《英美国家概况（英文版）（第三版）》全套教学课件

ASurveyoftheUK&theUSAchapter1geographyoftheUKchapter2historyoftheUKchapter3politicsoftheUKchapter4economyoftheUKchapter5educationoftheUKchapter6societyoftheUKchapter7geographyoftheUSAchapter8historyoftheUSAchapter9politicsoftheUSAchapter10economyoftheUSAchapter11educationintheUSAchapter12societyoftheUSA全套可编辑PPT课件

ContentsChapter5&6Chapter1&2Chapter9&10Chapter7&8Chapter3&4Chapter11&12

Chapter1:TheUnitedkingdomof

GreatBritainandNorthernIreland8/17/2026

ThelocationofUK

ThemountainsandriversofUKTheweatherofUKEnglish-languageTheBritishpeopleidentifythedifferentpartsofUK

explainhowthegeographyinfluencespeople’s

life

describethelocationofUK

InfluenceonthelanguageandculturesillustratewhyEnglishmen

liketalkingaboutweatherOBJECTIVES8/17/2026

Quotation

WhenpeoplesayEngland,theysometimesmeanGreatBritain,sometimestheUnitedKingdom,sometimestheBritishIsles-butneverEngland.

HowtobeanAlien'byGeorgeMikes8/17/20268/17/2026WhenwementiontheUK,Whatimpressesyoumost?8/17/2026starterTheUKisan_______country.TheUKislocatedinthe___________Europe.TheUKislandnorthwestern8/17/2026TheUKiscountryofislandsurroundedby__________(toitseast),_____________(toitsnorth)

_______________(toitswestandbetweenGreatBritainandIreland),_____________(toitssouth).

NorthseaIrishseaAtlanticoceanEnglishChannelandStraitofDover8/17/2026TheEnglishChannel（英吉利海峡）TheStraitofDover（多佛尔海峡）8/17/2026EurostargoesacrossEnglishchanneltunnel8/17/2026ComplicatedName

全称：TheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland

全称的缩略：TheUnitedKingdomorTheUK

简称：Britain

代称：England8/17/2026TheUKismadeupofGreatBritain(theformerlyseparaterealmsofEnglandandScotland,andtheprincipalityofWales.)NorthernIreland(alsoknownasUlster)NumeroussmallerislandsincludingtheIsleofWight,Anglesey,andtheScilly,Orkney,Shetland,andHebrideanarchipelagos.8/17/2026

BritishIsles,theUK,GreatBritain,Scotland,England,orWales?123456TheUKScotlandGreatBritainEnglandBritishIslesWales8/17/2026AreaandpopulationArea:244,820sqkmPopulation:60.6million

Highlyurbanized:80%livingincitiesand20%livinginthecountrysideThemostdenselypopulatedarea:England

Theleastpopulatedarea:NorthernIreland8/17/2026

ThethreenationalsymbolsofEngland

London

EnglandNearly84%ofthepopulationoftheUKlivesinEngland

EnglandisthebiggestcountryinBritain,andboaststhelargestcityinEurope-London.

8/17/2026threenationalsymbolstheSt.George'scross(usuallyseenasaflag)

theredrosetheThreeLionscrest(usuallyseenasabadge)8/17/2026Capitalcity---LondonLondonisinthe________ofthenationandissituatedonthe________Rivernearitsmouth.伦敦伦敦泰晤士河SoutheastThames8/17/2026

hauntinghistoryFriendlypeopleStunningcitiesbreathtakingsceneryScotlandisfamousfor8/17/2026ScotlandisamountainouscountryinthenorthoftheislandofGreatBritainandsharesalandbordertothesouthwithEnglandandisboundedbytheNorthSeaontheeastandtheAtlanticOceanonthewest.ItscapitalcityisEdinburgh.8/17/2026

