1. Geographical position of the UK and its significance.

The British islands are situated on the continental shelf off the north-west
coast of Europe, comprise a group of over 5000 islands. The British islands
are divided into 2 countries: the U of !B and the northern "reland and the
"rish #epu$lic. The total area is %2% s&.'m, whereas that of the U is 2(( s&.
'm. from south to north )from land*s end to +ohn ,*!roats- the island
stretches for .00 'm. "t has as much as /20 'm of sea coasts. 0eparated from
the continent $1 the English 2hannel and the 3orth 0ea. The English 2hannel
in its widest part is 220 'm wide, in the narrowest 4 %2 'm. in /..( the
channel tunnel $5n 6ol'stone )Br- and 2alais )6r- $egan to operate )onl1 %5
minutes-. The advantageous geographical position of !B created favora$le
conditions for the development of shipping, trade and econom1 as a whole.
The present population is 70 million89 pro$lems with land use, road
construction and cit1 sprawl, preservation of the environment. UKs
surrounding waters, islands and coastline.
The British islands apart from 2 largest islands of !B and "reland "nclude:
/. The :e$rides )the "nner and ,uter :e$rides separated $1 the sea of
:e$rides and the ;ittle <inch). The main occupation: farming, fishing.
2. The ,r'ne1 islands )/000 islands). The main occupation: dair1 and
poultr1 production. =opulation: 20, 000 residents.
%. The 0hetland "slands )/00 'm north from the ,r'ne1s-.
=opulation:/>,000.The main occupation:herring-fishing,e?port wool lace.
(. The "sle of <an. =opulation: 50,000. The main occupation: farming,
fishing, tourist trade )@ouglas 4 tourist resort-. 3ota$le for <an? parliament
of middle ages.
5. The Anglese1. )separated from the Bales $1 the <enai 0trait-. 3ota$le
for the longest place name in !B. =opulation: 52,000. The main occupation:
local industries and tourism rather than farming, fishing. :as a nuclear power
plant at B1lfa.
7. The "sle of Bight )in the English 2hannel, separated from the mainland
$1 the 0olent-. 3ota$le for the most important tourist resort, an annual sailing
and 1achting regatta in August )among the man1 races - Britannia 2up the
most 'nown-.
C. The islands of 0cill1. The main occupation: resort area.
>. The 2hannel "slands8the "sles 3ormandes )chief 4 +erse1, !uernse1-.
=opulation: /%0,000. The main occupation: farming, e?port of potatoes,
flowers, Dwool lace. ,fficial languages: Eng56r.
The coastline is intended, there are man1 $a1s, har$ors, peninsulas. )>,000
'm long-. The western coasts of 0cotland and Bales are ver1 much intended
89 economic advantage: the possi$ilit1 to esta$lish ports in these inlets, to
'eep ship safe, and gave them ace s deep into the countr1. The east coast is
less loft1, fre&uentl1 flooded, $ut there are the maEor inlets: the estuary of the
Thames, The Wash, The um!er, the fifth of the "orth. The strait of
#o$er )chal' ridge comes right up to the sea, when approaching the Br coast
$1 $oat U can see white cliffs of @over89 !ree's called Br FAl$ionG, the
#omans called it FwhitelandG-.
%.The relief of the &ritish 'sles: mountains, pea(s) plains and
lowlands.
ENGLAND
The *ennine range 8 Fthe $ac'$one of EnglandG. "t stretches for 250 'm
long. The highest point is 2ross fell >.%m. 6orms natural $arrier $5n
industrial areas of ;ancashire and Hor'shire. #ainfall is a$undant 89 area is
used as water storage.
The +he$iot ill. The highest point is the 2heviot >/7 m. 3ota$le for
sheep-$reeding.
The +um!rian ,ountains. 3ota$le for ;a'e @istrict. The main
occupation: sheep-$reeding. ;a'e @istrict due to a$undant rainfall 4 is the
wettest area of the Br "sles.
The south-west: moor lands, fertile river valle1s 89 agricultural area.
The westernmost point is -ands end.
The most southerly point is -i.ard *oint.
WALES
"t*s the countr1 of hills and mountains deepl1 cut $1 river valle1s.
The +am!rian ,ountains. The highest pea' 4 the 0howdown /0>5m.
The most densel1 populated. The language of 2eltic language survived here.
Econom1 $ased on coalmining is in decline.
