Revision of the UK.doc

此文档收集于网络，如有侵权，请联系网站删除Survey of the U. K GeographyLocation and Territory of the UKThe mainland areas lie between Latitudes(纬度) 49N and 59N andLongitudes（经度） 8W to 2ETotal territory: 244,110 square kilometers(1985)From north to south: 1,000kmFrom east to west: 500km(at the widest part)Title and Make up of the UKThe official title of the UK: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandThe United Kingdom is made up of:Great Britain (the formerly separate England and Scotland, and Wales. )Northern Ireland - The capital is Belfast. British Isles The British Isles is a geographically term which includes Great Britain, the whole of Ireland, and all the offshore islands, most notably the Isle of Man which has its own parliament and laws. The British Isles is made up of England, Scotland, Wales Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and about five thousand small islands. TopographyHighland Zone-high hills and mountains in the north and westLowland Zonerolling plains in the south and eastEngland: it consists of lowland terrain, with some mountainous terrain in the north-west, north and south-west. Scotland: Its geography is varied, with lowlands in the south and east and highlands in the north and west. Wales: Its mostly mountainous. South Wales is less mountainous than North and Mid WalesNorthern Ireland: Its mostly hilly. Rivers and LakesThe longest river: Severn River (354 kilometers long)The second longest river: Thames (332 kilometers long) The largest Lake: Lough NeaghThe longest rivers in the UK by country are:England: River Thames (215 mi, 346km) Scotland: River Tay (117mi,188km) N. Ireland: River Bann (76mi,122km) Wales: River Tywi (64mi,103km)Rivers and LakesThe largest lakes in the UK by country are:N. Ireland: Lough Neagh (147.39sqmi, 381.74km) (内伊湖)Scotland: Loch Lomond (27.46sqmi, 71.12km) (罗蒙湖)England: Windermere (5.69sqmi, 14.74km) (温德米尔湖 )Wales: Liyn Tegid (Bala Lake) (1.87sq mi, 4.84 km)The deepest lake in the UK is Loch Morar with a maximum depth of 309meters ( Loch Ness is second at 228meters deep). ClimateMain characteristics:temperate climate, with plentiful rainfall all year round. Temperature:The temperature varies with the seasons but seldom drops below 10C(14.0F) or rises above 35C (95F). Three major features: Winter fog Rainy days Instability/changeability General Knowledge of the UKThe Union Flag The Union Flag, popularly known as the Union Jack, symbolizes the union of the countries of the UK. It is made up of the individual flags of three countries in the Kingdom. CountriesCountries within a Country - The United KingdomEngland- The capital is London. Scotland - The capital is Edinburgh . Wales - The capital is Cardiff. Northern Ireland - The capital is Belfast. EnglandEngland is a country in the UK and occupies most of the southern two thirds of Great Britain. The total area:130,410 sq km (50, 352 sq mi). Nearly 84% of the population of the UK lives in EnglandEmblems of EnglandEngland St. George and the Rose The national flower of England is the rose. The flower has been adopted as Englands emblem since the time of the Wars of the Roses - civil wars (1455-1485) between the royal house of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and the royal house of York (whose emblem was a white rose).Saint George Slaying the DragonLondonThe capital of England and of UKThe political center of the CommonwealthA major portThe strongest performing economic area in BritainEuropes largest cityPopulation under 8 million 1,610 square kilometersTower Bridge Buckingham PalaceSt Pauls Cathedral Changing the Guard at Buckingham PalaceChanging of the Guard at Horse Guard Parade, WhitehallWestminster AbbeyThe Tower of LondonThe London EyeBlack Cab and Red BusShakespeares Globe Theatre and Exhibition Hyde ParkBritish Museum Scotland Scotland is in north-west Europe and is part of Great Britain, an island country. Scotland is a mountainous country in the north of the island of Great Britain and shares a land border to the south with England and is bounded by the North Sea on the east and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. Its capital city is Edinburgh. EdinburghCapital of Scotland, administrative, financial, legal, medical and insurance center of Scotland, beautiful scenery, renowned architecture, Landmarks & Symbols of EdinburghWalesa mountainous country on the western side of Great Britain, bordered by England to the east, the Bristol Channel to the south, St. Georges Channel in the west, and the Irish Sea to the north. Technically, Wales is a principality. This means that it is ruled by a prince. Traditionally the Prince of Wales is the eldest son of the English monarch. Wales has not been politically independent since 1282, when it was conquered by King Edward I of England. Until 1999, Wales was ruled directly from London; that year saw the first elections to the National Assembly of Wales, which has limited domestic powers and cannot make law. Wales does not issue its own currency and is not in control of any armed forces. These are the powers of the national government of the UK. Cardiff Europes youngest capital city, has been the capital city of Wales for around 50 years, home to an enormous amount of urban regeneration and restoration, has recently become one of the most fashionable cities in the United Kingdom.Emblems of WalesWales St. David and the Daffodil The national flower of Wales is the daffodil(水仙花) , which is traditionally worn on St. Davids Day. The vegetable called leek is also considered to be a traditional emblem of Wales. Saint DavidSaint David (c. 500589) (Welsh: Dewi Sant) was a Welsh Bishop during the 6th century; he was later regarded as a saint and as the patron saint of Wales. David was a native of Wales, and a relatively large amount of information is known about his life. However, his birth date is still uncertain, as suggestions range from 462 to 512. Northern Irelandin the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km), about a sixth of the islands total area.the second most sparsely populated part of the UK after Scotland, with 317 people per square mile (122 per square kilometre). 