WalesWelsh

thelandofcastles

borderedbyEnglandontheeast

acountrywithacolorfulhistoryandspectacularlandscapes641fortress-moreperheadthananywhereelseoneoftheoldestlanguagesintheworld8/17/2026

theDaffodil8/17/2026SkillBuilderWhydoesn'ttheWelshdragonappearontheUnionFlag?Whatwoulditlooklikeifitdid?8/17/2026

theRepublicofIreland,orEireTheUKtheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandIrelandNorthernIrelandThesouthernpartoftheislandin1927

theUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIrelandin1921.Britainkeptthesixcountiesinthenorth-eastofIreland

NorthernIrelandIn1801thewholeofIrelandbecamepartoftheUnitedKingdom8/17/2026theShamrock8/17/2026

ThelongestriverintheUK:

RiverSevernNEWSEVERNBRIDGE:

thelongestbridgeintheUK,connectingWalesandEngland

8/17/2026AnimportantriverinBritain

RiverThames

thesecondlongestbestknownforflowingthroughcentralLondonaspecialappealtowriters,artists,musiciansandfilm-makersmanyriversideattractions:LondonEye,TowerofLondon,HouseofParliament,etc.8/17/2026

morerainydayslesssunnyweather

climate

instabilityorchangeability

morefog

Londonusedtohavefogandsmoginwinter

Alltheseasonsareveryvariable

Insomeplacesthereareover260rainydays,oftenonlyshowersanddrizzles.That’swhyEnglishpeopleoftenhavetheirumbrellaswiththemwhentheygoout.8/17/2026ThepeopleWheredidtheBritishpeoplecomefrom?TheoriginoftheBritishpeopleisatableofinvasions.ThatistosaytheBritishpeopleareamixtureofmanydifferentraces,andalltheseracesinvadedBritainatvarioustimesfromEurope.8/17/2026InvaderContributionIberians?CeltsGaelsScottishandIrishraceandcultureBritonsWelshraceandcultureRomansLatinalphabetandcivilizationAnglo-SaxonsEnglishraceandlanguageDanesSomepeculiaritiesofdialectinNorthandEastEnglandNormans(French-speaking)FinalunificationofEngland.Greatadministrativeprogress.EnglishcivilizationpermanentlylinkedtoFranceratherthantoScandinavia.Foundationofaristocracy.ThePeople

8/17/2026

EnglandandWalesPublishEnglandandScotlandKingdomofGreatBritainUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandIreland1543160617071801UnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland19218/17/2026ThestoryofmakingtheUK1)EnglandandWales

1543---EnglandandWaleswereunitedasonecountry.Sincethen,Waleswasrecognizedasaprincipalityandruleddirectlyby“princeofWales”,whowastheeldestsonofEnglishking2)EnglandandScotland1603–kingdomEnglandandkingdomScotlandsharedthesameking.KingJamesVIofScotlandbecamealsoJamesIofEngland

1606--ScotswereofficiallycalledEnglishcitizens.8/17/20263)KingdomofGreatBritain1707--theActofUnion:Scotlandbecamepartofthenewcountry4)UnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandIreland

1801--asecondActofUnion:kingdomIrelandbecamepartofthenewcountry5)UnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland1921--southernIrelandbecameanindependentcountry:theRepublicofIreland

ThankYou!ASurveyoftheUK&theUSA

Chapter2:historyoftheUnitedKingdom8/17/2026

ageneralideaaboutthehistorymajorstages

greatfigures

lessonlearningfromthehistory

learnaboutthemajorstagesandgreatfigures

illustratetheinfluenceofBritishhistory

acquireageneralideaaboutthehistory

findouttheinfluenceonthebusinesscultureandactivities

OBJECTIVES8/17/2026

Quotation

Historyisnotonlyavaluablepartofknowledge,butopensthedoortomanyotherparts,andaffordsmaterialstomostofthesciences.

-----OftheStudyofHistorybyDavidHume8/17/2026WhenwementionthehistoryoftheUK,Whatimpressesyoumost?

