视频公开课 西方社会与文化
第一讲 Britain: Country Profile and History 英国地理及历史概况
主讲教师：王小海 教授 Learning Objectives
Geography
History:
centuries‟ invasion and impact;
gradual development of the country‟s name British Isles
a geographical term
includes two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and 5,000 small islands
http://projectbritain.com/britain/britishisles.htm British Isles
occupied by two nations:
1. United Kingdom
2. Republic of Ireland
http://projectbritain.com/britain/britishisles.htm Names
Full: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Short: the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain -- used for entire nation; „Britain‟ : used when talking about the island of Great Britain UK on Map of Europe
a country and sovereign state
situated in west Northern Europe
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eu.htm An island country
bounded by Ocean and Seas
Mainland linked to France by Channel Tunnel
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/uk.htm Four Countries
a political union made up of four constituent countries:
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/uk.htm Four Countries
England -- the largest and most populous division of island of Great Britain
Then Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/uk.htm Areas
2 England: 130,410 km 2 Scotland: 78,790 km 2 Wales: 20,760 km 2 N. Ireland: 14,160 km
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/uk.htm Population
England: 49m
Scotland: 5m
Wales: 3m
N. Ireland: 1.5m
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/uk.htm Major cities
London
Cardiff
Belfast
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/uk.htm Climate: England as an example
Temperate
changeable
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_the_United_Kingdom Social Class
Past: a class-ridden society;
Today: multiculturalism and a changing economy gradually eroding class system, but some features of the system still remain. National Flag
“Union Jack” or “Union Flag”
three different crosses.
St. George‟s St. Andrew‟s St. Patrick‟s British History
Thousands of years ago, Great Britain joined to Europe and covered with ice;
About 15,000 years ago, weather warmer; ice melted, sea level rose. Great Britain became an island about 8000 years ago. British History
Prehistoric Britain Roman Britain Anglo Saxon Britain BC 43 AD 450 Viking Britain Medieval Britain Tudor Britain 793 1066 1485 Stuart Britain Georgian Britain Victorian Britain 1603 1714 1837 Modern Britain 1902 + Invaders
For centuries, invaders and incomers have made their mark:
Neolithic peoples about 5000 years ago followed by Celts around 500 BC; Invaders
For centuries, invaders and incomers have made their mark:
then the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, the Vikings, and Normans; Impact of centuries‟ invasion
a fascinating mix of culture and language -- shaped the nation and continues to evolve today
For instance: etc.; via; pro and con; a.m./p.m.; P.S. How the name developed gradually?
The term “Great Britain”
first used during reign of King James I of England (James VI of Scotland) in 1603;
separate kingdoms of England and Scotland, ruled over by same monarch; How the name developed gradually?
The „United Kingdom of Great Britain‟
formed in 1707 by Acts of Union that created a single kingdom with a single Parliament;
Scotland has always retained its own legal system; How the name developed gradually?
A hundred years later,
Acts of Union of 1800 joined Ireland to „Great Britain‟ and the name “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland” was first used; How the name developed gradually?
Since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom;
so the name changed to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Edward I in Wales & Scotland
1272 (20 November): Henry III dies and is succeeded by his son Edward
He was crowned Edward I in August 1274; Edward I in Wales & Scotland
1282-1283: Edward I conquers Wales;
Then Scotland……removed “Stone of Scone”;
In response, Scots got in touch with Edward‟s old enemy, France; Edward I in Wales & Scotland
1301: Edward I makes his eldest son, also Edward, Prince of Wales；
1307 (7 July): Edward I dies and succeeded by his son Edward II. Henry VIII and early Unions
Henry VIII (1491-1547); six wives
Sign Acts of Union (1536 and 1543), formally uniting England and Wales for the first time;
welcomed by Welsh gentry; The Elizabethan Age
Henry VIII died in 1547
Daughter -- Elizabeth I, Virgin Queen
her 45-year reign included naval defeat of Spanish Armada (1588), cultural flourishing; Stuart
In 1603: Elizabeth died, but no heir;
succeeded by her closest relative, Scottish King James; Stuart
1603 (24 March) -- James VI of Scotland crowned James I of England;
James‟s accession meant that separate kingdoms now united, for the first time, under a single monarch; Stuart
1606 -- Union Flag adopted as National Flag
No Welsh symbol. Acts of Union 1707: „Great Britain‟
1707 -- England and Scotland officially became one country -- Great Britain
Acts of Union 1707-- Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Acts of Parliament:
(1) the Union with Scotland Act 1706 passed by the Parliament of England, and
(2) the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland; Acts of Union 1707
The Acts joined the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland (previously separate states with separate legislatures, but with the same monarch) into a single, united kingdom named “Great Britain”; The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Established under the terms of the Acts of Union 1800, by which the nominally separate kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were united;
effect from 1 January 1801; Irish Free State
Dec. 6, 1921,
Anglo-Irish Treaty signed by British and Irish representatives; Irish Free State
In 1922,
The Irish Free State (6 December 1922 - 29 December 1937) established
as a Dominion of British Commonwealth of Nations; Irish Free State
On the day the Irish Free State was established, it comprised the entire island of Ireland;
but, Northern Ireland immediately exercised its right under the treaty to remove itself from the new state; Irish Free State
The Free State came to an end in 1937
citizens voted to adopt a new constitution;
Under the new constitution the Irish state was named Ireland. Victoria Era
Born in 1819; rule 1837 - 1901
height of British Industrial Revolution and apex of British Empire
Opium War 20th Century to Present
WWI (1914-1918)
WWII (1939-1945), „the Blitz‟ 20th Century to Present
King George VI died in 1952 -- succeeded by his eldest daughter -- Elizabeth II
1960s: applications to join EEC -- vetoed by French President Charles de Gaulle 20th Century to Present
In 1979: Conservatives re-take control of Parliament -- Margaret Thatcher -- first female Prime Minister 20th Century to Present
In 1982: Falklands War;
In 1990: Thatcher replaced by John Major;
In 1997: Tony Blair elected PM; won re-election in 2001 and 2005
In 2007: handing over power to Gordon Brown 20th Century to Present
In 2010: coalition government: David Cameron as Prime Minister;
In 2015: Conservatives won General Election; 20th Century to Present
2016: Brexit
New PM: Theresa May
Future of the UK? Summary
Geographical information
How the nation has been formed
Development of the country‟s name