Official Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Total Area:       244,820 sq. km. (slightly smaller than Oregon)

Population:       Around 60 million

Language:        English, Welsh (26% of Wales), and Scottish Gaelic

Religion:          Anglican and Roman Catholic, Muslim, Presbyterian, Methodist, Sikh, Hindu, Jewish

Money:            British pound

Government:    Constitutional Monarchy

Chief of State:  Queen Elizabeth II and heir Prince Charles

Capital:            London

1625

Charles I rules England from 1625-1649.  He was the first monarch to be beheaded.  Disapproved of the Puritans and the House of Commons.  Biggest mistake was changing the Presbyterian Church in Scotland to make it like the Anglican Church in England.  Beheaded for counts of treason for breaking into the House of Commons.

1660

Charles II rules from 1660-1688.  He was a liked Stuart monarch.  He led England through the Stuart Restoration of 1660-1688.  Charles decides that England will side with France during the Dutch War of 1672-1679.

1685

James II, brother of Charles II rules from 1685-1689.  He has two daughters, Mary and Anne.  Mary goes to Scotland and will later be called to action with husband William of Orange.  James calls for the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes and the people of England go crazy.

1688-1689

The Glorious Revolution.  The overthrowing of James II leaves his daughter Mary and husband William in charge.  They become the joint sovereigns of England.  They developed England’s first Bill of Rights, the closest thing to a written Constitution.

1689-1697

The War of the League of Augsburg.  This is a great war started by Louis XIV of France.  They ally with the states of Europe to go against Louis XIV.  The duchies of Alsace and Lorraine were the two territories being fought over.

1701-1713

The War of the Spanish Succession.  This was the most important of the three wars of English history during this time period.  William III starts this war and has all alliances lined up except for Spain.  Surprisingly, Louis XIV does very well, loses, but not in big ways due to brilliant military commanding from Eugene of Savoy and John Churchill. 

1713

War ends with the Treaty of Utrecht being signed.  This is the first major treaty since the Peace of Westphalia.  England becomes the new great powerhouse in Europe.  Queen Anne, the last of the Stuarts to rule England unifies the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and the British Isles creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

1714

Act of Settlement declares that the closest blood relative left to rule Great Britain would be George I who rules from 1714-1727.  George was clear in the understanding of “Whig Supremacy.”

1727

After his father dies, George II rule Great Britain from 1727-1760.  He is just as dull as his father and does not do too much in the way of ruling. 

Between the rules of George I and George II, a group of leaders called the Privy Council that William III had created during his rule was running the House of Commons.  This group became known as the Cabinet.  An inner figure for the Cabinet was needed at this time and the term Post of Prime Minister was given.  Sir Robert Walpole held this position longer than anyone in English history.  He did not lose a vote in over twenty years and helped to shape the House of Commons.  He was defeated in a war with Spain  

1756-1763  

    The Seven Years of War.  This was also known as the French and Indian War.  This war is not too significant for Great          Britain as they aren’t very helpful to their allies in Prussia.  Britain is still very involved as they still focus their efforts on their archenemies of France.  This was lead by William Pitt “the elder.”  General Braddock led to Virginia marching through West Virginia and Maryland with Washington to Fort Duquesne.  They took over everything from the Ohio River to Mississippi.  This quadruples the area for Great Britain in North America.  This same time another British General named James Wolfe landed in Quebec, Canada along the St. Lawrence River.  This was highly defended by the French.  Wolfe scaled the cliff descending Quebec and surprised the French on the Plains of Abraham.  Britain wins and now has a good part of Canada.

2 Key Ages

The Age of Genius (1543-1687)

Key Figures:

John Locke (1632-1704)

*Major works include Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690) and Two Treatises on Government

Sir Isaac Newton – “The Greatest Genius of All Time” –Voltaire

*Wrote the single greatest book in English history Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy.  Contributed everything to science and mathematics including topics such as optics, motion, light cartography, gravity, and, of course, calculus.