Iberians&theCelticInvasionCeltsSaxons

DanesRomanNormansIberians

TheBritishIsleswereinvadedbymigratorytribesandpirateslandingalongtheflatsouthernandeasterncoastlines.

TheseIberiantribesinhabitedGreatBritainduringtheStoneandBronzeAge.IberianswereadarkhairedMediterraneanrace.CeltsorBritonswereaprimitivepeople,whohavebeentakenastheEnglishnatives.Stonehenge

JuliusCesarIn55B.C.,BritainwasinvadedbyJuliusCesar,theRomanconqueror,whodrovemanyofthenativeCeltstomountainousScotlandandWales.Theybuilttowns,temples,theatresandfinebuildings

InsouthernBritain,theRomanfirstbuiltcities,includingLondon.Romancivilizationwasbasedoncitylifeinhundredsofwalledtownslinkedbymilitaryroads.

theinfluenceonRomanconquest

Romanroadsweremarvelsofengineering.

theRomansbroughtChristianteachinginBritain.LatinAlphabetisanothercontribution.

theinfluenceonRomanconquest

TheAnglo-SaxonConquest(300-1020A.D.)

theAnglestheSaxonstheJutes

theyformthebasisofthemodernEnglishrace.

ThecountrywascalledAngle-land,andthelanguagewasOldEnglish.ModernEnglishhasdescendeddirectlyfromit.Germanictribes

theRomans,andtheGermanicpeoples,whichwecalltheSaxons

KingAlfredtheGreat(849-901)

KingAlfredtheGreat(849-901)succeededindrivingtheDanesoffwithforce.TheSaxonking,AlfredtheGreat,alsoknownas“FatheroftheBritishNavy”,graduallypushedtheVikingsnorthwardsandeventuallyintothesea.Alfred’sstatuecanstillbeseeninWinchester(Hampshire),hisoldcapital.ButafterhisdeaththeDanesonceagainoccupiedthecountryin1013,andhelditfor30years.TheNormanConquestandtheMiddleAges

KingAlfredtheGreat(849-901)

TheNormanConquestandtheMiddleAges

KingAlfredtheGreat(849-901)

In1066,theFrench-SpeakingNormans,undertheleadershipofDukeWilliamcameintoEnglandandWilliamwascrowedasKingofEngland.ItwascalledtheNormanConquest.AndtheNormanConquestmarkedtheestablishmentsoffeudalisminEngland.TheNormanConquestandtheMiddleAges

ThefeaturesofthefeudalsocietydistinctdivisionintoclassesRulingclassPayrentlandlordsandpeasants,Noblemen,Knights,bishops,archbishops,abbotsbelongedtotherulingclasswhoheldmostofthelandpaidrenttothosegentlefolksingrain,serviceorcash,withlittlelefttosustain.

MiddleAgechurchThePopeinRomewhocouldalwaysinspirethefearofeternaldamnationbyexpellingfromtheChurchakingorevenawholenation,wieldedgreatpoliticalpoweroverthewholeofWesternEurope.MagnaCartaMagnaCarta(‘GreatCharter’)bywhichhepromisedtorecognizetheirrights,anditwasonlywiththePope’shelp.TheMagnaCartaisnowintheBritishMuseum,London.

Hundredwar

AllthekingsofthisperiodspokeFrenchastheirmothertongue,andhadclosefamilyconnectionsandinsomecasesextensiveterritoriesinFranceitself.DisputesbetweenEnglandandFrancewerecommon.

