Culture of UK

UNITED KINGDOMS

North - west coast of Europe -> British Isles
2 islands
Largest island: Great Britain

Other: Ireland

(England, Scotland, Wales)
2 states
The first state: Republic of Ireland (Eire)

The second state (include the whole of
Great Britain, the Northeastern area of
Ireland and most of the smaller islands):
The UK of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland
Four nations

England

Scotland

Wales

Ireland

The people in Ireland, Wales and highland those in England and lowland Scotland:
Scotland: Celtic race -> spoke Celtic Germanic origin -> spoke Germanic
languages: Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic and dialects (including the one which has
Welsh

developed into modern English)

1. What do you know about the meanings of the colors and symbols on the UK flag?
Flag description: blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron


saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew
(patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag; but commonly called the
Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a
number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent
states or provinces, and British overseas territories.
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Description of the United Kingdom (UK) Flag - The Union Jack
As the above picture of the United Kingdom (UK) Flag indicates the colors of the
United Kingdom (UK) Flag, or Union Jack, are red, white and blue - the actual
background, or field, is blue
According to Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated with
colors. The colors on the United Kingdom (UK) Flag represent the following:
 White - peace and honesty
Red - hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
 Blue - vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice
All Flag pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view, from left to
right
The Union Flag, or Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom.
It is so called because it combines the crosses of the three countries united under
one Sovereign - the kingdoms of England and Wales, of Scotland and of Ireland

(although since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United
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Kingdom).
The flag consists of three heraldic crosses.
The cross of St George, patron saint of England since the 1270's, is a red cross on
a white ground. After James I succeeded to the throne, it was combined with the
cross of St. Andrew in 1606.
The cross saltire of St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, is a diagonal white cross
on a blue ground.
The cross saltire of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, is a diagonal red cross on a
white ground.
This was combined with the previous Union Flag of St George and St Andrew,
after the Act of Union of Ireland with England (and Wales) and Scotland on 1
January 1801, to create the Union Flag that has been flown ever since.

2. What is notable on the population distribution on the UK?


1995
England
million
Scotland

48.9
5.1

million
Wales

2.9

million
Northern Ireland
million

1.6

UK total
million

58.6

3. Can you tell the differences among England, Great Britain and the UK?
The name United Kingdom refers to the union of what were once four separate
countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (though most of Ireland is now

independent). (UK include the whole of Great Britain, the Northeastern area of Ireland
and most of the smaller islands)
Great Britain is the largest island of the British Isles. Great Britain comprises only
England, Scotland and Wales.
Therefore, England is part of Great Britain, which is part of the United Kingdom.
The U.K. includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. England, Wales,
Scotland, and Northern Ireland are not independent countries but the United Kingdom is.
The remaining portion of the island of Ireland (that which is not the U.K.'s Northern
Ireland) is an independent country called the Republic of Ireland (Eire).
The actual name of the sovereign state we are talking about is The United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). The United Kingdom is made up
of the countries England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The confusion of the
terms seems to revolve around the term “country” and the political powers that are
perceived based on that word. While the four countries that make up the UK are
considered separate in the minds of locals, and in certain sporting events, their powers
for local law and control are devolved from the UK. Think of the 50 states of the United
States, while each state has their own set of laws, they all are still under the power of the
federal government. In the case of the UK, it is somewhat similar, though certain


responsibilities are also implied, like healthcare and education, that are delegated to
three of the four countries. The responsibilities that are delegated differ from one country
to the next. England is the only country in which the UK does not devolve any powers and
instead it is legislated directly by the UK government. When it comes to international
politics, it is the sovereign nation of the UK that is recognized and not any of the four
constituent countries.
The term “Great Britain” refers to the land mass that comprises England,
Scotland, and Wales. Something that aids in the confusion as to the difference between
Great Britain and the UK is that the term is sometimes internationally used as a synonym
for the UK. For instance, the UK’s Olympic team competes under the name “Great

Britain” and the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) gives the UK the
country codes of GB and GBR. This can be confusing given that the ISO also codes
England, Scotland, and Wales as subdivision countries of the UK but Northern Ireland as
a subdivision province. If you’re getting the impression that Northern Ireland is the redheaded stepchild of the UK, you may be right! (both figuratively and literally, if you
believe the current statistics for redheaded populations that is)
The confusion over the definition of these four countries, in reference to the UK, is
further muddied up in sporting competitions. There are several international sporting
events, like the commonwealth games, and football competitions, in which each of the
four has their own team, and do not compete under a unified national team. When
competing under these conditions, their nations are referred to as “home nations”.
Because each team is from a specific home country, it can lead some to think these
countries have political autonomy as well. Given the inebriated thought processes
attained during the enjoyment of these competitions, it’s not too hard to understand
where this drunken confusion comes from.
If you’re curious when these unions between the countries that comprise the UK
came about, it happened as follows: England and Wales were joined in 1536. Scotland
and England were joined together in 1707, along with the previously joined Wales, to
officially form the Kingdom of Great Britain. Ireland decided to join up in 1801, at
which point the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed. In 1922,
however, many of the Southern counties of Ireland decided to remove themselves from the
union and the UK changed their name to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland.


