History and Culture

British Isles Two independent countries make up

the British Isles. Republic of Ireland United Kingdom, which is a union of four

small countries England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland

Throughout their history, the people of the British Isles have been linked together.

Timeline 5,000 years ago-Early settlers build Stonehenge.

450 BC- the Celts arrive in British Isles and settle in Wales, Scotland, Ireland.

55 BC- Britain became part of Rome Empire.

1066 AD- the Normans conquered England and establish a strong kingdom.

1558- England starts on path to becomes a world power.

1730- Start of the Industrial revolution

1939- Britain joins WW II

Rise and Decline of EmpireRise

England joined with Wales and Scotland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Launched overseas empire and had colonies in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia by the late 1800s

Economy soared with the Industrial Revolution in the 1700s and 1800s.

At its height the British Empire was the largest in history.

Decline In the 1900s the British

Empire began to crumble. World War I and the

Great Depression hurt the British economy.

Rebellions in Ireland forced Britain to grant self-rule to all but the northern part of Ireland.

Other overseas colonies began movements for independence.

After World War II Great Britain gave up most of its colonies.

Government United Kingdom

Constitutional monarchy—a type of democracy in which a king or queen serves as head of state but a legislature makes the laws

Magna Carta, a document drawn up in the Middle Ages, limited the powers of kings.

Prime minister leads British government. Most members of Parliament, Britain’s legislative body, are

elected. Republic of Ireland

Constitutional Republic President as head of state Prime minister, appointed by the president, runs the

government with the Irish parliament.

CulturePEOPLE

Common heritage—many people in the British Isles can trace their heritage to the region’s early settlers.

Sports such as soccer and rugby are a shared trait among people of Britain.

Regions, particularly Ireland and Scotland, maintain their unique identities.

Immigrants from all corners of the world have settled in Britain, adding to the rich culture of the region.

Pop Culture

Influences people all around the globe

English is the language of business, education, and the Internet in many places.

British music and literature are popular.

Scandinavia Vikings were Scandinavian

warriors who raided Europe and the Mediterranean in the early Middle Ages. Excellent sailors Conquered the British Isles, Finland,

and parts of France, Germany, and Russia

Great explorers Established settlements in Iceland and

Greenland First Europeans to reach North America

TimelineIn the 1100s the Viking raids ended and powerful

Scandinavian chiefs competed for power in the region.

By the late 1300s Denmark ruled a union of all Scandinavian kingdoms and territories.

Sweden challenged Denmark’s power and left the union, taking Finland with it.

By the 1900s Scandinavian countries wanted independence.

Norway, Finland, and Iceland all became independentGreenland remains a part of Denmark as a self-ruling

territory.

Present DayToday, the countries of Scandinavia have much

in common All the countries are Parliamentary Democracies

Similar political views, languages, and religion

Large, wealthy cities, strong economies, and well-educated workers

High standards of living

Sweden, Denmark, Greenland, Finland, Norway, and Iceland are among the world’s most peaceful, stable, and prosperous nations.