ItwasfoughtentirelyinFrance,whereEnglishbowmendefeatedtheheavily,andthewholeofFranceverynearlyfellintoEnglishhands.thebravegirlJoanofArc,theFrenchdrovetheEnglishfromtheircountry.BackgroundProcessTheinventionofprintingmadebooksmucheasiertoproduceandthereforemuchcheaper,sothatideascouldspreadquickly.ItwastheageofthegreatvoyagesofdiscoverybymenlikeColumbusandVascodaGama,begantheimperialistexpansion‘Protestant’churchessprangupinNorthernEuropeinoppositiontotheestablishedRomanCatholicChurch

theinfluenceinthemiddleage

TheinventionGreatvoyagesfreedomofthought

EnglishChurchVSRomanCatholicChurch

HenryVIIIHenrydeclaredhimwastheheadoftheChurchinEngland;inotherwordstheEnglishChurchhadbrokenawayfromthecentralorganizationofChristianityMary,adevoutCatholic,hadsomanyProtestantsburnttodeath,thatsheisrememberedlessbyherofficialtitleMaryIthanbyhernicknameBloodyMary.theElizabethanage,whichremainsinEnglishmindsasanageofglory.MaryIElizabethHenryVIIIHenrydeclaredhimwastheheadoftheChurchinEngland;inotherwordstheEnglishChurchhadbrokenawayfromthecentralorganizationofChristianity

Thefirstisliterature,especiallytheliteratureofShakespeare,forthiswastheagewhenShakespearelivedandwhenEnglishliteratureblossomed.ForthefirsttimeEnglishshipsbegantoexploretheworldandtradewithdistantcountries.TheysooncameintoconflictwiththemightofSpainwhohadestablishedarichempireintheAmericas.SeafightsbetweenSpanishandEnglishshipswerefrequent,andastonishingly,theEnglishwerethemoreaggressiveandthemoresuccessful.ThefirstisliteratureThesecondisadventureonthesea.theElizabethanage

CivilWarReason:"DivineRight"broughtJamesStuartintoconflictwiththeEnglishParliament.CromwelldissolvedparliamentandstartedEngland‘sonlyperiodofdictatorship.Cromwell‘sfailuretoputinplaceaworkablealternativetothemonarchyBy1645CromwellwonthedecisiveBattleofNaseby.Result

DuringthewholeoftheeighteenthcenturyitwasFrance,withwhichEnglandwascontinuallyatwar,notonlyinCanadaandIndia,wheretheywererivalimperialists.Theperiodbeganandendedwithfamousvictories.ThelastwastheBattleofWaterloo,wonbytheDukeofWellingtonoverthegreatNapoleon.EquallyfamousisthegreatnavalvictoryoverNapoleon’sfleetwonbyLordNelson—theBattleofTrafalgar.

ThefirstwastheBattleofBlenheim,wonbytheDukeofMarlborough.InrewardhewasgiventhemagnificentpalaceofBlenheimnearOxford.victoriesmadeBritaintheforemostcolonialandcommercialpowerintheworld.

thenineteenthcenturyAllthesetremendouschangeswillhelpyoutograspsomethingoftheatmosphereofVictorianismarailwaynetwork‘Rocket’,graduallyreplacingtheoldstage-coach

TelegraphyThePennyPostThesteamengine12345Industrialrevolution瓦特的蒸汽机珍妮纺纱机IndustrialRevolution17801830工业革命TradewiththeeastSlavetradeSlavetradeMoney

资本Manpower

劳动力Thefallof“TheSunNeverSet”出程中程归程

Theworkingclassessettleddowntoaperiodofreasonablestability.Thefamilyvirtueswereapartofreligion.AbookcalledOriginofSpecies,writtenbyCharlesDarwinQueenVictoria(1837–1901)

welleducatedconsciousoftheirinferiorpositioneagertoclaimtheirrightsinfull

TherecentlyformedLaborPartygrewrapidlyinstrength.Thedoctrineofsocialismbecamewidespread.Seriousstrikesoccurred.Theclasswason.Theworkingclasses

Therewasthefamous‘suffragette’movement,notsimplyapoliticalcampaignbutaprofoundrevoltagainstaninferiorstatus.Thewomenwokeup