So in summary:
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Great Britain = England, Scotland, and Wales
UK = England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (and the full name is the

“United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”)
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England = Just the part of the island that is England
4. How did Britain gain an Empire (đế chế)?
An Empire is a large collection of countries all ruled by one single country – e.g.
Britain, making that country very powerful.
The British turned out to be the best Empire builders in History.
a. Geography
Both Wales and Scotland were independent kingdoms that resisted /ri’zist/ (chống
lại) English rules. The English conquest (sự xâm chiếm, chinh phục) of Wales succeeded
in 1282 under Edward I, and the Statute of Rhuddlan established English rule 2 years
later. To appease (xoa dịu) the Wesh, Edward’s son (later Edward II), who had been born
in Wales, was made Princess of Wales in 1301. An act of 1536 completed the political
and administrative union of England and Wales.
While maintaining /men ‘tein/ (duy trì) separate parliaments, England and
Scotland were ruled (bị cai trị) under one crown (vua) beginning in 1603, when James VI
of Scotland succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I as James I of England. In the ensuing (=
next) 100 years, strong religious and political differences divided the kingdoms. Finally,
in 1707, England and Scotland were unified (hợp nhất) as Great Britain, sharing a single
Parliament at Westminster.
Ireland’s invasion by the Anglo - Normans in 1170 led to centuries of strife.
Successive English kings sought to conquer Ireland. In the early 17 th century, large-scale
settlement of the north from Scotland and England began. After its defeat, Ireland was
subjected, with varying degrees of success, to control and regulation by Britain.
The legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was completed on January 1,
1801, under the name of the UK. However, armed struggle for independence continued
sporadically into the 20th century. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 established the Irish
Free State, which subsequently left the Commonwealth and becam a republic after World
War II. Six northern, predominantly, Irish counties have remained part of the UK.

b. Power to the world


At its peak, the British Empire was the largest formal empire that the world had
ever known. As such, its power and influence stretched all over the globe; shaping it in
all manner of ways. This site is dedicated to analysing the history of the British Empire:
The triumphs, the humiliations, the good that it brought and the bad that it inflicted. For
better or worse the British Empire had a massive impact on the history of the world. It is
for this reason that this site tries to bring to life the peoples, cultures, adventures and
domination that made the Empire such a powerful institution. It is neither an apology for,
nor a nostalgic reminiscince of the institution that so dominated the world for over two
centuries. Rather, it analyses and describes the vast institution that so influenced the
shape of the world that we see today.

The most important reason why Britain gained an Empire is because of political
and military reasons. An example is “Britain gained colonies to stop other European
nations from taking them over”. This is the most important because taking Over countries
gave Britain more power and it stopped other European countries from getting powerful
and rivalling Britain’s power.
At the end of the 19th century Britain’s position as the world's greatest imperialist
power was uncontested, and the expression "the sun never sets on the British Empire"
was coined – meaning, literally, there was always some part of the empire on which the
sun was shining, and, figuratively, that the empire would never end. One can understand
the thought – after all, between 1880 and 1900 new colonies were added to the empire,
and the population of the empire had grown by a third. Through its colonies and
dominions, Britain exercised authority over one fifth of the world's entire population.


How did Britain manage to acquire such an empire? It is a complicated story and
there are no easy “reasons” or “causes”. One thing is certain: at no time did the

government in London sit down and look at a map of the world and say “We want
that…and that…that.” Instead, the empire grew in fits and starts. Three basic factors
made it possible:people, skills, and resources.
The people who built the empire often did not mean to: they were simply involved
in a whole range of activities which took them overseas to new lands. Explorers explored.
Traders traded. Ship-owners and sailors carried trade to and from harbours all over the
world. Britain was the world’s leading trader, and even after about 1870 when the USA
and Germany had overtaken Britain as industrial nations, Britain continued to be the
world’s leading trading nation. Bankers invested money in trading projects. Above all,
people emigrated. From 1800 to 1900 Britain’s own population increased fourfold.
Earlier, it was feared that emigration might deprive Britain of the people it needed. No
one worried about this with such a huge population increase at home. Between 1815 and
1880, about 12 million Britons emigrated, most of them either to British colonies or to
the
USA.
The skills were primarily sailing skills, financial skills, medical skills and
technological skills. Sailing skills made it possible to reach places all over the world.
Financial skills allowed the City of London to lend money to traders and others. Medical
skills reduced the dangers of tropical diseases. Technological skills – notably the
production of trains, steamships and underwater and overland telegraph – shortened
distances that had once seemed unmanageable.
The resources were ships to cross oceans and steamboats to sail up rivers and
money that could be invested by the City of London in all sorts of commercial operations
– England was the first country to develop a modern financial and banking system. The
industrial revolution gave Britain low-cost, factory-made goods for which it wanted
world markets. If and when things got difficult, there were military resources to protect
the British traders: a navy that was the world’s strongest, and soldiers that could be
stationed overseas.
None of these factors – people, skills, resources – alone explains the growth of the
empire, and most historians today reject the belief that a single theory can account for the

growth of the British empire; instead, they study the edges and corners of the empire and
recognise how different the story was in different places.


