1.

Facts: Full Name: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and

Northern Ireland; Capital: London;
Countries: England, Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales; Government:
Unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional
monarchy; Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II; Currency:
Pound

2. The Union Jack is the name of the British flag. It

consists of three crosses: of England, Scotland and
Ireland. The Jack used to be the name of the flag which
was hung from the back of the ship.

3. Literature: William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was an English poet and

playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the
world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the
"Bard of Avon". His surviving works consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two
long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into
every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

4. Traditional food: Fish & Chips - Fish (cod, haddock, plaice) deep
fried in flour batter with chips (fried potatoes) dressed in malt vinegar.
This is England's traditional take-away food or as US would say "to go".
Fish and chips are not normally home cooked but bought at a fish and
chip shop ("chippie") to eat on premises or as a "take away".

5. Music: The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout

the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically
acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. The Beatles are the
best-selling band in history, and over four decades after their break-up,
their recordings are still in demand. They have had more number one
albums on the UK charts and have held the top spot longer than any other musical act.

6. Geography: The Giants Causeway - A bunch of 40,000 enormous, mainly hexagonal

columns of basalt on the Antrim coast. Legend tells that Finn McCool, the Mr. Big of the giants'
world, knocked it up for a scrap with a Scottish giant (you should read the story!); scientists tell
that it was formed by cooling molten lava, 50-60 million years ago.

7. Architecture: The Tower of London - If any landmark symbolizes historic London, it must
be the Tower of London. This fortress has been a prison, palace and barracks for more than 900
years and is home to the famous Yeoman wardens, the Beefeaters. The star attractions are the
Crown Jewels, a priceless collection that has been stored in the Tower for more than 600 years.
On display is the massive solid gold St. Edwards Crown, still worn
by the Queen on State occasions. The infamous Koh-i-Noor
diamond is also here, all 105 carats of it, resplendent in the
platinum crown of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

8. Religion: St. Andrew, Patron Saint of Scotland (Saints Day,

November 30) - St. Andrew was the brother of St. Peter and one of
the original twelve Apostles of Christ. He is thought to have gone on
missions, spreading the faith in Asia Minor and Greece, before he
was crucified by the Romans. After his death, he was entombed
and 300 years later his bones were dug up by the Roman Emperor Constantine. However, a
Greek Monk, named St. Rule was commanded by an angel to protect the remains. He managed
to steal some of the bones and fled to Scotland. These were housed in St. Andrews Cathedral
until they were lost during the Scottish reformation. In 1969, Gordon Gray was appointed the
first Scottish Cardinal following the reformation. At this time, Pope Paul VI gave Gray a few relics
of St. Andrew to take back to Scotland.
By the way, who is the saint who brought Christianity to our country?

9. History: Henry VIII (1491 1547) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death.
He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as being a claimant to the Kingdom of France.
Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII. Besides
his six marriages, Henry VIII is known for his role in the separation of the Church of England
from the Roman Catholic Church. Henry's struggles with Rome led to the separation of the
Church of England from papal authority, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and establishing
himself as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. Henry
was known by some to be an attractive and charismatic man in
his prime, educated and accomplished. He was an author and a
composer. He ruled with absolute power. His desire to provide
England with a male heirwhich stemmed partly from personal
vanity and partly because he believed a daughter would be
unable to consolidate the Tudor Dynasty and the fragile peace
that existed following the Wars of the Roses - led to the two
things that Henry is remembered for: his wives, and the English
Reformation that made England a mostly Protestant nation.

10. Folklore: Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in the English

folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known
for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a
group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men".
Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes. The origin of
the legend is claimed by some to have stemmed from actual outlaws, or from ballads or tales of
outlaws. Robin Hood became a popular folk figure in
the medieval period continuing through to modern
literature, films and television.

Teacher Emanuela Bucur