TheTwentiethCentury

thefirstworldwarThewarlastedforfouryears,endedbytheTreatyofVersailles,imposedonGermany,formalizingtheAlliedvictory.the“CentralPowers”—GermanyandAustria-HungaryThe“Allies”—Britain,FranceandRussiaAtthebeginningofthe20thcentury,France,GermanyandAmericawerebecomingpowerfulcompetitorsforworldmarket.Thecausesoftheoutbreakwereextremelycomplicated,butitcanperhapsbecomparedtoaflightbetweentwopeoplewhichquicklyinvolvesthefriendsofeach,untilitbecomesfarbiggerthananyoneintended

WWI

TheprocessofWWIIOnceagaintheGermansinvadedFrance,andthistimewithinafewweeksFrancewasconquered,HitlerplannedtoinvadeBritain.1the‘BattleofBritain’waswonandtheplannedinvasionabandoned.2OnthecontinentofEurope,Hitlerwassuccessfuleverywhereuntilhemadethemistakeofattackingagiant:Russia

3Japantreacherouslyattackedanothergiant:America.

4

TheprocessofWWIIMussoliniinItalyandHitlerinGermanywerebothfascists,thatledEuropeintotheWWII(1939-45),onlytwentyyearsaftertheendofthefirst.Atthebeginningof1945theywerepouringintoGermanyitself.GermanysurrenderedinMay,JapansurrenderedinAugustafterbeinghitbytwoatomicbombs.GermanyandJapanFranceandItaly

RussiaandAmericaBritainandChinaMargaretThatcher

——Britain'sfirstfemaleprimeminister

MargaretThatcherAnywomanwhounderstandstheproblemsofrunningahomewillbenearertounderstandingtheproblemsofrunningacountry.

-MargaretThatcher

IronLadyInthe1979Generalelection,theConservativescametopowerandThatcherbecameprimeminister.In1979Inthe1987generalelection,Thatcherwonanunprecedentedthirdterminoffice.In1987InNovember1990,sheagreedtoresignandwassucceededaspartyleaderandprimeministerbyJohnMajor.

In1990SheisthefirstfemaleprimeministerinBritishhistorytheBritish20thcentury'slongest-servingheadofgovernment.PresidentReaganandPrimeMinisterThatchertalkonthepatiooutsidetheOvalOffice.

HadfourvisittoChina，BritishPrimeMinisterMargaretThatcherandChairmanDengXiaopingsignedtheJointDeclarationontheFutureofHongKongonbehalfoftheirtwoGovernmentsin19December1984

InthehistoryoftheLabourParty,heasthePrimeMinisterforthelongesttime.andheistheonlyonewholeadsthispartywonthreeelections.In1994，hewaselectedtotheleaderoftheLabourParty.Andheistheyoungestleaderintheparty’shistory.HeisthefirstPrimeMinisterwhohavechildreninthe20thcentury‘sUK.

TonyBlair

In2007,hewaselectedtothePrimeMinister.GordonBrownasChancellorfortenyears,heassistedBlairtoputoutagreatdealofreformmeasuresandobtainedthegoodresult.

JamesGordonBrown

In2005，hebecametheleaderoftheConservativeParty.Hewasonly39yearsold.In2008，hewasonthecoveroftheTimes.In2010，hewastheyoungestPrimeMinisterinthepast1812years’history.Hewasonly42yearsold.

DavidCameronInNovember9th,2010,hevisitedChinawithfourcabinetministersandabout50businessleaders.Thisdelegationwascalledthemostluxuriousoneinthehistory.

TheresaMaryMay(bornOctober1st，1956)isaBritishpoliticianservingasthecurrentPrimeMinisteroftheUnitedKingdomandLeaderoftheConservativePartysince2016.SheservedasHomeSecretaryfrom2010to2016.MaywaselectedMemberofParliament(MP)forMaidenheadin1997.Ideologically,sheidentifiesherselfasaone-nationconservative.