Ruling the waves
Trade and naval power went hand in hand in the sense that the navy could send a
warship to any British “interests” that were in trouble, or two warships, or a garrison of
soldiers who could build a fort. This was the period when Britain’s navy “ruled the
waves” and could control sea traffic almost anywhere in the world, fighting off
competitors like Holland and France, and at times using a form of piracy, such as when
warships were sent up Chinese rivers to force China to import opium. The best example
of empire building is India, where, until the 1850s, trade was organised and protected by
a series of arrangements with local elites by which the East India trading company “ran”
parts of India. Britain chose to take over the government of India after 1858, when the
Indian Mutiny collapsed. India became the most important colony – the “jewel” in the
imperial crown. To ensure safe access to India, Britain established control over a series of
ports and islands on the sea route. This, too, was typical.Many outposts of the empire
were established to protect trading routes and to provide coaling-stations for naval ships.
Once direct imperialism was the chosen policy for any part of the world, it was not
half-hearted. British officials took over government; British engineers took over major
construction projects such as sewage systems for towns and railway systems; British
administrators organised local government, and so on. Clearly, with this sort of
commitment, Britain’s impact on its colonies was enormous and lasting.
To fully appreciate the significance of the Commonwealth, Britain's global
position, it is important to understand its origins from the British Empire. Technically,
there have been three empires, the first in France, lost by 1558; the second in North
America, which became the United States of America after 1776; and the third was
global, which became the modern Commonwealth of Nations after 1949. Each one being
larger than the one before.
That's something of a distillation of the Britannic heritage of the Commonwealth.

It is striking that when one looks around the world at the most successful countries, many
of them have British colonial roots - Canada, United States, Australia, India, Singapore,
Hong Kong, the various peaceable Caribbean islands. Given the diversity of cultures,
histories and languages, it is the "commonwealth" values of peace, order and good
government that have set those disparate nations on the path to success*.
 Quote from Father Raymond J. De Souza, National Post, 27 October 2011


The origins of the British Empire can be seen as going back to the Middle Ages with the
beginning of the conquest of Ireland (1172) and conquest of much of France during the
Hundred Years' War. However, the modern British Empire can be considered having
started in 1497 with John Cabot's claim to Newfoundland. The British Empire was
the largest Empire in history; At it's zenith, it held sway over a population of nearly 500
million people - roughly a quarter of the world's population - and covered about 14.3
million square miles (17.4 million including Antarctic claims), almost a third of the
world's total land area. During the mid-19th century Britain was the sole developed
hyper-power, enjoying unparalleled prosperity. Britain was "the work-shop of the
world," and even by 1870 she still was producing well over 30% of the global industrial
output, no other nation coming even close to her production superiority. In 1885 America
and Germany can be considered as having become industrialised, but Britain was still
the world's most developed nation until around 1913 when she was surpassed by
America. Due to the supremacy of the Royal Navy, Britain truly did rule the waves for
centuries. With territories scattered across every continent and ocean and in every timezone, the "Empire Under Palm and Pine" was accurately described as "the empire on
which the sun never sets." The Empire facilitated the spread of British technology,
commerce, language, and government around much of the globe through Pax Britannica
and British Imperial hegemony. The contributions the British Empire made to the world,
the technology, philosophy, literature, medicine, investment, institutions, and plain
advancements of mankind have left a profound legacy.
The British Empire consisted of various territories all over the world conquered or
colonized by Britain from about 1600. It was expanded by commerce, trade,

colonisation, and sometimes conquest. Over all the Empire was built on commerce, not
conquest. There were colonies conquered, but they were done for a reason. For instance,
France hired the Mughal Empire to fight Britain. Britain then fought back and conquered
the Mughal Empire which made up the Northwest corner of present day India. The 19th
century saw the largest expansion of the Empire as the British took many former French
possessions in the West Indies and began to settle in large numbers in Australia in the
early part of the century and later competed fiercely with other European powers for
territory in Africa. At the same time, there was serious expansion in Asia, notably the
acquisition of Singapore (1824), Hong Kong (1841), and Burma (1886), and the South
Pacific, particularly the settlement of New Zealand (1840). The final big expansion of


the empire was following World War I, when former German and Turkish territories
were mandated to Britain and the Dominions. The only serious loss of territory was the
loss of the 13 American colonies in the American Revolution of 1776 – 1783, which
became the United States of America. The British Empire was at its largest territorial
expansion after the First World War – after 1918, until the 1940’s, consisting of over
25% of the world's population and 30% of its area.
Since 1949, the British Empire was replaced by the Commonwealth of Nations.
Most colonies are now independent; today’s Commonwealth is composed of former and
remaining territories of the British Empire and a few non former British Empire
countries which once belonged to other powers such as Portugal, France and Belgium.
The Commonwealth is a loose, voluntary organisation dedicated to preserving human
rights and democracy and is held together by a desire for membership and the English
language as well as history.
An Overview of the British Empire
Size, Extent and People — The British Empire included all those parts of the world
whose inhabitants owed allegiance to the British sovereign. It comprised more than a
quarter of the land area of the globe—about 13,355,000 square miles (34,590,000 square
km) of territory. Unlike most of the great empires of the past, the British Empire was