SCOTLAND
<a1 $e divided into % regions:
1.The highlands )the lofties summit on the Bt "sles / &en 0e$is- nota$le for
la(e -och 0ess. /5I of population due to severe climat.
.The central lowlands 8 the midland Jalle1. >0I of population due to fertile
soil, temperate climate, $est har$ors, oil peplines. Edin$urg - capital.
!.The southern u"lands
NOT#E$N %$ELAND
=oliticall1 divided into 3othern "reland)Belfast- and "rish
repullic)@u$lin-1ntrim mountains, The 2perrin mountains and the
,ourne mountains.
$1 $oat U can see white cliffs of @over89 !ree's called Br FAl$ionG, the
#omans called it FwhitelandG-.
,a3or &ritish 4i$ers, la(es and waterways.
There is fairl1 wide networ' of ri&ers, short in length, $ut naviga$le
especiall1 during high tides. The mild maritime climate 'eeps them free of ice
throughout the 1ear. A vast networ' of canals now is used for recreation. The
2e$ern - the largest, flows into 'ristol Channel. The Thames 5 the Trent
flows into The North Sea. The ri$er 2hannon - the longest flows into The
%rish sea
The largest la(e in the 'G ) -och lomond. The largest la(e in the '$
%sles ) -ough neagh.
6. +limate and weather in the UK.
Beather is varia$le. The climate represents the average weather conditions
over a long period of time. The geo position within latitude 50 to 70 north
and the !ulf 0tream are the $asic factors in determining the main
characteristics of climate: 0mall seasonal contrasts, "n mountain area the
greater condensation of air, clouds form, precipitation follow due to west
winds, 3orth winds $ring snowfalls, 2ontinental ones $ring warm and dr1 air
steams.
UKs mineral wealth.
The rise of Britain as an industrial power in the late /> /. centuries was
partl1 due to the presence of considera$le mineral recourses. coal and iron ore
)KLMLN.OPQR- - 2 chief minerals on which the industrial revolution was $ased.
Br had non-ferrous metals: copper)SLQT-, lead)UVWXLY-, But these deposits
have $een wor'ed out. <oreover, the coal lost its former importance. 0uch
recourses as oil, gas, uranium ores are most important in the modern world.
Br imports manganese, chrome, nic'el. 2oal has $een wor'ed for C00 1ears 4
the richest and the most accessi$le coal fields. Hor'shire and the <idlands
produce now 70 of the countr1*s output. Up to the /.70s the oil and gas were
imported. /.C5 - the discover1 of crude oil and natural gas in the 3orth
0ea89 Br is self sufficient in oil. Br has a variet1 of non metallic minerals:
cla1, ch/al', sand, gravel 89 for $uilding industr1. "n the south west parts
where the winds are prevalent the British use windmills to generate power.
6ormer world wor'shop of the /. centur1, she is the 5th in the terms of !3=,
and has 7I share in the world trade.89 the 5
th
largest trading nation in the
world.
7. 1ncient &ritain. 8arly prehistoric e$idence, prehistoric monuments,
the +elts, 4oman &ritain
*rehistoric &ritain The first written record of Britain and its inha$itants
was $1 the !ree' navigator =1theas Z[pi\i]s^, who e?plored the coastal
region of Britain in around 6%9 &+. Ancient Britons were involved in
e?tensive trade and cultural lin's with the rest of Europe )e?ported tin _M_V_-.
Britain has not alwa1s $een an island. "t $ecame one onl1 after the end of the
last ice age. The first evidence of human life that archeologists have found is a
few stone tool is a$out 250,000 B2. )f. e?.hand a?es made of *lint+,-./.0122.
After that the ice advanced again and Britain $ecame hardl1 ha$ita$le until
another milder period around 50,000 B2. @uring this time a new t1pe of
human $eings arrived, who are considered ancestors of the modern British.
Around /0,000 B2 Britain was inha$ited $1 small groups of hunters,
gatherers and fishers.
A$out %000 B2 3eolithic )or 3ew 0tone Age- people crossed the narrow sea
from Europe in small $oats. The1 pro$a$l1 came from the "$erian peninsula
or even 3orth African coast and settled in the western parts of Britain and
"reland. These were the first invaders.
Be can stud1 prehistoric Britain with the help of Fpu$lic wor'sG of this
time )barrows3 or $urial mounds, made of earth or stone-.
