Great Britain - history

GREAT BRITAIN – HISTORY

Thousands of years ago, Great Britain was joined to Europe and was covered with ice. About 15,000 years ago, the weather became warmer. The ice melted and the sea level rose. Great Britain became an island about 8000 years ago.

Celtic people called Britons settles in Britain. They were warriors and farmers who were skilled metal workers. They built villages and hill forts, and used iron weapons and tools. Celts called Gaels lived in Ireland.

The Romans came to Britain 2000 years ago. They changed our country. The Roman Empire made its mark on Britain, and even today, the ruins of Roman buildings, forts, roads, and baths can be found all over Britain.

Britain (not Scotland) was part of the Roman Empire for almost 400 years! The Roamns divided England into four areas centred by the following towns London, Cirencester, York and Lincoln.

By the time the Roman armies left around 410 AD, they had established medical practice, a language of administration and law and had created great public buildings and roads.

Many English words are derived from the latin language of the Romans.

The Roman army left Britain about AD 410. When they had gone there was no strong army to defend Britain, and tribes called the Angle, Saxon, and Jute (the Anglo-Saxons) invaded. They left their homelands in Germany, Denmark and Holland.

Missionaries from Roman spread Christianity across southern Britain.

The Viking Age in Britain began after Anglo - Saxons and lasted for just over 200 years.

The Normans built impressive castles, imposed a feudal system and carried out a census of the country.

The Tudors were a Welsh-English family that ruled England from 15th to 17th century. They came to power as a result of the victory of Henry VII over Yorkist king Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The Tudor dynasty ended when Henry's grand-daughter Elizabeth I died childless. The Throne passed to their cousins, the Scottish Stuarts.

Henry VIII is one of the most famous kings in English history. He was the second Tudor monarch and was well-known for having six wives. His break with the papacy in Rome established the Church of England and began the Reformation.

I can name some of his wives who were the most famous: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves.

The Stuart (Stewart) dynasty ruled in 1603 – 1714 after the Tudors to the 18th centrury.

In 1707, England and Scotland officially became one country - Great Britain

In 1666 Great Fire of London raged from 2 - 5 September destroying two-thirds of the city.