Introduction uk
Terminology: locations
1. United Kingdom vs. Great Britain vs. The British Isles
2. Inhabitants: Britons or British people
3. Empire: the British territories during the height of colonialism
4. Commonwealth: intergovernmental organization of 53 member states, mostly former
colonies of the British Empire (e.g. Canada, India, Australia)
Terminology:
British Isles = UK (GB (E&W+Sc)+ Nirl) + IRL
Biggest island of UK= Great Britain which consist of three parts England, Scotland and Wales
On the island of Ireland is another part of UK which is Northern Ireland.
If we add Northern Ireland to Scotland, Wales and England= UK
If we add the UK to Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey, Alderney and Sark (Channel Islands) =
British Islands
Ireland is divided into the state of Ireland and Northern Ireland (which is part of UK)
-> if we take all of this together, we get the British Isles (NOT THE SAME as British Islands!)
,(you need to be able to locate each of these on a map or identify them on a map)
Terminology: politics
1. Two main parties: Labour(more left and socialist) & Conservative Party (Tories)
2. Other important parties: they have influence but are unlikely to get a national majority
and provide a prime minister
Liberal Democrats (Lib-Dems) : 3rd biggest national party, more to the left than labour
party, they sometimes get majority in local elections, not a lot of seats in parliament.
Scottish National Party (SNP), national party of Scotland, they have a majority in Scottish
parliament, and also have several seats in national parliament (UK),they are a nationalist
party in favour of scottish independence, but also socialist, they are closer in ideology to
the labour party than to the conservative party.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP): one of the biggest parties in Northern Ireland
3. Parliament: House of Lords (historical remnant that functions symbolically) & House
of Commons (has most of the power)
2. MP = Member of Parliament
3. PM = Prime Minister
, 4. Number 10 = the office of the Prime Minister number then downing street where pm
works and lives
5. Parliamentary constitutional monarchy: they are still monarchy but they are mostly
symbolic, parliament and constitution have most of the power.
Basic facts: the country
- UK population: 65 million
- UK capital: London
(Inhabitants: 10 million + 14 million in metropolitan area)-> huga part of inhabians
lives in and around London
Each constituent part of the UK has its own capitals:
Cardiff (Wales)
Edinburgh (Scotland)
Belfast (Northern Ireland)
Basic facts: the royal family
, Individuals flags of engalnd and Scotland were combined to the original union flag
In 1801 Ireland was also added to wjhat was then great britan
The base part of Ireland became independent again in the 20 century but Northern Ireland
remained part of uk (that’s why cross was not removed)
Flag is called Union flag or union jack = nickname
Dragon flag= Wales, its flag was never integrated so there are no elements of the welsh flags
in the union flag
Contemporary conditions:
Debates about the state and direction of contemporary British society and the role
of its institutions are common.
Diversity and change have created problems as well as advantages.
Divisions caused by factors such as:
the political, cultural and ethnic distinctiveness of Wales, Scotland, Northern
Ireland and England; The UK is not really one country
cultural and economic gaps between north and south; Northern part is poorer
(Scotland and north of England)
the dominant influence of London on the rest of the country (as well as its
separateness); A third of the entire population of UK lives around or in London.
London has a lot of influence on the rest.
Terminology: locations
1. United Kingdom vs. Great Britain vs. The British Isles
2. Inhabitants: Britons or British people
3. Empire: the British territories during the height of colonialism
4. Commonwealth: intergovernmental organization of 53 member states, mostly former
colonies of the British Empire (e.g. Canada, India, Australia)
Terminology:
British Isles = UK (GB (E&W+Sc)+ Nirl) + IRL
Biggest island of UK= Great Britain which consist of three parts England, Scotland and Wales
On the island of Ireland is another part of UK which is Northern Ireland.
If we add Northern Ireland to Scotland, Wales and England= UK
If we add the UK to Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey, Alderney and Sark (Channel Islands) =
British Islands
Ireland is divided into the state of Ireland and Northern Ireland (which is part of UK)
-> if we take all of this together, we get the British Isles (NOT THE SAME as British Islands!)
,(you need to be able to locate each of these on a map or identify them on a map)
Terminology: politics
1. Two main parties: Labour(more left and socialist) & Conservative Party (Tories)
2. Other important parties: they have influence but are unlikely to get a national majority
and provide a prime minister
Liberal Democrats (Lib-Dems) : 3rd biggest national party, more to the left than labour
party, they sometimes get majority in local elections, not a lot of seats in parliament.
Scottish National Party (SNP), national party of Scotland, they have a majority in Scottish
parliament, and also have several seats in national parliament (UK),they are a nationalist
party in favour of scottish independence, but also socialist, they are closer in ideology to
the labour party than to the conservative party.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP): one of the biggest parties in Northern Ireland
3. Parliament: House of Lords (historical remnant that functions symbolically) & House
of Commons (has most of the power)
2. MP = Member of Parliament
3. PM = Prime Minister
, 4. Number 10 = the office of the Prime Minister number then downing street where pm
works and lives
5. Parliamentary constitutional monarchy: they are still monarchy but they are mostly
symbolic, parliament and constitution have most of the power.
Basic facts: the country
- UK population: 65 million
- UK capital: London
(Inhabitants: 10 million + 14 million in metropolitan area)-> huga part of inhabians
lives in and around London
Each constituent part of the UK has its own capitals:
Cardiff (Wales)
Edinburgh (Scotland)
Belfast (Northern Ireland)
Basic facts: the royal family
, Individuals flags of engalnd and Scotland were combined to the original union flag
In 1801 Ireland was also added to wjhat was then great britan
The base part of Ireland became independent again in the 20 century but Northern Ireland
remained part of uk (that’s why cross was not removed)
Flag is called Union flag or union jack = nickname
Dragon flag= Wales, its flag was never integrated so there are no elements of the welsh flags
in the union flag
Contemporary conditions:
Debates about the state and direction of contemporary British society and the role
of its institutions are common.
Diversity and change have created problems as well as advantages.
Divisions caused by factors such as:
the political, cultural and ethnic distinctiveness of Wales, Scotland, Northern
Ireland and England; The UK is not really one country
cultural and economic gaps between north and south; Northern part is poorer
(Scotland and north of England)
the dominant influence of London on the rest of the country (as well as its
separateness); A third of the entire population of UK lives around or in London.
London has a lot of influence on the rest.