After %000 B2 the people started $uilding great circles of earth $an's and
ditches. "nside, the1 $uilt wooden $uildings and stone circles )henge- centre
of religious, political and economic power-. The most spectacular is
Stonehenge which was once thought to have $een a t1pe of astronomical
cloc' or calendar for predicting the seasons. "t was $uilt $etween %/00 and
/550 B2 near 0alis$ur1, England. The long-held thesis that 0tonehenge was a
@ruid temple is untena$le )XLQ_`RNPLSab-, $ecause the @ruids did not appear
in Britain until a few hundred 1ears $efore the 2hristian era. )till now people
can*t understand the secret of 0tonehenge-.
After 2(00 B2 new groups of people arrived in southern Britain from
Europe, pro$a$l1 from 0pain. The1 were round-headed and strongl1 $uilt.
The1 $ecame leaders of British societ1. Their arrival is mar'ed $1 the first
indi$idual gra$es, furnished with potter1 $ea'ers, from which these people
get their name: the :&ea(er; people. The1 pro$a$l1 spo'e an 'ndo/
8uropean language. 6rom a$out /%00 B2 a new form of society in southern
England, that of settled farming class. The new farmers grew wealth1 $ecause
the1 learned to enrich the soil with natural waste materials.
The +elts and their descendants.
Around C00 B2 The Celts pro$a$l1 came from central Europe or further
east, from southern #ussia. The 2elts were technicall1 advanced, the1 'new
how to wor' with iron, and could ma'e $etter weapons than the people who
used $ronce. The 2elts are $elieved to have come in three distinct waves. The
first group were the !oidels or !aels)western and northern regions-. The
original language of "reland and of 3orth-Best 0cotland is this !oidelic
2eltic )!aelic Z[geili'^-. The second wave of 2eltic tri$es, the Br1thonic 2elts
or Br1thons, from whose name the word Britain is derived )the 0outh of
England, in Bales and in 3orth-Best England and 0outh-Best 0cotland-.
Their language developed into the 2eltic language of modern Bales. A third
wave, Belgae from 3orthern !aul, containing people of Teutonic origin
):ome 2ountries - the central part of !reat Britain-. The 2eltic used iron
technolog1 and their introduction of more advanced ploughing methods made
them successful farmers.
The hill-fort - the centre for local groups. The insides of these hill-forts
were filled with houses, and the1 $ecame the simple economic capitals and
smaller FtownsG. The 2elts traded across tri$al $orders. <uch trade, $oth
inside and $e1ond Britain, was conducted $1 river and sea. 6or mone1 the
2elts used iron $ars, until the1 $egan to cop1 the #oman coins.
The 2eltic tri$es were ruled over $1 @ruids - important mem$ers. These
@ruids memoriced all the religious teachings, the tri$al laws, histor1,
medicine. @uring the 2eltic period women ma1 have had more independence
than the1 had later for hundreds of 1ears. Bhen the #omans invaded Britain
two of the largest tri$es were ruled $1 women. The most powerful 2elt to
stand up to the #omans was a woman, Boadicea, had $ecome &ueen of her
tri$e when her hus$and had died. 0he led her tri$e against the #omans. 0he
nearl1 drove them from Britain, and she destro1ed ;ondon, the #oman
capital, $efore she was defeated and 'illed.
4oman &ritain.
+aesar<s 2ummer =acation. "n 55 B.2. +ulius 2aesar decided that it would
$e a good move to tr1 a little summer invasion of Britain. 6or the /
st
time the
#omans were on the island for % wee's. The 2
nd
roman invasion too' place in
the summer of 1ear 5( B2, $ut for this time with a powerful arm1. The trul1
invasion of white land started during the reign of 'ing 2laudius, where
appro?imatel1 (0,000 of roman fighters participated.
The new capital >s). The first #oman capital of the new province of
Britannia was at 2olchester. A small e?isting settlement was $uilt up on the
river Thames to $ecome a trade and administrative centre. The #omans called
it ;ondinium);ondon-. Then it $ecame the most important town, and the
capital, of the new province of Brittania.
+lient Kingdoms. The #omans didn*t use force, the1 esta$lished dclient
'ingdomsd on the $orders of territor1 the1 directl1 controlled )certain 2eltic
tri$es, in return for not $eing overrun, agreed to all1 themselves to #ome-. The
most o$vious characteristic of #oman Britain was its towns. <an1 grew out
of 2eltic settlement, militar1 camps or mar'et centres. The #omans also $uilt
water and sewage systems. Towns were connected $1 roads.
