Barking, in the East end, is the poorest.

Inner London includes Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth, Westminster.

Learn + Things to do and see in London >> (12-picture slideshow)

Idem. (Click on the map to enlarge) >>Another (showing monuments) >>

I – The Geography of England

I – The Geography of England

2. South East

I – The Geography of England

2. South East (ctd.)

(A clickable map is also available >>)

Its population as of the 2001 census was 8,000,550; the most populous region.

The area is known for some places: Oxford, home to one of the most prestigious universities in England, Eton (its ancient public school), Windsor (advertised as the longest inhabited Royal castle in the world), and Canterbury.

I – The Geography of England

3. South West

I – The Geography of England

3. South West (ctd.)

Most of the South West occupies a peninsula between the English Channel and Bristol Channel.

It is the largest such region in terms of area, covering 23,828 km2

including Bristol (a ceremonial county), - Gloucestershire- Somerset- Dorset- Wiltshire- Devon- Cornwall- and the Isles of Scilly (*)

I – The Geography of England

3. South West (ctd.)

Most of the South West occupies a peninsula between the English Channel and Bristol Channel.

It is the largest such region in terms of area, covering 23,828 km2

including Bristol (a ceremonial county), - Gloucestershire- Somerset- Dorset- Wiltshire- Devon- Cornwall- and the Isles of Scilly (*)

I – The Geography of England

3. South West (ctd.)

The prehistoric monuments of Stonehenge are there (Avesbury, Wiltshire) >>Another picture (humorous) >>

Bristol is the capital of the South West of England >>

The SW of England has a population of 4.328 million.

I – The Geography of England

4. West Midlands

It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, with 1,006,500 inhabitants.

I – The Geography of England

4. West Midlands (ctd.)

The region is geographically diverse, from urban central areas to the rural counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire which border Wales. The other counties are Staffordshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire -- home to the town of Stratford upon Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.

The longest river in the UK, the River Severn, traverses the region southeastwards, and the Ironbridge Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

The West Midlands region is known as the heart of England.

I – The Geography of England

5. North West

It has a population of 6,853,200 and comprises five counties:

- Cumbria- Lancashire- Greater Manchester- Merseyside- and Cheshire.

I – The Geography of England

5. North West (ctd.)

Two large conurbations, centred on the cities of Liverpool and Manchester, occupy the south of the region and are its largest centres of population.

The north of the region, including northern Lancashire and Cumbria, is largely rural.

It is the largest food and drink producing region in England.

England’s largest National Park, the Lake District, is located there (in the county of Cumbria) >>

I – The Geography of England

6. North East

It comprises the combined area of Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Tees Valley (including parts of North Yorkshire).

I – The Geography of England

6. North East (ctd.)

It comprises the combined area of Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Tees Valley (including parts of North Yorkshire).

The North East region has the lowest GDP/capita in England.

It includes the City of Durham, which is known for its cathedral (>>), its castle (>>), and its university (>>).

Another known city is Newcastle.

I – The Geography of England

7. Yorkshire and Humberside

It is, in fact, Yorkshire (North, West, and South – but not East? Yes, the last county, East Riding, is the abbreviation of East Riding of Yorkshire.

I – The Geography of England

7. Yorkshire and Humberside (ctd.)

It is, in fact, Yorkshire (North, West, and South – but not East? Yes, the last county, East Riding, is the abbreviation of East Riding of Yorkshire.

The region covers an area from Sheffield to Whitby, Hull to Huddersfield, and has a population of over five million.

Leeds is the administrative capital of the region, which also includes the City of York.

I – The Geography of England

8. East Midlands

It encompasses the combined area of

Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

I – The Geography of England

8. East Midlands

Its capital is Nottingham, a city reputed for its links with the Robin Hood legend.

More information

Official website of the region >>

Tourist guide >>

I – The Geography of England

9. East Anglia

The region covers the counties of :

BedfordshireCambridgeshireEssexHertfordshire Norfolk and Suffolk.

I – The Geography of England

9. East Anglia (ctd.)

The University of Cambridge was long known as one of the 2 universities.

Britain's oldest recorded town is Colchester, in Essex.

Norwich, in Norfolk, is the most complete medieval city in Britain.

More information

Tourist guide >>

II – The Geography of Wales

II – The Geography of Wales

In ancient times, Wales was inhabited by the Celtic Britons. A distinct Welsh national identity emerged in the centuries after the Romans withdrew from Britain in the 5th

century, and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations today. The English conquered Wales in 1284 (Statute of Rhuddlan) but the country was not incorporated into England before 1542.

Wales is a small country. It is just over 20,000 square kilometres in size. At its widest it's 200 kilometres east to west, and 250 Kilometres north to south.

Wales has a varied geography with strong contrasts. In the south, flat coastal plains gives way to valleys. Then you will find ranges of hills and mountains in mid and north Wales (Snowdon, 1085 m.).

80% of the land is dedicated to agriculture, ranging from crops to livestock.

Its capital is Cardiff (Welsh: Caerdydd), Wales's largest city with 317,500 people (i.e., more than 10% of the whole population).

There are 2,980,000 inhabitants.

The national anthem is The Land of My Fathers

>> (video)

II – The Geography of Wales

>> (lyrics)

The Flag of Wales is Y Ddraig Goch(English: The Red Dragon), consisting of a red dragon striding on a green and white field.

II – The Geography of Wales

Another map

III – The Geography of Scotland

Scotland occupies the northern third of theisland of GB.

It shares a border with England to thesouth and is bounded by the North Sea tothe east, the Atlantic Ocean to the northand west, and the North Channel and IrishSea to the southwest.

III – The Geography of Scotland

III – The Geography of Scotland

In addition to the mainland, Scotland consists of nearly 800 islands, including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides.

The total area is 78,772 km 2.

It is a mountainous country, which can be divided up into 3 parts: the Southern Uplands, the Central Lowlands, and the Highlands – home to the Loch Ness. Ben Nevis (1344 m.) is the highest peak in GB.

Scotland was an independent sovereign state until 1707, when the Great Britain was created (Act of Union).

Its capital is Edinburgh, but the largest city is Glasgow. It has an estimated population of 5,168,000 (2008).

There is no Scottish national anthem.

III – The Geography of Scotland

The Scottish flag is the cross of St. Andrews:

More information

Tourist guide >>

IV – The Geography of Ireland

IV – The Geography of Ireland

Ireland became part of the UK of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.

Yet, in 1922, Ireland was divided into 2 parts: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Northern Ireland is part of the UK. The Republic of Ireland, which covers more than 80% of the island, is an independent sovereign state.

Ireland is subdivided into four provinces: Connacht (west), Leinster (east), Munster (south), and Ulster (north). It has thirty-two traditional counties. Twenty-six of the counties are in the Republic of Ireland, and six counties are in Northern Ireland.

IV – The Geography of Ireland

The area of Ireland is 84,421 km2. A ring of coastal mountains surround low plains at the centre of the island.

The population of Ireland is estimated to be slightly over six million. Nearly 4.5 million people are estimated to reside in the Republic of Ireland and an estimated 1.75 million reside in Northern Ireland.

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland.

Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland.

IV – The Geography of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland's flag is made of three equal-sized rectangles of orange, white, and green.

The green color on the flag represents the native people of Ireland (most of whom are Roman Catholic). The orange color represents the British settlers, supporters of William of Orange (most of whom are Protestant). The white in the center of the flag represents peace between Catholics and Protestants.

IV – The Geography of Ireland

The Irish national anthem is The Soldier’s Song.

Listen >>

Lyrics >>

More infor-mation

Tourist gui-de >>