made up of many widely separated countries and territories, varying in, size from
Canada, with her vast area of over 3,600,000 square miles (9,324,000 square km), to
Gibraltar, two square miles (5 square km) in extent. British lands were found in every
continent. British islands dotted every ocean. The empire extended from farthest north to
farthest south, from farthest east to farthest west, girdling the globe with lands over
which flew the Union Jack. Within the Empire was found every kind of scenery, from the
snow-capped summits of the Rockies and the Himalayas to the sun-scorched plains of
Australia. There was every variety of climate, from the hot, humid air of the Guinea
Coast to the clear atmosphere and biting cold of the Polar Isles. Every type of plant grew
somewhere on British soil, from the lowly moss and lichen of the tundra to the stately
teak of Burma. Every kind of useful animal was found somewhere within its borders, from
the dog of the Inuit to the camel of the Arabs. Under the Union Jack lived members of all
the races of the world. All told, the inhabitants of the British Empire numbered
500,000,000 — more than a quarter of all the people in the world at that time.


The Empire and the Sea.—The British Empire was largely a Maritime Empire. For the
most part, it was won by hardy British sailors, who pushed their way into the uttermost
corners of the world and brought country after country under the sway of Britain. It was
held largely by the power of the British Royal Navy, which had long controlled the seaways of the world. By far the greater part of its enormous commerce was carried in
British merchant vessels, which linked port to port and country to country, enabling the
wheat of Canada, the wool of Australia, the tea of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and the apples of
New Zealand to reach the markets of the United Kingdom. Without the free use of the sea,
the Empire could not live. So it was that, although railways and other land
communications played a great part, they were secondary in importance to the sea
communications of the Empire. The merchant fleet of Britain herself was the largest and
most efficient in the world, while that belonging to the great colonies was far from
small. These ships were the most important material bond uniting the far-flung dominions
of the King-Emperor. To enable both the navy and the merchant fleet to accomplish their
tasks, Britain had secured coaling-stations all over the world. As a vessel could not steam

much more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km) without replenishing her bunkers, there had to be
coaling-stations at intervals of 3,000 miles (4,800 km) or so along the great ocean traderoutes.
The Empire possessed the most complete system of such stations in the world. A
British ship was sure of finding a supply of coal at almost any of the principal ports of the
British Isles, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, British Africa, or India. In addition, there
were facilities for coaling vessels at St. Helena, Ascension, or the Falkland Islands in the
South Atlantic; at Jamaica or Bermuda in the North Atlantic, at Gibraltar, Malta, and
Port Said in the Mediterranean; at Aden, on the Gulf of Aden; at Colombo in Ceylon (Sri
Lanka); at Singapore; and at Labuan in the China Sea; at Hong Kong on the Chinese
coast; at Chagos, Seychelles, or Mauritius in the Indian Ocean; at Thursday Island and
Suva, Fiji in the South Pacific; nor did these exhaust the list. Many coaling-stations were
small and apparently insignificant islands, but they played no small part in the life of the
Empire. The most important coaling-stations were fortified and garrisoned to protect
them from attack. At many of them dockyards had been built, so that ships may be
repaired in time of need. The countries of the Empire were also kept in close
communication by submarine cables.


There were, in the whole world, about 300,000 miles (480,000 km) of submarine
cables. Of these, almost ahalf - 140,000 miles (225,000 km) — were British property. By
this immense and far-reaching cable system the governments of various parts of the
Empire were in constant touch with one another; commercial transactions were greatly
facilitated; and in time of war valuable information was quickly sent to its proper
destination. The protection of the cable system was one of the duties of the Imperial
Royal Navy. Nothing brought home the great extent of the Empire more forcibly than to
trace the "All-British cable" route around the world. Leaving the British Isles, it crossed
the Atlantic, coming ashore at Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. From there it was carried
overland across Newfoundland, thence by sea again to Sydney, Cape Breton Island, and
from there to Halifax, which had direct communication with Vancouver upon the Pacific
coast. From Vancouver Island a cable ran by way of Fanning Island, Fiji, and Norfolk

Island to Auckland in New Zealand and to Brisbane in Australia. The latter city had
telegraphic connection with the cities of Albany and Perth, from which a cable traversed
the Indian Ocean by way of Cocos, Colombo, Madras, Bombay, and Aden. From Aden
the route lay through the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean, by
way of Suez, Port Said, Malta, Gibraltar, and London. There were several loops or
extensions along the route. An important one from Cocos Island connected Mauritius,
Durban, Cape Town, St. Helena, Ascension, and Sierra Leone. Nearly all these places
and very many others were also equipped with wireless installations, which supplemented
the cables and added materially to the speed and safety with which messages could
besent. The commerce of the Empire followed certain routes, all centring upon the British
Isles. The following were the chief: 1. From the British Isles across the Atlantic to
Canada, thence by either the Canadian National or the Canadian Pacific across Canada,
and from there across the Pacific Ocean to Hong Kong, Singapore, and India, or to New
Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and Australia. 2. From the British Isles across the Atlantic
to the Panama Canal, and thence to New Zealand and Australia. 3. From the British Isles
to the East by way of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the
Indian Ocean. 4. From the British Isles along the west coast of Africa to Cape Town, and
thence across the Indian Ocean to India and to Australia and New Zealand.
Government — The countries of the Empire, aside from the United Kingdom, were
divided into five groups, as far as government was concerned: (1) The Dominions, (2)
The Indian Empire, (3) The Crown Colonies, (4) The Protectorates, (5) The Mandated