9. 1nglo/2a?on &ritain, the eptarchy.
5
th
centur1 4 the period of Anglo-0a?on invasion. The 5th and 7th
centuries are 'nown as 0u$-#oman Britain, or the d@ar' Agesde from the 7th
centur1 larger distinctive 'ingdoms are developing - :eptarch1e
2hristianication of Anglo-0a?on England $egan around A@ 700, influenced
$1 2eltic 2hristianit1 from the north-west and $1 the #oman 2atholic 2hurch
from the south-east. The Anglo-0a?on mission on the continent too' off in the
>th centur1, leading to the 2hristianication. :eptarch1 - the e?istence of seven
'ingdoms, which were the $asis for the ingdom of England
)3orthum$ria,<ercia, East Anglia, Esse?, ent, 0usse? and Besse?-.
At first anglo sa?on 'ings were leaders of groups of free warriors and
enEo1ed little privilege. The 'ingdoms increased in sice 89 'ing had to do
with the new pro$lems89 'ingship came to have a dual function: the monarch
was the guardian of his people and he was the god*s representative. .
th
Besse? $ecame the most powerfule and Ed$erg the 'ing of all England.
The 0a?ons created institutions which made the English state strong for
the ne?t 500 1ears. ,ne of these institutions was the ingfs 2ouncil - Witan.
The Bitan pro$a$l1 grew out of informal groups of senior warriors and
churchmen to whom 'ings had turned for advice.
2candina$ian in$asion, the #anelaw.
The //th centur1 was a time of tur$ulent warfare. The Battle of :astings
in /077. This first and most decisive victor1 of the 3orman 2on&uest of
England was won $1 Billiam, du'e of 3ormand1, he had smaller $ut $etter
trained and $etter e&uipped force.
+ust four wee's earlier, a lesser 'nown $attle had ta'en place. At a site
now referred to as 0tamford Bridge, ing :arold "" had defeated a large arm1
of 3orse invaders fed $1 ing :arald """ of 3orwa1. Before the 1ear /077
was over, a 6rench-spea'ing 3orman, rather than a 0candinavian 'ing, had
come to power in England. The triumph of the 3ormans was a turning point in
histor1: "t too' England out of the 3orth 0ea or$it and into the cultural sphere
of Europe, changing forever its language and institutions.
The #anelaw )from the ,ld English @ena lagu, @anish:
@anelagen - is an //th centur1 name for an area of northern and
eastern England under the administrative control of the @anish
Ji'ing empire from the late .th centur1 until the earl1 //th
centur1. The term is also used to descri$e the set of legal terms and
definitions esta$lished $etween Alfred the !reat and the Ji'ing
!uthrum. ;ater, around >>7, the Treat1 of Alfred and !uthrum
was created, which esta$lished the $oundaries of their 'ingdoms.
The area occupied $1 the @anelaw was roughl1 the area to the
north of a line drawn $etween ;ondon and 2hester. 6ive fortified
towns $ecame particularl1 important in the @anelaw: ;eicester,
;incoln, 3ottingham, 0tamford and @er$1. These strongholds
$ecame 'nown as the d6ive Boroughsd - from the ,ld English
word $urg )a fortified town-.
8nduring impact of the #anelaw. The influence of this period
of 0candinavian settlement can still $e seen in the 3orth of
England and the East <idlands, most evidentl1 in place names:
name endings such as d$1d or dthorpd. 2omprehensi$le and the
mi?ed language of the @anelaw caused the incorporation of man1
3orse words into the English language, including the word law
itself, as well as the third person plural pronouns the1, them and
their. 6our of the five $oroughs $ecame count1 towns g the
counties of ;eicestershire, ;incolnshire, 3ottinghamshire and
@er$1shire.
@. 0orman 'n$asion. 0orman &ritain / 2ocial and *olitical
#e$elopments.
The 3orman con&uest of England was the invasion of the
ingdom of England $1 Billiam the 2on&ueror )@u'e of
3ormand1-, in /077 at the Battle of :astings. The con&uest lin'ed
England more closel1 with 2ontinental Europe through the
introduction of a 3orman aristocrac1. "t created one of the most
powerful monarchies in Europe and engendered a sophisticated
governmental s1stem. The con&uest changed the English language
and culture, and set the stage for rivalr1 with 6rance.
