Britain for learners of English
A summary
, A quick introduction
If you’re reading this summary and are familiar with my previous work, you’ll know that this
summary will contain both excerpts and explanations from the book, as well as fun videos,
photos, and other external links to multimedia that expands on the material found in this book.
The most important information of the book will be relayed in this summary, along with any
needed explanation. Some knowledge discussed in the book should already be familiar with the
reader, due to their previous lectures in and around the topic of English history and geography.
These short statements and excerpts will be supported by a picture or other external
information. This summary will have moments of light heartedness, and some goofing around.
Either way, it will most definitely land you a passing grade.
Chapters which are not discussed nor necessary to pass your Culture and Literature test have
not been included in this summary.
Let’s get started!
2
, Table of Contents
Contents
A quick introduction .................................................................................................................... 2
1. Country and People ............................................................................................................ 7
2. History ................................................................................................................................ 9
Prehistory ............................................................................................................................... 9
The Roman period (43-410) ................................................................................................... 9
The Germanic Invasion (410-1066) ........................................................................................ 9
The Medieval Period (1066-1458) .........................................................................................10
The Sixteenth Century (England’s Golden Age) ....................................................................11
The Seventeenth Century ......................................................................................................12
The Eighteenth Century .........................................................................................................13
The Nineteenth Century ........................................................................................................13
The Twentieth Century ..........................................................................................................14
3. Geography .........................................................................................................................16
Climate ..................................................................................................................................16
Land and Settlement .............................................................................................................16
The environment and pollution ..............................................................................................16
London ..................................................................................................................................17
Southern England ..................................................................................................................17
The Midlands of England .......................................................................................................17
Northern England ..................................................................................................................17
Scotland ................................................................................................................................18
Wales ....................................................................................................................................18
Northern Ireland ....................................................................................................................18
4. Identity ...............................................................................................................................19
Ethnic Identities: The Four Nations ........................................................................................19
Other Ethnic Identities ...........................................................................................................19
The Family ............................................................................................................................20
3
, Geographical Identity.............................................................................................................20
Class .....................................................................................................................................21
Men and women ....................................................................................................................21
Social and everyday contacts ................................................................................................21
Religion and Politics ..............................................................................................................22
Identity in Northern Ireland ....................................................................................................22
Being British ..........................................................................................................................22
Personal identity: a sense of humor .......................................................................................22
5. Attitudes .............................................................................................................................22
Stereotypes and change ........................................................................................................22
English versus British ............................................................................................................23
A multicultural society ............................................................................................................24
Conservatism ........................................................................................................................24
Being different .......................................................................................................................24
Love of nature .......................................................................................................................25
Love of animals .....................................................................................................................25
Public-spiritedness and amateurism ......................................................................................26
Formality and informality .......................................................................................................26
Privacy and sex .....................................................................................................................27
6. Political life .........................................................................................................................28
The public attitude to politics .................................................................................................28
The style of democracy .........................................................................................................28
The constitution .....................................................................................................................29
The style of politics ................................................................................................................29
The party system ...................................................................................................................29
The modern situation .............................................................................................................30
7. The monarchy ....................................................................................................................32
The appearance ....................................................................................................................32
The reality .............................................................................................................................32
The role of the monarch ........................................................................................................33
The value of the monarchy ....................................................................................................33
The future of the monarchy....................................................................................................33
8. The government .................................................................................................................35
4
A summary
, A quick introduction
If you’re reading this summary and are familiar with my previous work, you’ll know that this
summary will contain both excerpts and explanations from the book, as well as fun videos,
photos, and other external links to multimedia that expands on the material found in this book.
The most important information of the book will be relayed in this summary, along with any
needed explanation. Some knowledge discussed in the book should already be familiar with the
reader, due to their previous lectures in and around the topic of English history and geography.
These short statements and excerpts will be supported by a picture or other external
information. This summary will have moments of light heartedness, and some goofing around.
Either way, it will most definitely land you a passing grade.
Chapters which are not discussed nor necessary to pass your Culture and Literature test have
not been included in this summary.
Let’s get started!
2
, Table of Contents
Contents
A quick introduction .................................................................................................................... 2
1. Country and People ............................................................................................................ 7
2. History ................................................................................................................................ 9
Prehistory ............................................................................................................................... 9
The Roman period (43-410) ................................................................................................... 9
The Germanic Invasion (410-1066) ........................................................................................ 9
The Medieval Period (1066-1458) .........................................................................................10
The Sixteenth Century (England’s Golden Age) ....................................................................11
The Seventeenth Century ......................................................................................................12
The Eighteenth Century .........................................................................................................13
The Nineteenth Century ........................................................................................................13
The Twentieth Century ..........................................................................................................14
3. Geography .........................................................................................................................16
Climate ..................................................................................................................................16
Land and Settlement .............................................................................................................16
The environment and pollution ..............................................................................................16
London ..................................................................................................................................17
Southern England ..................................................................................................................17
The Midlands of England .......................................................................................................17
Northern England ..................................................................................................................17
Scotland ................................................................................................................................18
Wales ....................................................................................................................................18
Northern Ireland ....................................................................................................................18
4. Identity ...............................................................................................................................19
Ethnic Identities: The Four Nations ........................................................................................19
Other Ethnic Identities ...........................................................................................................19
The Family ............................................................................................................................20
3
, Geographical Identity.............................................................................................................20
Class .....................................................................................................................................21
Men and women ....................................................................................................................21
Social and everyday contacts ................................................................................................21
Religion and Politics ..............................................................................................................22
Identity in Northern Ireland ....................................................................................................22
Being British ..........................................................................................................................22
Personal identity: a sense of humor .......................................................................................22
5. Attitudes .............................................................................................................................22
Stereotypes and change ........................................................................................................22
English versus British ............................................................................................................23
A multicultural society ............................................................................................................24
Conservatism ........................................................................................................................24
Being different .......................................................................................................................24
Love of nature .......................................................................................................................25
Love of animals .....................................................................................................................25
Public-spiritedness and amateurism ......................................................................................26
Formality and informality .......................................................................................................26
Privacy and sex .....................................................................................................................27
6. Political life .........................................................................................................................28
The public attitude to politics .................................................................................................28
The style of democracy .........................................................................................................28
The constitution .....................................................................................................................29
The style of politics ................................................................................................................29
The party system ...................................................................................................................29
The modern situation .............................................................................................................30
7. The monarchy ....................................................................................................................32
The appearance ....................................................................................................................32
The reality .............................................................................................................................32
The role of the monarch ........................................................................................................33
The value of the monarchy ....................................................................................................33
The future of the monarchy....................................................................................................33
8. The government .................................................................................................................35
4