1927 - The current name of the UK, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adoptedEmblems of Northern IrelandSt. PatrickFamous People of Northern IrelandC S Lewis 1898-1963 WriterKenneth Branagh 1960- Actor and film directorJames Nesbitt 1965- ActorWilliam Burke 1792-1829 Grave robber and murdererGeorge Best 1946-2005 FootballerJames Galway 1939- MusicianCities, Religions and Languages1. Major CitiesBirminghama city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands. the UKs second city. the workshop of the world in Industrial Revolution city of a thousand trades. ManchesterIn North West Englandhistorically notable for being the worlds first industrialized cityThe city, heralded as the Capital of the North, is a centre of the arts, the media, higher education and commerce, Englands second city. Liverpoolin North West Englandthe home of probably the greatest football team in the world L.F.C, 5 times winners of the Champions league. ReligionsThe official religion of England is Christianity, as practised by the Church of England (Anglican).(国教) LanguagesIn Britain, the main language is English (British English). It is not the same as American or Australian English. Hi mate is not the correct and appreciated way to approach someone in the street. Neither is Gday, Howdy or Hey Mister. The formal British way to greet someone is Good morning, good afternoon or good evening and, if you want to ask something, Excuse me please. Interesting FactsThe English language is a West Germanic language, originating from England. Over fifty percent of the English language is derived from Latin English is the third most common first language (native speakers), with around 402 million people in 2002. British History.The Founding of the Nation1. Prehistoric Britain Brief IntroductionThe first men and women came to Britain over two and a half million years ago. They were hunters and gatherers of food who used simple stone tools and weapons.Key fact-Stonehenge (the most important prehistoric monument in England)Stonehenge2. Roman Britain (55BC-410AD) Key FactsThe Romans were the first to invade Britain and came to Britain nearly 2000 years ago. They changed the country. The Roman Empire made its mark on Britain, and even today, the ruins of Roman buildings, forts, roads, and baths can be found all over Britain.Britain was part of the Roman Empire for almost 400 years!By the time the Roman armies left around 410 AD, they had established medical practice, a language of administration and law and had created great public buildings and roads. Many English words are derived from the latin language of the Romans. Time and Duration （55BC to 410 AD） First invasion - Caesars first raidIn August 55 B.C. (55 years before Jesus was born) the Roman general, Emperor Julius Caesar invaded Britain. He took with him two Roman Legions(罗马军团). After winning several battles against the Celtic tribes (Britons) in south-east England he returned to France. Time and DurationSecond invasion - Caesars second raidThe following summer (in 54 B.C.) Caesar came to Britain again landing at Walmer near Deal in Kent. This time he brought with him no fewer than five legions (30,000 foot soldiers) and 2,000 cavalrymen (horse riders). This time the Romans crossed the River Thames. After more fighting, the British tribes promised to pay tribute to Rome and were then left in peace for nearly a century.Time and DurationThird and final invasionNearly one hundred years later, in 43 A.D. (43 years after Jesus was born), Emperor Claudius organised the final and successful Roman invasion of Britain. General Aulus Plautius（奥鲁斯普劳提乌斯是古罗马第世纪中期的政治家。 他带领罗马军征服了不列颠，公元43年，成为第一任的总督，从公元43至47在位。） led four legions with 25,000 men, plus an equal number of auxiliary soldiers. They crossed the Channel in three divisions, landing at Richborough(里奇伯勒 ), Dover(多佛 ), and Lympne(利姆).The Influence of Roman InvasionLanguageThe language we used today was developed from the Romans. The Romans spoke and wrote in Latin and many of our words are based on Latin words. The Calendar (儒略历 ) Did you know that the calendar we use today is more than 2,000 years old? It was started by Julius Caesar, a Roman ruler. It is based on the movement of the earth around the sun, and so is called the solar calendar. The solar calendar has 365 days a year, and 366 days every leap year, or every fourth year. The names of our months are taken from the names of Roman gods and rulers. The month July, in fact, is named after Julius Caesar himself! Laws and a legal systemThe laws and ways we determine what to do with someone who is accused of breaking a law came originally from the Roman Empire. 