Conquest of England
ing :arald of 3orwa1 invaded northern England in
0eptem$er /077 which left :arold of England little time to gather
an arm1. :aroldfs forces marched north from ;ondon and surprised
the Ji'ings at the Battle of 0tamford Bridge on 0eptem$er 25th. "n
the Anglo-0a?on victor1, ing :arald was 'illed and the
3orwegians were driven out. <eanwhile Billiam had assem$led
an invasion fleet of appro?imatel1 700 ships and an arm1 of C000
men. Billiam recruited soldiers from all of 3orthern 6rance, the
low countries, and !erman1.
Billiam finall1 landed at =evense1 in 0usse? on 0eptem$er 2>,
/077 and assem$led a prefa$ricated wooden castle near :astings
as a $ase. Billiam $egan immediatel1 to la1 waste to the land.
The1 fought at the Battle of :astings on ,cto$er /(. "t was a close
$attle $ut in the final hours :arold was 'illed and the 0a?on arm1
fled. Bith no living contender for the throne of England to oppose
Billiam, this was the defining moment of what is now 'nown as
the 3orman 2on&uest.
After his victor1 at :astings the remaining 0a?on no$lemen
surrendered to Billiam, and he was acclaimed ing of England
around the end of ,cto$er and crowned on @ecem$er 25, /077 in
Bestminster A$$e1. Although the south of England su$mitted
&uic'l1 to 3orman rule, resistance continued, especiall1 in the
3orth. After si? 1ears Billiam moved north in /0C2, su$duing
re$ellions $1 the Anglo-0a?ons and installing 3orman lords along
the wa1. :owever, particularl1 in Hor'shire, he made agreements
with local 0a?on ;ords to 'eep control of their land in e?change
for avoidance of $attle and loss of an1 controlling share.
:ereward the Ba'e led an uprising in the fens and sac'ed
=eter$orough in /0C0. :aroldfs sons attempted an invasion of the
south-west peninsula. Uprisings also occurred in the Belsh
<arches and at 0tafford. Billiam faced separate invasion attempts
$1 the @anes and the 0cots. Billiamfs defeat of these led to what
$ecame 'nown as The :arr1ing of the 3orth in which
3orthum$ria was laid waste to den1 his enemies its resources. The
con&uest of Bales was a gradual process, concluded onl1 in /2>2
during the reign of ing Edward ". Edward also su$dued 0cotland
$ut did not trul1 con&uer ite it retained a separate monarch1 until
/70%, and did not formall1 unite with England until /C0C.
William the +onAueror
After Billiam had won the Battle of :astings was crowned
ing. ing Billiam owned all the land in England. :e lent much
of it to the $arons who promised to pa1 Billiam mone1 and
provide him with soldiers for his arm1 when he needed them. :e
also made ever1one swear an oath of lo1alt1 to him.
hXRiLXWL X_OSRXQU`_j_ NRV_LVRXWk:
/.6eudalication, economic lcultural ties with Europe
2.0'illful artisans l merchants from the continent
%.3ew language
(.the process of monarch powers* limitation $egan: /5 +une /2/5
the magna carta enforced.89 sought to enforce upon the 'ing the
recognition of the customar1 right which $arons, church and free
man gained in the past. 4 it*s the corner stone of the Englishman*s
li$ert1,50 1ears late this led to the esta$lishment of the /st English
parliament in /275.
B. The Tudor *eriod >17C9/1@D6) / King enry ='') King enry ='''.
The Tudor period usuall1 refers to the historical period $etween /(>5 and
/55>. 0ometimes treated separatel1 as the Elica$ethan era )/55> 4 /70%-.
ealth. The tudor towns were small and overcrowded. The streets were
narrow, dirt1 and ver1 insanitar1, spreading diseases such as t1phus and the
plague. 6ew of the inha$itants lived to $e older than (0, and children often
died $efore the1 were five.
8ducation. =oorer children never went to school. 2hildren from $etter-off
families had tutors to teach them reading and 6rench.
*astimes. The rich used to go hunting. The poor watched $ear fighting
and also pla1ed a 'ind of foot$all. There were some theatres )pla1wright
Billiam 0ha'espeare-.