Territories.
After Acts of Union between England and Scotland as Great Britain in 1707 and
between Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, the United Kingdom was a unitary state of
the British Isles. Until 1920, it was the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland with
only one parliament at Westminster for the whole nation which then included all of Great
Britain and Ireland. In 1920, a separate parliament was set up in Northern Ireland,
overseen by a Governor, though it continued to be represented at Westminster also. In

1921, the southern part of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom to become the Irish
Free State – a self-governing Dominion. In 1927, the United Kingdom was restyled as the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to reflect these changes. Great
Britain continued to be governed under a single parliament at Westminster while
Northern Ireland had self-government. The Irish Free State was renamed as Eire in
1937 as it had adopted a quasi-republican constitution. In 1949, it became the Republic
of Ireland and it severed all links with the British Empire. In 1972, owing to an
escalating violent situation, self-government in Northern Ireland was suspended and
replaced with direct rule from Westminster. The United Kingdom had once again become
a single unitary state with only one parliament at Westminster. This changed in 1999, in
a response to growing nationalist aspirations, as self-government was restored to
Northern Ireland and given to Scotland and Wales. For the first time since 1707,
Scotland was given a full parliament while Wales and Northern Ireland received less
powerful assemblies. However, they all continued to be represented in the United
Kingdom parliament at Westminster also. The United Kingdom, though officially still a
unitary state, is now looking more like a federation, though England still does not have
its own self-government.
The Dominion of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Dominion of New
Zealand, the Union of South Africa, and the sovereign state of Eire (Irish Free State)
were self-governing Dominions under the Crown. Northern Ireland was also selfgoverning, but it differed from its sister Dominions in that it sent elected representatives
to the Imperial Parliament at London. In the Dominions the government was modelled
after that of the United Kingdom, the King being represented by a Governor-General or
a Governor. Each had a Parliament consisting of two Houses. The Parliament of each
Dominion was supreme, but all owed allegiance to the King of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland. Newfoundland was a self-governing Dominion until 1933 when it


reverted back to being a colony for economic reasons. Malta and Southern Rhodesia,
though not having full Dominion status, were mostly self-governing. The King’s title
throughout the Empire was ‘by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the

British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India’.
Dominion status came to an end in 1948 as the Dominions were restyled as
Commonwealth Realms. By 1953, the Monarch’s title was changed to reflect this: ‘by the
Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her
other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the
Faith’. Distinct variations of this title were adopted in each of the overseas Realms. Even
though the Dominions were self-governing (fully self-governing after 1931), the United
Kingdom parliament still had the final control over their constitutions. This ended in the
Union of South Africa when it became a republic in 1961 and in Canada, Australia and
New Zealand in the 1980’s. Since then, they have become completely independent
nations. In the Indian Empire, the King of Great Britain was also Emperor of India. In
the Imperial Cabinet there was an official known as the Secretary of State for India, who
was assisted by an Advisory Council. The government was known as ‘the British Raj’.
While the Secretary and his Council had control over all matters relating to India, they
did not attempt, unless under unusual circumstances, to interfere with the actions of the
Indian Government. The King was represented by the Viceroy, or Governor-General,
who was assisted by a Council of State and a Legislative Assembly, the latter almost
wholly elective after 1935. The actual work of government in India was carried on by the
Viceroy (Governor-General) and an appointed Executive Council. The country was
divided into fifteen provinces, with a Governor or an Administrator in each. They were
assisted by a Legislature largely composed of native members after 1935. In fact, the
form of government after 1935 resembled in many ways that of Canada. In response to
the growing Indian Nationalist movement, the endeavour after 1935 was to try to allow
the natives of India the utmost freedom possible, and to give them a large share in the
conduct of government. The relations of the Indian Government to the various native
states differed widely. Except in matters pertaining to war and to a standing army, they
were allowed largely to govern themselves, the British Government being represented in
each state by a Resident. The Indian Empire came to an end with independence on
August 15, 1947.