3. Anglo-Saxon Britain BackgroundThe Roman army left Britain about AD 410. When they had gone there was no strong army to defend Britain, and tribes called the Angle, Saxon, and Jute (the Anglo-Saxons) invaded. They left their homelands in northern Germany, Denmark and northern Holland and rowed across the North Sea in wooden boats. Questions of Anglo-SaxonWho were the Anglo-Saxons?The Angle, Saxon, and Jute are known as the Anglo-Saxons. The Angles and the Saxon tribes were the largest of the three attacking tribes and so we often know them as Anglo-Saxons. They shared the same language but were each ruled by different strong warriors. Reasons for InvasionHistorians are not sure why the Anglo-Saxons came to Britain. Some sources say that the Saxon warriors were invited to come, to the area now know as England, to help keep out invaders from Scotland and Ireland. Another reason for coming may have been because their land often flooded and it was difficult to grow crops, so they were looking for new places to settle down and farm.The Influence of InvasionEnglish (language of the Angles)dominant languageRoman Christianity -page14 The early Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity. (St. Augustine brings Christianity to Britain from Rome and becomes Archbishop of Canterbury in 601.)4. Viking Britain(739-1066)the Vikings (from the Scandinavian countries: Norway, Denmark and Sweden)By the middle of 9th century the Viking and the Danes were posing a threat to the Saxon kingdom of WessexWhere did the Vikings come from?Why did the Vikings invade Britain?Most Vikings who sailed overseas were simply searching for better land for their farms. Their land was not very good for farming. Norway was very hilly, Sweden was covered in forests, and Denmark had a lot of sandy home land. Alfred the Great and DanelawRather than face defeat, Alfred the Great, king of Wessex, paid the Vikings (Danes) to leave his kingdom alone. He bought just five years of peace. In that time the Vikings took over one third of England. Then they returned to take Wessex. Alfred fought and defeated the Vikings and their leader, King Guthrum, asked for peace. The Vikings settled peacefully in an area of Britain which became known as Danelaw Contributions of Alfred the Great He issued “The Laws of Alfred” which later become the foundation of the British common lawHe reorganized the Saxon army. He translated a Latin book into English. He also established schools and formulated a legal system. He founded a strong fleet and is known as “ the father of the British navy”.He is regarded as “the Father of the England (Pater Patriae )”5. The Middle Ages - Medieval Britain (Normans) (1066 - 1485) The Middle Ages in Britain cover a huge period. They take us from the shock of the Norman Conquest, which began in 1066, to the devastating Black Death of 1348, the Hundred Years War with France and the War of the Roses, which finally ended in 1485. The Normans built impressive castles, imposed a feudal system and carried out a census of the country. Who were the Normans?The Normans were people who lived in Normandy in Northern France. They were originally Vikings from Scandinavia. (The name Normandy comes from the French normand, meaning Norsemen and Normans) Reasons for Invasion Reasons for Williams invasion of England after Edwards death. It was said that king Edward had promised the English throne to William, but the Witan chose Harold as king. So William led his army to invade England. In October 1066, during the important battle of Hastings, William defeated Harold and killed him. One Christmas Day, William was crowned king of England, thus beginning the Norman Conquest of England.William Duke Of Normandy,King of EnglandIn 1067, William started building the Tower of London, the great fortress which demonstrated his power and dominated the city of London. The Norman Conquest and its consequencesUnder William, the feudal system in England was completely established. According to this system, the King owned all the land personally. Norman French culture, language, manners and architecture were introduced. The Church was brought into closer connection with Rome, and the church courts were separated from the civil courts. (教会法庭与世俗法庭).SignificanceThe Norman Conquest in 1066 was one of the most profound turning points in English history, dramatically transforming a disparate collection of small nations into a powerful European state.The Magna Carta (Great Charter)Magna Carta was the first document forced onto an English King by a group of his subjects, the feudal barons, in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their privileges. It consists of sixty-three clauses. Its important provisions are as follows：（1） no tax should be made without the approval of the Grand Council；（2） no freemen should be arrested, imprisoned or deprived of their property； （3） the Church should possess all its rights， together with freedom of elections； （4） London and other towns should retain their traditional rights and privileges， and（5） there should be the same weights and measures throughout the country. Although The Great Charter has long been popularly regarded as the foundation of English liberties, it was a statement of the feudal and legal relationships between the Crown and the barons， a guarantee of the freedom of the Church and a limitation of the powers of the king. The spirit of the Great Charter was the limitation of the powers of the king， keeping them within the bounds of the feudal law of the land.Hundred Years War (13371453)As the French kings grew stronger, they were eager to regain their large piece of land of Aquitaine which had long been occupied by the English. In 1337, Edward III declared a war that was to last for a hundred years. The English were brilliantly successful till 1422. Encouraged by Joan of Arc, the national heroine, the French drove the English out of France. a series of wars fought between England and France over trade, territory, security and the throne Consequencepromoted the concept of English nationalism. promoted the development of the textile industryraised the social position of the bourgeois class.The Black Death (Bubonic Plague)A deadly epidemic disease spread by rat fleas across Europe in the 14th century. It swept through England in the summer of 1348. It reduced Englands population from four million to two millio