King enry =''
:enr1 Tudor $ecame ing :enr1 J"" of England and Bales following the
Battle of Bosworth 6ield. :enr1fs famil1, the Tudors, had $een involved in a
long and $itter war against the house of Hor': The Bar of the #oses. At
Bosworth 6ield :enr1 led his men against the forces of #ichard """. The
;ancastrians, followers of :enr1 Tudor, defeated #ichard, who died in the
$attle: :enr1 Tudor $ecame ing :enr1 J"" of England and Bales. "n order
to ma'e sure that he was not overthrown :enr1 married Elica$eth of Hor'.
:enr1 J"" faced other pro$lems though. :e had $ecome ing of a countr1
that had no mone1, law and order were a pro$lem. :enr1fs rule was
successful. :e managed to ma'e peace with 0pain, his eldest son, Arthur,
married 2atherine of Aragon and he $rought sta$ilit1.
King enry =''' - the most infamous )m_N_OXab- ing that England has
ever had. :enr1 had never e?pected to $ecome ing of England, his older
$rother, Arthur, was due to $ecome ing until his earl1 death. ing :enr1
J""" was onl1 /C when he was crowned. ,ne of his first acts - reduce the
level of ta?ation. :is government was run largel1 $1 <inisters on his $ehalf,
:enr1 did not li'e government. :enr1 J""" married 2atherine of Aragon, his
dead $rother*s widow. This marriage made sure that the strong lin's with
0pain were retained. =ro$lems for :enr1 - his wife was not going to produce a
male heir to the throne. 2atherine had given $irth to several children $ut onl1
one of them, <ar1, live $e1ond infanc1. :enr1 was ver1 an?ious to have a
son. :e didn*t 'now what to do, and at the same time he started to fall in love
with a 1oung courtier Anne Bole1n. :enr1 decided to remarr1. This act turned
the religious world upside down and ended all lin's with #ome. :enr1
married si? times in all and did have a son who could inherit his throne.
8li.a!ethan 8ra. #estore engl. church, Enagland 4 maritime power.
The Elica$ethan Era - the reign of nueen Elica$eth " )/55>4/70%- the -
golden age in English histor1. "t was the height of the English #enaissance,
the flowering of English literature and poetr1. Elica$ethan theatre flourished
and B. 0ha'espeare composed pla1s that $ro'e awa1 from Englandfs past
st1le of pla1s. "t was an age of e?pansion and e?ploration a$road, while at
home the =rotestant #eformation $ecame entrenched in the national mindset.
England during this period had a centraliced, well-organiced, and effective
government. "t was a $rief period of largel1 internal peace $etween the
English #eformation and the $attles $etween =rotestants and 2atholics and the
$attles $etween parliament and the monarch1. The =rotestant52atholic divide
was settled, for a time, $1 the Elica$ethan #eligious 0ettlement.
@uring the Elica$ethan era, people loo'ed forward to holida1s $ecause
opportunities for leisure were limited. 6or the most part, leisure and festivities
too' place on a pu$lic church hol1 da1. 6e$ruar1 /(: Jalentinefs @a1. 0ending
gifts to one another was a =agan tradition.
C. The 2e$enteenth +entury / the 4ise of *uritanism. The +i$il War)
the 4estoration. the Great *lague, the Great "ire of -ondon
A =uritan of /7th and /Cth centur1 England was an1 person see'ing
dpurit1d of worship and doctrine. =uritans Eustified separation from the
2hurch of England following the Elic.#eligious 0ettlement. The central tenet
of =uritanism was !odfs supreme authorit1 over human affairs, e?pressed in
the Bi$le. ,n the individual level, the =uritans emphasiced that each person
should $e continuall1 reformed $1 the grace of !od to fight against indwelling
sin. <an1 =uritans emigrated to 3orth America in the /720-/7(0s $ecause
the1 $elieved that the 2hurch of England was $e1ond reform. :owever, most
=uritans in $oth England and 3ew England were non-separatists. The !reat
<igration of =uritans was relativel1 short-lived and not as large as is often
$elieved. "t $egan in earnest in /72. with the founding of the <assachusetts
Ba1 2olon1.
+i$il War) the 4estoration.