In general, Crown Colonies were those parts of the Empire which did not have
self-government. Owing to an unsuitable climate or to a large native population, few
Europeans made permanent homes in the Crown Colonies, however, they developed and
controlled the resources of them. Some of the smaller Crown Colonies, however, were
purely naval or military posts, important for the protection of the trade-routes of the
Empire. In every Crown Colony was a Governor, representing the King. In some cases,
as in Gibraltar and St. Helena, the Governor had absolute powers. In others, as in
Ceylon and the Straits Settlements, he was assisted by a Council nominated by the
Crown. In a third group, which included most of the British West Indies and Malta, the
laws were made by a Legislature wholly or partly elected by the people. By the 1930’s,in
every case, except in the naval and military colonies, the tendency was to give the natives
an ever-increasing share of power as they showed increasing ability for self-government.
Eventually, many of the Crown Colonies gradually became self-governing as they moved
towards independence. Most of the Crown Colonies gained independence in the 1950’s,
1960’s and 1970’s. Crown Colony status came to an end in 1998 when the few remaining
colonies were restyled as British Overseas Territories (e.g. Bermuda, the Falkland
Islands, Gibraltar).
In the Protectorates, such as Somaliland, Bechuanaland, and Nyasaland in Africa,
the natives were ruled by their own chiefs under the supervision of British officials.
Protectorates tended, as they developed, to become Crown Colonies, just as Crown
Colonies, such as were formerly the states of the Australian Commonwealth, became selfgoverning Dominions. Most of the remaining Protectorates gained independence in the
1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s. The last British Protectorate gained independence in 1978
(British Solomon Islands).
At the conclusion of the First World War, certain territories captured from the
enemy were assigned by the League of Nations to the United Kingdom, France, Japan,
and others of the allied powers. In this way it had fallen to the United Kingdom to be
responsible for the government of large territories in Africa, as well as in Asia and in the
South Seas. Tanganyika, Cameroon, and Togoland in Africa, and Palestine, TransJordan and Iraq in Asia were included in these Mandated Territories, as they were
called. For the most part these new portions of the Empire were governed as Crown

Colonies. Further, under the League of Nations, mandates were given to the British
Dominions also. The Commonwealth of Australia had control of New Guinea, the


Bismarck Archipelago, and other islands in the South Pacific; the Dominion of New
Zealand controlled former German Samoa and other islands; the Union of South Africa
had the mandate for the government of Southwest Africa. In all cases of mandated
territory, the government had to be carried on in strict accordance with certain
regulations laid down by the League of Nations.
In 1946, the League of Nations was replaced by the United Nations and League of
Nations Mandates became United Nations Trust Territories. They continued to be
governed by the administering powers as Crown Colonies, but under the supervision of
the United Nations Trusteeship Council. The last Trust Territory gained independence in
1990 (Southwest Africa – Namibia).
5. Why are the Victorians so famous and significant in British history?
The British Empire included all the territories that were ruled by
Britain. Under Queen Victoria's rule, she doubled its size to make it the largest empire in
history – it controlled 23% of the world’s surface and 458 million people at its peak. It
was described as being the "Empire on which the sun never sets".
Victoria was born at Kensington Palace, London, on 24 May 1819. She was the
only daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III. Her father died shortly
after her birth and she became heir to the throne because the three uncles who were ahead
of her in succession - George IV, Frederick Duke of York, and William IV - had no
legitimate children who survived.
Warmhearted and lively, Victoria had a gift for drawing and painting; educated by
a governess at home, she was a natural diarist and kept a regular journal throughout her
life. On William IV's death in 1837, she became Queen at the age of 18.
Queen Victoria is associated with Britain's great age of industrial expansion,
economic progress and, especially, empire. At her death, it was said, Britain had a
worldwide empire on which the sun never set.

During Victoria's long reign, direct political power moved away from the
sovereign. A series of Acts broadened the social and economic base of the electorate.
These acts included the Second Reform Act of 1867; the introduction of the secret
ballot in 1872, which made it impossible to pressurise voters by bribery or intimidation;
and the Representation of the Peoples Act of 1884 - all householders and lodgers in
accommodation worth at least £10 a year, and occupiers of land worth £10 a year, were
entitled to vote.


Despite this decline in the Sovereign's power, Victoria showed that a monarch
who had a high level of prestige and who was prepared to master the details of political
life could exert an important influence.
This was demonstrated by her mediation between the Commons and the Lords,
during the acrimonious passing of the Irish Church Disestablishment Act of 1869 and the
1884 Reform Act.
It was during Victoria's reign that the modern idea of the constitutional monarch,
whose role was to remain above political parties, began to evolve. But Victoria herself
was not always non-partisan and she took the opportunity to give her opinions,
sometimes very forcefully, in private.
After the Second Reform Act of 1867, and the growth of the two-party (Liberal
and Conservative) system, the Queen's room for manoeuvre decreased. Her freedom to
choose which individual should occupy the premiership was increasingly restricted.
In 1880, she tried, unsuccessfully, to stop William Gladstone - whom she disliked
as much as she admired Disraeli and whose policies she distrusted - from becoming
Prime Minister. She much preferred the Marquess of Hartington, another statesman from
the Liberal party which had just won the general election. She did not get her way.
She was a very strong supporter of Empire, which brought her closer both to
Disraeli and to the Marquess of Salisbury, her last Prime Minister.
Although conservative in some respects - like many at the time she opposed giving
women the vote - on social issues, she tended to favour measures to improve the lot of the

poor, such as the Royal Commission on housing. She also supported many charities
involved in education, hospitals and other areas.
6. Which Kings and Queens of England have reigned (trị vì) the longest?
Victoria: 1837 -> 1901
Victoria died at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, on 22 January 1901 after a
reign which lasted almost 64 years, the longest in British history.