TheresaMaryMay

BorisJohnsonhaswontheUnitedKingdom'sleadershipelection92,153votesto46,656,becomingprimeministerandleaderoftherulingConservativeParty.

BorisJohnson

BritishForeignSecretaryLizTrusswontherulingConservativeParty’sleadershipcontestMondayandwillreplaceBorisJohnsonasthecountry’snewprimeminister.LizTruss

RishiSunak,formerchancelloroftheexchequeroftheUnitedKingdom(UK),onMondaywontherulingConservativeParty’sleadershipcontest.HewillreplaceLizTrussasthecountry’snewprimeminister.Sunak,42,isthefirstpersonofIndianorigintobecomeUKprimeminister.RishiSunak

ThankYou!ASurveyoftheUK&theUSAChapter3:PoliticalSystemoftheUKOBJECTIVESAgeneralideaaboutthepoliticalsystemThebasicinformationofmajorpoliticalpartiesThefunctionsofthestateleadersandpartyleadersTheflagoftheUKToacquirethepartysystemintheUKToillustratehowthepartysysteminfluencetheworldToknowtheflagoftheUKTodistinguishthenatureandfeatureoftwoparties8/17/2026

Quotation

Goodorderisthefoundationofallthings

--E.Burke,BritishstatesmanSTARTER1.HenryIIwasthefirstkingofthe_

_dynasty.

A.Windsor

B.Tudor

C.Malcolm

D.Plantagenet2.TheHouseofLordsispresidedoverby__.

A.theLordChancellor

B.theQueen

C.theArchbishopofCanterbury

D.thePrimeMinister

DA3.DuringtheCivilWar,theCavalierssupported

,whiletheRoundheadssupported

.4.In1707,theActof

unitedEnglandand

.thekingtheParliamentUnionScotland

Introduction

TheUKisalong-establishedparliamentarydemocracywithaconstitutionalmonarchasheadofstate.Thedemocracyissustainedbyfreeelections,freedomofspeechandopenandequaltreatmentbeforethelaw.Inthischapter,youwillgettoknowageneralideaofthepoliticalsystemintheUK.FindoutthecountrythatisthesamepoliticalsystemastheUK,constitutionalmonarchy.HollandChinaTheUSABrazilThailandSaudiArabiaJapanKoreaDanmark

PoliticalSystemoftheUKSeparationofPower,BritishStyleTheBritishConstitution

TheTwoMainPartiesTheNationalFlagSummaryTheBasicStructureofUKCentralGovernment

There’sactuallynoseparationofpowerbetweentheexecutive,thelegislature,andthejudiciary.SeparationofPower,BritishStyle

Thisprincipleofdividingthefunctionsofgovernmentismeanttoensurethatthere’snoexcessiveuseorabuseofpowerbyanysmallgroupofpeople.三权分立SeparationofPower,BritishStyleThePMisanactivememberofthelegislative,yetalsotheleadingmemberoftheexecutive.TheLordChancellor(大法官)isamemberofthecabinetandthereforeoftheexecutiveaswellasbeingheadofthejudiciary.TheHouseofLordsalsohasarighttovoteonbillssothey’repartofthelegislativebuttheLordsalsocontainstheLawLords(司法贵族）whoareanimportantpartofthejudiciary.AswiththePM,themembersoftheCabinetarealsomembersofthelegislativewhohavetheright,asanMP,tovoteonissues.SeparationofPower

Legislature=ParliamentParliamentisthehighestlegislativeauthorityintheUK–theinstitutionresponsibleformakingandrepealing(废止)alltheUKlaws.It’salsoknownastheLegislature.

