CULTURE & LITERATURE
2
Britain’s history
ENSCL201X
YEAR 2
ADR
,Culture & Literature
Lecture 1
What exactly is Britain? Lying off the North-West coast of Europe, with two large islands and
several smaller ones. Together these are called the British Isles.
Island 1: Great-Britain
Island 2: Ireland
The British Isles contains of two states: The Republican of Ireland & United Kingdom
The British Isles contains four nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland
1. England: Rose, colour white and St. George
2. Wales: Leek/Daffodil, colour red and St. David
3. Scotland: Thistle, colour blue and St. Andrew
4. Ireland: Shamrock, colour green and St. Patrick
The Union Jack is a combination of all flags (cross of St. George, cross of St. Andrew and the
cross of St. Patrick)
They are all part of the crown as well (except the Republican of Ireland)
Albion: Other word for England, named after the white chalk cliffs. Mostly used in poetry.
Britannia: A southern British province named by the Romans. Also the female embodiment
of Britain (helmet and trident, which symbolises power over the sea.
Briton: A word used in official context to describe a citizen of The United Kingdom
Erin: A poetic name for Ireland (named after the Emerald Isle and its greenery)
Caledonia: Scotland
Cambria: Wales
Hibernia: Ireland
John Bull is a fictional character who personifies Englishness (is featured in a lot of cartoons).
Stiff upper lip attitude.
Northern Ireland
1. Flag of St. Patrick (Original flag)
2. Clover: used to explain the holy trinity
3. United orange and green (Orange men and Catholics)
Names: Mac/MC → Typical Irish or Scottish, O’→ Typical Irish
Clothes: Kilt with a tartan pattern → Typical Scottish
Music: Harp → Typical Wales or Irish, Bagpipes → Typical Scottish
, Characteristics: Irish →Great talkers, Scots → Careful with their money, Welsh → Can sing
very well
The Dominance of England.: The dominant culture of Great Britain is England. It is the main
language, the political system is English. The unification of the nation’s only happened
because of England’s economic and military power. British exceptionalism, they think that
they are their own special country. They are superior to others. Due to this history it is the
safest to call everyone British.
A lot of Scottish/Irish people living in England still consider themselves of their own origin.
The same goes for most Caribbean and Asians.
Keywords
The British Isles: All the Islands, including Great Britain & Ireland
Great-Britain: England, Wales and Scotland
Ireland: Northern Ireland and the Republican of Ireland
UK: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Crown dependencies: Channel islands and the Isle of man (have a special political
arrangement and their own parliament and tax system)
Lesson 2
How do the British identify themselves?
National loyalties can be strong in Britain, especially among non-English people.
Scotland is reminded of their heritage all the time
1. Education, law and religion are different
2. The Scottish way of speaking English is different
3. They have many well-known symbols
On the 25th of January Scottish people attend the Burns Supper. Where they read poetry
from Robert Burn, sing traditional songs, etc. There are two opposing views though: The
sentimental Nationalist & The realist.
Scotland and the constant reminders of its distinctiveness: A Burn’s supper is where they
read poems written by Burn, eat sheep hearts, dance, wear kilt and sing. The realist thinks
many people whom call themselves Scottish are in fact not. They are children of Englishmen
who owned land in Scotland, while living in London. They have posh accents because of their
school, this is the upper class. That the fake Scottish people have taken the kilts and
bagpipes. Education and laws are different from England and Wales. They have a different
language. Own banknotes and tokens.
The people of Wales do not have as many reminders of their Welshness. The countries
organisation is similar to the English. There is one major factor → language, all children in
Wales learn it in school.
2
Britain’s history
ENSCL201X
YEAR 2
ADR
,Culture & Literature
Lecture 1
What exactly is Britain? Lying off the North-West coast of Europe, with two large islands and
several smaller ones. Together these are called the British Isles.
Island 1: Great-Britain
Island 2: Ireland
The British Isles contains of two states: The Republican of Ireland & United Kingdom
The British Isles contains four nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland
1. England: Rose, colour white and St. George
2. Wales: Leek/Daffodil, colour red and St. David
3. Scotland: Thistle, colour blue and St. Andrew
4. Ireland: Shamrock, colour green and St. Patrick
The Union Jack is a combination of all flags (cross of St. George, cross of St. Andrew and the
cross of St. Patrick)
They are all part of the crown as well (except the Republican of Ireland)
Albion: Other word for England, named after the white chalk cliffs. Mostly used in poetry.
Britannia: A southern British province named by the Romans. Also the female embodiment
of Britain (helmet and trident, which symbolises power over the sea.
Briton: A word used in official context to describe a citizen of The United Kingdom
Erin: A poetic name for Ireland (named after the Emerald Isle and its greenery)
Caledonia: Scotland
Cambria: Wales
Hibernia: Ireland
John Bull is a fictional character who personifies Englishness (is featured in a lot of cartoons).
Stiff upper lip attitude.
Northern Ireland
1. Flag of St. Patrick (Original flag)
2. Clover: used to explain the holy trinity
3. United orange and green (Orange men and Catholics)
Names: Mac/MC → Typical Irish or Scottish, O’→ Typical Irish
Clothes: Kilt with a tartan pattern → Typical Scottish
Music: Harp → Typical Wales or Irish, Bagpipes → Typical Scottish
, Characteristics: Irish →Great talkers, Scots → Careful with their money, Welsh → Can sing
very well
The Dominance of England.: The dominant culture of Great Britain is England. It is the main
language, the political system is English. The unification of the nation’s only happened
because of England’s economic and military power. British exceptionalism, they think that
they are their own special country. They are superior to others. Due to this history it is the
safest to call everyone British.
A lot of Scottish/Irish people living in England still consider themselves of their own origin.
The same goes for most Caribbean and Asians.
Keywords
The British Isles: All the Islands, including Great Britain & Ireland
Great-Britain: England, Wales and Scotland
Ireland: Northern Ireland and the Republican of Ireland
UK: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Crown dependencies: Channel islands and the Isle of man (have a special political
arrangement and their own parliament and tax system)
Lesson 2
How do the British identify themselves?
National loyalties can be strong in Britain, especially among non-English people.
Scotland is reminded of their heritage all the time
1. Education, law and religion are different
2. The Scottish way of speaking English is different
3. They have many well-known symbols
On the 25th of January Scottish people attend the Burns Supper. Where they read poetry
from Robert Burn, sing traditional songs, etc. There are two opposing views though: The
sentimental Nationalist & The realist.
Scotland and the constant reminders of its distinctiveness: A Burn’s supper is where they
read poems written by Burn, eat sheep hearts, dance, wear kilt and sing. The realist thinks
many people whom call themselves Scottish are in fact not. They are children of Englishmen
who owned land in Scotland, while living in London. They have posh accents because of their
school, this is the upper class. That the fake Scottish people have taken the kilts and
bagpipes. Education and laws are different from England and Wales. They have a different
language. Own banknotes and tokens.
The people of Wales do not have as many reminders of their Welshness. The countries
organisation is similar to the English. There is one major factor → language, all children in
Wales learn it in school.
