I.General Introduction 1
1.1 Geography and People 1
1.2 The Environment 5
1.3 The People of Britain 9
II.History 18
2.1 Origin of the English Nation 18
2.1.1 The Native Celts and the Anglo-Saxon Conquest 18
2.1.2 The Norman Conquest 21
2.2 The Great Charter and Beginning of Parliament 23
2.2.1 The Great Charter 23
2.2.2 Beginning of Parliament 24
2.3 Feudalism in England 25
2.3.1 The Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) 25
2.3.2 The Black Death (1348-1349) 26
2.3.3 The Peasant Uprising (1381) 28
2.3.4 The Wars of the Roses (1455-1485) 29
2.4 The Bourgeois Revolution 30
2.4.1 James I (1603-1625) and the Parliament 31
2.4.2 Charles I (1625-1649) 34
2.4.3 The Short Parliament and the Long Parliament 34
2.4.4 The Civil Wars 37
2.4.5 Cromwell as Lord Protector 41
2.4.6 Restoration (1660) 41
2.5 The Industrial Revolution and the Chartist Movement 44
2.5.1 Background of the Industrial Revolution 44
2.5.2 Process of the Industrial Revolution 45
2.5.3 Effect of the Industrial Revolution 46
2.5.4 The Chartist Movement (1836-1848) 47
2.5.5 Queen Victoria and Her Time 49
2.6 The Rise and Fall of the British Empire 51
2.6.1 Effects of Two World Wars 51
2.6.2 Decline of the Empire 52
III.Government, Parliament and the Legal System 56
3.1 Government 56
3.2 Parliament 58
3.3 Legal System 60
3.4 Three Legal Systems 62
3.4.1 English Law 62
3.4.2 Northern Irish Legal System 63
3.4.3 Scots Law 64
IV.Society and Economy 66
4.1 Social Class 66
4.2 The Changing Family 70
4.3 Social Welfare 72
4.4 The Structure of the Economy 75
4.5 Britain in the International System 84
V.Culture and Education 87
5.1 Culture 87
5.1.1 The Identity of Britain 88
5.1.2 The Arts 90
5.1.3 Sports and Leisure 95
5.1.4 Religion 98
5.2 Education 101
5.2.1 Types of Schools 101
5.2.2 Higher Education and Universities 111
5.2.3 Oxbridge 115
VI.Characteristics of Its English 120
6.1 Old English (450-1150) 121
6.2 Middle English (1151-1500) 123
6.3 Modern English (1501-) 126
6.4 Characteristics of British English and Its Future 127
VII.Customs and Holidays 130
7.1 Customs 130
7.1.1 Marriage and Family 130
7.1.2 Eating 131
7.1.3 Socializing 132
7.1.4 Recreation 133
7.2 Festivals and Special Days 134
7.2.1 Straw Bear Festival 134
7.2.2 Haxey Hood-q5 January 135
7.2.3 Maypole Dancing 136
7.2.4 Sweeps Festival 137
7.2.5 Tar Barrel Burning 137
7.2.6 Up-Helly-Aa 137
7.2.7 Hurling the Silver Ball 138
7.2.8 Bread and Cheese Throwing (Whit Sunday Evening) 138
7.2.9 Blessing the Throats Ceremony 138
7.2.10 Bottle Kicking and Hare Pie Scramble 139
7.2.11 Bacup Nutters Dance 139
7.2.12 Clowns in Church 140
7.2.13 Turning the Devils Stone 142
7.2.14 New Year's Day 142
7.2.15 The Door Custom 143
7.2.16 NewYear Superstition 144
7.2.17 Valentine's Day 144
7.2.18 St.David's Day 146
7.2.19 St.Patrick's Day 147
7.2.20 Pancake Day 147
7.2.21 Mothering Sunday (Mother's Day) 148
7.2.22 Easter 148
7.2.23 April Fools' Day 149
7.2.23 St.George's Day 150
7.2.24 May Day 151
7.2.25 Trooping the Colour 151
7.2.27 Swan Upping on the Thames 152
7.2.28 Harvest Festival 153
7.2.29 Halloween 154
7.2.30 Bonfire Night 157
7.2.31 Remembrance Day 158
7.2.32 St.Andrew's Day 160
7.2.33 Christmas 161
7.2.34 Boxing Day 163
References 165
Postscript 166