FunctionScrutinizegovernmentpolicy&administration.HearappealsinthehighestCourtofAppealinBritain;（TheHouseofLords)..Debatethemajorissuesoftheday.1.2.3.4.MakealltheUKlaws.Parliamentconsistsof3constituentpartsCrown(OfficialHead)HouseofLords(theUpperHouse)HouseofCommons(theLowerHouse)THINKINGWhat’sthemeaningof“parliament”?AplaceforargumentanddebatePalaceofWestminster

(HousesofParliament)theMonarch

theLords

theCommons

i.e.theKingorQueen

TheGovernmentofBritain

i.e.thehereditarynobilityi.e.theordinarypeople

ItistheQueenwhoapprovestheappointmentofMinistersandtheformationofacabinet;ItistheQueenwhosummonsParliamentandwhointroducesthenewsessionwithaspeechfromtheThroneinwhichshesummarisesthegovernment’sprogramme;

ItistheQueenwhogivesherassenttoBillsbeforetheybecomelaw,whoconcludestreatiesanddeclareswar,whomakesappointmentstoallofficesofStateandChurch,whodismissesParliamentwhenthegovernmenthasbeendefeatedorhasreachedtheendofitsterm,andwhochoosesanewPrimeMinister.

WhatthenistheuseofhavingaQueen?

SomeBritishpeoplewouldanswer,nouseatall.THINGKINGCRITICALLY

Whatisthesocialmeaningofhavingaqueen?Discussion

TheHouseofLordsRedChamberGreenChamberTheHouseofCommons

TheHouseofLordsTheLordswereoriginallytheKing’scounselorsorhisrepresentativesindifferentlocalitiesTheyowedtheirlandandtitlestotheKinghimself,eitherdirectlyorthroughfamilyinheritance.

Oncertainstateoccasionstheyallassembleintheirmagnificentrobes,withlittlecrownsontheirheads,inorderofrank;

theViscountsandViscountesses

theEarlsandCountesses

theMarquisesandMarchionesses

theDukesandDuchesses

TheHouseofLordstheBaronsandBaronesses

TheHouseofCommons

Thisiswheretherealpowerlies

MembersareelectedforamaximumperiodoffiveyearsIthasbecometrulyrepresentativeofthecommonpeople.

CRMSystemSKILLBUILDERWhatistherelationshipofbetweenthePrimeMinisterandtheLeaderoftheOpposition?

Between1066and1215thekingruledalone

IⅡⅢAthousandyearsage,beforetheNormanConquestin1066,theAngle-SaxonKingsconsultedtheGreatCouncil(asassemblyoftheleadingmenfromeachdistrict)beforetakingmajordecisions

TheBritishConstitutionThereisnowrittenconstitution

TheBillofRights(1689)wasthefirstlegalsteptowardsconstitutionalmonarchy.ThisBillpreventedthemonarchfrommakinglawsorraisinganarmywithoutParliament’sapproval.Since1689thepowerofParliamenthasgrownsteadily,andthepowerofthemonarchhasdeclinedtonothing.TheGreatReformBillof1832andtheSecondReformBillof1867enabledaverylargesectionofthepopulationtovoteforitsgovernment.Todayeverycitizenagedeighteenoroverhastherighttovote.

In1215,KingJohnsignedtheMagnaCarta,whichgavesomeofhispowerstothenobles.Inlatercenturiesthiswasseenasthefirstoccasiononwhichthekingwasforcedtotakeadvice.

In1264,thefirstparliamentofnoblesmettogether.SincethentheBritishConstitutionhasevolved,inotherwords,ithasgrownupslowly,asaresultofcountlessActsofParliament.

Therehavebeennoviolentchangesintheconstitutionsincethe‘bloodlessrevolution’of1688.Then,ParliamentinvitedWilliamandMarytobecomeBritain’sfirstconstitutionalmonarchs.AconstitutionalmonarchisonewhocanruleonlywiththesupportofParliament.

TheTwoMainPartiesInBritain,thepartyoftheRightistheConservativeParty.InBritain,thepartyoftheLeftistheLaborParty

relativelyrichandprivilegedmaintenanceoftheexistinginstitutionsasitspolicylast