The Enlightenment (1687-1789)

Key Figures:

         Thomas Newcomen – invented the world’s first atmospheric steam engine.

         Thomas Hobbes - Great exponent of monarchy.  Most important work is The Leviathan.  He sets the      stage for Locke and his Two Treatises on Government.

1799-1815

This is the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte in France.  As he continues to trample down all the powers in the western world, GB along with Austria and Russia say they cannot allow that trend to continue.

1803-1807

The War of the Third Coalition.  Great Britain starts this was against Napoleon.

1805

Critical year with two major battles.  In October of 1805, the Battle of Trafalgar, Great Britain wins the sea battle.  Lord Nelson, the great British commander dies knowing they have won this battle.

1808-1811

Peninsula Campaign.  After Napoleon’s development of the Continental System, Great Britain remained the one enemy Napoleon had not overcome.  This campaign allowed Britain to play some games with the French and they start trading with Portugal and Spain.  The French then attack Spain and Portugal and they are helped by Britain just a bit.

1812

Prime Minister, Spencer Perceval, assassinated – shot as he entered the House of Commons by a bankrupt Liverpool broker, John Bellingham, who was subsequently hanged

Jun 18: Start of American "War of 1812" (to 1814) against England and Canada

1861

American Civil War begins

Apr 7: Third full British Census

Dec 14: Prince Albert dies

First horse-drawn trams in London

1865

William Booth (1829-1912) founds Salvation Army, in London

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836-1917) becomes first woman doctor in England

First concrete roads built in Britain

1914-1918

First World War (the "Great War")

1914

Aug 4: Britain declares war on Germany, citing Belgian neutrality as reason

Aug 5: British cable ship Telconia cut through all five of Germany's undersea telegraph links to the outside world

1915

Feb: Submarine blockade of Britain starts

1919

Treaty of Versailles

First woman in House of Commons (Viscountess Astor)

1928

Women over 21 get vote in Britain – same qualification for both sexes

1929

Abolition of Poor Law system in Britain

Minimum age for a marriage in Britain (which had been 14 for a boy and 12 for a girl) now 16 for both sexes, with parental consent (or a license) needed for anyone under 21

1932

Great Hunger March of unemployed to London

1936

Jan 20: George V dies; Edward VIII king

1937

Chamberlain becomes Prime Minister in Britain – policy of appeasement towards Hitler

1939-45

Second World War (the "Peoples War")

1939

Germany annexes Czechoslovakia

Sep 1: Germany invades Poland

Sep 3: Britain and France declare war on Germany at 5pm

Sep 6: First air raid on Britain

Sep 11: British Expeditionary Force (BEF) sent to France

Start of evacuation of women and children from London

Coldest winter in Britain since 1894, though this could not be publicized at the time

1940

May 11: National Government formed under Churchill

May 24: Germany invades France

May 27-Jun 4: Evacuation of British Army at Dunkirk

Jun 25: Fall of France

Sep 7: Germany launches bombing blitz on Britain

Sep 15: Battle of Britain in the air ends with British victory

1944

Jun 6: D-Day invasion of Normandy

Jun 12: First V1 flying bombs hit London

Sep 8: First V2 rocket bombs hit London

Butler Education Act: Britain to provide secondary education for all children

1952

Feb 6: George VI dies; Elizabeth II queen, returns from Kenya

1983

Jan 17: Start of breakfast TV in Britain

Jan 31: Seat belt law comes into force

Apr 21: £1 coin into circulation in Britain
First female Lord Mayor of London elected (Dame Mary Donaldson)

1989

House of Commons proceedings first televised

1990

Poll Tax implemented in England & Wales – riots

1993

Betty Boothroyd first woman Speaker of the House of Commons (to 2000)

Elizabeth II becomes first British Monarch to pay Income Tax

1997

May: Landslide victory in Britain (Tony Blair replaces John Major as Prime Minister)