The English 2ivil Bar was a series of armed conflicts that too' place
$etween =arliamentarians )'nown as #oundheads- and #o1alists )'nown as
2avaliers- from /7(2 until /75/. The first )/7(2 - /7(5- and second )/7(> -
/7(.- civil wars pitted the supporters of ing 2harles " against the supporters
of the ;ong =arliament, while the third war )/7(. - /75/- saw fighting
$etween supporters of ing 2harles "" and supporters of the #ump =arliament.
The 2ivil Bar ended with the =arliamentar1 victor1 at the Battle of Borcester
on % 0eptem$er /75/.
The 2ivil Bar led to the trial and e?ecution of 2harles ", the e?ile of his
son 2harles "", and the replacement of the English monarch1 with the
2ommonwealth of England )/7(. - /75%- and then with a =rotectorate )/75% -
/75.-, the personal rule of ,liver 2romwell. The monopol1 of the 2hurch of
England on 2hristian worship in England came to an end. 2onstitutionall1, the
wars esta$lished a precedent that British monarchs could not govern without
the consent of =arliament.
The English #estoration, or simpl1 #estoration, was an episode in the
histor1 of England $eginning in /770 when the English monarch1, 0cottish
monarch1 and "rish monarch1 was restored under ing 2harles "" after the
English 2ivil Bar.
The Great *lague, the Great "ire of -ondon.
The !reat =lague )/775-/777- was a massive out$rea' of disease in
England that 'illed C5,000 to /00,000 people. The disease is generall1
$elieved to have $een $u$onic plague )transmitted via a rat vector-.)dBlac'
@eathd- out$rea' of disease in Europe /%(C -/%5%-
*ossi!le +auses. This episode of plague in Britain is thought to have
arrived with @utch trading ships carr1ing $ales of cotton from Amsterdam.
Eut!rea(. B1 +ul1 /775, plague was in the cit1 of ;ondon itself. ing
2harles "" of England, his famil1 and his court left the cit1 for ,?ford.
:owever, the ;ord <a1or of the cit1 and the aldermen sta1ed at their posts. A
small num$er of clerg1men, ph1sicians and apothecaries chose to remain, as
the plague raged throughout the summer.
0everal pu$lic health efforts were attempted. =h1sicians were hired $1 cit1
officials, and $urial details were carefull1 organiced. Authorities ordered fires
to $e 'ept $urning night and da1, in hopes that the air would $e cleansed.
;ondon residents, including 1oung children, were strongl1 urged to smo'e
to$acco.
The out$rea' affected other areas of the countr1. =erhaps the most famous
e?ample was the village of E1am in @er$1shire. The plague arrived in a parcel
of cloth sent from ;ondon. 50I of its inha$itants dead.
#ecords state that deaths in ;ondon crept up to /000 persons per wee', then
2000 persons per wee' and, $1 0eptem$er /775, to C000 persons per wee'.
B1 late autumn, the death toll $egan to slow until, in 6e$ruar1 /777, it was
considered safe enough for the ing and his entourage to return to the cit1.
,n 0eptem$er 2nd and %rd, the !reat 6ire of ;ondon destro1ed man1 of the
most crowded housing and $usiness areas of the cit1. This event seems to have
effectivel1 stopped the plague out$rea', pro$a$l1 due to the destruction of
;ondon rats. After the fire, ;ondon was re$uilt on an ur$an plan originall1 drafted $1 architect
2hristopher Bren which included widened streets, reduced congestion and $asic sewage-
drainage s1stems. Thatched roofs were also for$idden within the cit1, and remain for$idden
under modern codes. The second re$uilding of the !lo$e Theatre in /..C re&uired a special
permit to have a thatched roof.
The Great "ire of -ondon. The fire started at the $a'er1 of Thomas
6arriner )or 6ar1nor- in =udding ;ane shortl1 after midnight on 0unda1, 2
0eptem$er, and spread rapidl1. The use of the maEor firefighting techni&ue of
the time, the creation of fire$rea's $1 means of demolition, was criticall1
dela1ed due to the indecisiveness of the ;ord <a1or of ;ondon, 0ir Thomas
Bloodworth. The fire pushed north on <onda1 into the heart of the 2it1. ,n
Tuesda1, the fire spread over most of the 2it1, destro1ing 0t. =aulfs 2athedral.
2oordinated firefighting efforts were simultaneousl1 mo$ilising. The $attle to
&uench the fire is considered to have $een won $1 two factors: the strong east
winds died down, and the Tower of ;ondon garrison used gunpowder to
create effective fire$rea's to halt further spread eastward.