UK
Great Britain

Northern Ireland
- is the smallest country of the UK, situated
on the second largest island of the British
Isles.
- is composed of six of the 29 counties of
Ireland
- 5,452 square miles, 300-mile-long artificial
boundary
- make up the northwestern corner of the
island
- is bordered on the west by the Atlantic
Ocean, on the east by the Irish Sea, and on
the south by the Celtic Sea.
- the climate is mild as a result of Atlantic
Ocean breezes and the Gulf Stream, with
comfortable summers and temperate witers
- Topographic features are low mountain
with steep cliff dropping off to the sea and
fertile lowlands

UK
Great Britain

England
- 50,357 miles
- lies off the Northwestern
coast of Europe
- The Gulf Stream makes
the climate mild and rainy
- divided into a highland
zone (poor and rocky) and
lowland zone (flatter,
fertile, many navigable
rivers)
- Lowland zone: the
majority of the population,
supported most agriculture
and trade, and had the
largest cities
- Capital: London

Wales
- is located in a wide peninsula in
the western portion of the island of
Great Britain.
- is surrounded by water on three
sides: to the north, the Irish sea; to
the south, the Bristol Channel; to the

west, Saint’s George’s Channel and
Cardigan Bay.
- is bordered by the English counties
of Cheshire, Shropshire, Hereford,
Worcester, and Gloucestershire.
- cover an area of 8020 square
miles.
- Capital: Cadiff - is located in the
southest on the Severn Estuary ->
the most important seaport and
shipbuilding center.
- is moutainous and has a rocky,
irregular coastline with numerous
bays, the largest of which is
Cardigan Bay to the west
- the highest mountain: Brecon
Beacons: 3560 feet (1085 meters)
- the largest natural lake: Dee River
- Climate: mild and moist

Scotland
- occupies approximately
the northern third of the
UK’s mainland encompassing 7.5 million
hectares
- 29,975 square miles
- the climate is cool, wet,
and often windy
- Highland and Border is
rugged and difficult to

cultivate
- Lowland and parts of the
Border include prime
agricultural land.
- is surrounded by the North
Sea, offering fish, oil and
natural gas, and potentially
tidal and wave power

7. Which destination attracts you the most and why?
England: Stonehenge; Stratford-upon-Avon; Big Ben Clock; Buckingham Palace;
Windsor Castle; Westminster Abbey; Hyde Park London; The Tower of London; The
London Eye.
Scotland: Scottish Castles; Edinburgh Castle; Stirling Castle
Wales: Cardiff Bay; Powis Castle and Garden; Caernarvon Castle
Northern Ireland: Giant’s Causeway


The destination attracts me the most is Stratford - upon - Avon. There are some
reasons for this
The first reason is that it is a picturesque town beautifully situated on the River
Avon with a wealth of black and white timber framed buildings.
The second reason is that this town include 5 houses relating to Shakespeare’s life,
which are owned and cared for by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Therefore, for me,
this place is one of the Shakespeare connection worth visiting.
8. History
1. Pre-history
2. Norman Britain (1066-1154)
3. Middle Ages (1154-1485)
4. Tudors (1485-1603)

5. Civil War and Revolution (1603 -1714)
6. Empire and Sea Power (1714-1837)
7. Victorian Britain (1837 - 1901)
8. Home Front: WWI and WWII (1901 - 1945)
9. The Making of Modern Britain (1945-present)
9. Holidays
1. Guy Fawkes Day:
- 5/11
- the more popular holiday in England
- memorializes a failed plot to blow up the Parliament building in 1605
- referred to Mischier Night
- is a favorite among young ppl who generally make pranks on this night
2. Highland Games
- are favorite among foreigners and locals.
- famous in Scotland
- last Saturday in September
3. Saint David’s Day
- is celebrated mainly by the Welsh
- 1/3
4. Edinburgh International Festival
- 3 long weeks between August and September


- Scotland
5. Christmas Day
- 25/12
- the whole country shuts down on the day
10. Education
England

Wales

Northern Ireland

Scotland

- Publicy-funded state school: > 90%
- England, Wales, Scotland: is funded by Education department through a Local Education
Authority
- Northern Ireland: is funded from public fund through five Education and Library Boards
- have national curriculum that include English (Wesh or
Irish is a core subject in Wesh-speaking-schools or Irishspeaking schools), maths, science, design, technology,
information and communication technology, history,
geography, modern foreign languages, music, art and
design, physical education, and citizenship.
- in other compulsory courses, core subject is also
religious education
- After 16, students attend sixth form colleges or other
further education institutions
- After 5 year of secondary education, students take
examinations in a range of subjects at the level of GCSE.
Afterwards, they may choose to continue their education
at vocational or technical colleges, or they may take a
higher level of secondary scholl examinations known as
AS-level after an additional year study, which is required
for university entrance in the UK

- has its own qualification
framework
- 7 years of primary education

- 4 year of secondary education
- students aged 15-16 may take the
SCE that is recognized throughout
the UK as the equivalent to GCE
A-levels and is usually the entry
qualification for university.

