The British Isles

Great Britain and Ireland

Lesson Objectives• Differentiate between Great Britain and the United

Kingdom• Outline the history and describe political

characteristics of the United Kingdom• List cultural characteristics of the four regions of

the United Kingdom• Locate and label all the countries of Western

Europe and various physical features• Explain the history, economic characteristics, and

political characteristics of the Nordic nations• Identify physical characteristics of the Nordic

Nations

United Kingdom• United Kingdom vs. Great Britain

o Great Britain is a geographic term• Island which consists of:

oEnglandoScotlandoWales

o United Kingdom is the state• Made up of:

oEnglandoScotlandoWalesoNorthern Ireland

History• Kingdom of Great Britain established 1707

o Prior, each Kingdom was a separate state/separate country• Kingdom of Ireland joined Kingdom of GB in1800

• Colonization- ‘The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire’

o 1500s- Southeast and South Asiao Late 1500s- North Americao ‘Scramble for Africa’ – 1880s

Politics• Began the Commonwealth of Nations

o Historical tieso Work towards a common goal

• United Kingdom= Constitutional Monarchyo Monarch=Queen Elizabeth IIo Head of Government = o Parliament

• House of Lords• House of Commons

o No written constitution!

UK: England• London

o Capital of the UK, Located in Englando Global City Region

• Thames River

• Home of Buckingham Palaceo Queen Elizabeth IIo Queen’s Guards

• Cultureo Cricket

• English Channel

UK: Scotland• Physical Characteristics

o Moors and Bogs

• Scottish Cultureo Loch Ness Monstero Kilts, Ghillies, and Bagpipes…Oh

My!o Dances

• Highland Flingo Athletic Games

• Caber Toss• Stone Put• Scottish Hammer Throw

UK: Wales• Long History of Mining• Speak Welsh

• Royal Familyo Prince Charles and Princess Diana

• Prince William and Kate Middleton

UK: Northern Ireland• Northern Ireland is on the same

island as Ireland the country but…

• Protestant and Catholic Conflictso English=Protestantso Irish=Catholics

o Divisions led to bitter conflicts• Why?

Republic of Ireland• Physical Characteristics

o Shaped like a huge bowl

o Moist Climate• “The Emerald Isle”

History & Political Characteristics

• Independent Country• History (lil bit of review!)

o Kingdom of Irelando Fell under British ruleo Protestant Reformation

• Potato Famineo 1840so Famine-

• Why was this a problem?o Result:

• 1 million Irish starved to death or died of diseaseo Push and Pull Factors

• Irish Republican Army-IRAo 1916-1921o Fought against the British- wanted a

completely independent country• Guerrilla warfare• Murderous gangs

o Result:• Northern Ireland-• Independent Ireland-

o Bloody Sunday• January 30, 1972

Irish Culture• Languages: Gaelic and Irish

• Blarney Stone

• Do you have the “Luck of the Irish”?o Shamrockso Leprechauns and Pots of Gold

Assignment• HAND-DRAW a map of Western Europe.

Use your identification map that I provided you with as a guide. LABEL all of the identifications that are on that map, on your hand-drawn map. Maps MUST be colored. This assignment is worth 35 points.