- children start attend school - must begin at age
between 5-16
4
- undergraduate degrees: 3 years to complete

- 4 years to complete

graduate level: master’s degree: 1 years, research master’s degree: 2 years, doctoral degree: 3
years, professional courses: 5 years undergraduate


11. Economy
By PPP: 8th largest economy in the world & 2nd largest in Europe
By GDP: 6th in the world & 3rd in Europe.
GDP per capita: $2.441 trillion (2012 est.)
$36,941 (22nd, PPP, 2012)
$38,589 (23rd, Nominal, 2012)
London is a major centre for international business and commerce
is one of the three "command centres" of the global economy
th
13 largest producer of natural gas in the world and the largest in Europe (2009)
Largely benefited from the exports of metals
UK is the birthplace of modern democracy, the Industrial Revolution and many of the

finacial and capital markets that are the foundation of the capitalist economic system.
How did other economies overtake the UK?
In the early part of the twentieth century, these two forces combined disastrouly to
lead to World War I and II. Although the UK was on the winning side in both conflicts, it


exacted a heavy price. The economy was devastated, the British Empire came apart and
the Republic of Ireland withdrew from the UK, leaving Great Britain to the union.
During this period, the US firmly established itself and the leading economic
power of the world. Although still a key global player, Britain has seen its influence
decline steadily as other powers overtake it economically.
12. Institutions
Human rights
- The European Convention on Human Rights is now built into UK law. It protects your
right to a fair trial, freedom of thought and expression, and respect for your family and
private life.
- All public authorities, including the courts, must comply with these rights. However, if
they conflict with an act of Parliament, the courts can make a declaration of
incompatibility and Parliament must then decide what to do.


Institutions
Legislative -> Wesminster System
Parliament
- Pass laws
- Provide - by voting for taxation - the means of carrying out the work of government
- scrutinise Government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure
- debate the major issues of the day
The Monarchy
House of Commons

House of Lords
The Queen:
- head of state
- summoning and
dissolving Parliament
- giving royal assent to
legislation passed
- appoints important
office
holders
including
prime
minister and other
government ministers,
judges, officers…

- 646 MPs, elected by ppl from the 650
constituencies (England: 529, Wales:
40, Scotland: 59; N.I: 18)
- MP: >18 years old, is a British
citizen.
- Re-elected when a new government
is formed
- The Chief officer of H.C is speaker,
elected by MPs to preside over the
Houses
- Other officers: Chairman of Ways
and Means; 2 Deputy chairmen Deputy Speakers…
- Power: most legislative power rests
with it; the leader of the party which

has the most MPs becomes P.M and
select his Cabinet among MPs
- Functions: debating issues of national
and
international
importance;
supervising G by questioning;
controlling G income and spending;
being able to alter or oppose proposed
new laws

- 830 members
- Functions: make laws (60% of
its time); scrutinize the actions of
the government and provide a
forum of independent expertise
(40%).
- Consists of the Lords Spiritual
and the Lords Temporal:
+ Lords Spiritual: 26 members: 2
arcbishops of Canterbury and
York; 3 bishops of Durham,
London and Winchester; 21 other
bishops in England
+ Lords of Temporal: 92
hereditary peers (limited number
since 1999); and life peers
- Not elected -> appointed by the
Queen on the recommendation of
the Prime Minister or of the H.L

Appointment Commission
- Ministers + 2 Cabinet members
from G
- Many from previous G

Executive

Judiciary

Prime Minister:
- Supervising Authority:
Civil Service; Government
agency
- Appoint and Dismiss:
members of the Cabinet;
other Ministers
- Principal figure (in the
H.C): majority support and
always in the Commons
- Other: Allocating functions;
Informing; Recommending
appointments: The Queen;
Public Boards and
institurions; Commissions
Ministers: 21 in the Cabinet
(H.C); 99 other (H.L)
Government Departments:
24 ministerial Depts; 21 nonministerial Depts; 300+
agencies and other public
bodies

The Civil Service: Practical
and administrative work of
the
government;
Civil
servants: Servant of the
Crown and Oneseparate
Northern
Ireland
Civil
Service.

System:
- English law
- Northern Ireland law
- Scots law
Types:
- Criminal law:
+ Crime and legal punishment of
criminal offenses: Theft; assault;
murder…
+ a jury decides whether they are
guilty and the judge issues their
sentence
- Civil law: involves disputes
between individuals,
organizations, companies, in
which compensation is awarded
to the victim: Landlord disputes,
divorce proceedings, child

custody proceedings, property
disputes
+ the judge decides who is right
based on the evidence presented


Supreme Court of UK
- The Supreme Court of the UK is the highest court in land for all criminal and civil cases in
England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and for all civil cases in Scots law
- The Supreme Court came into being in October 2009, replacing the Appellate Committee
of the H of Ls.
Supreme Court of the UK
Court of Appeal
Criminal Division
Civil Division
High Court of Justice
Queen’s Bench Division
(hear first instance cased
of contract and tort)

Family Division
(hear matrimonial
cases)

Chancery Division
(deals with land law, trusts,
compaly law, partnership law. It
hears appeals from County Courts
on probate and insolvency)

Crown Court
Magistrates’ Courts

County Courts
Scots Law
Supreme Courts

High Court of Justiciary
(Criminal)
Appeals
First Instance Solemn
(Judge and Jury)

Court of Session
(Civil)
Outer
House
Inner House
(First Instance)
(Appeals)

Sheriff Court
Criminal Jurisdiction
Solemn
(Judge and jury)

Summary
(Judge only)

Civil Jurisdiction

Sheriff Principal
(appeals only)

Justice of the Peace Court
Summary criminal jurisdiction only

First Instance
(judge alone)