Life in the UK

Everything, on one page

Every table in the course, open, in order. Nothing here asks you a question. For the night before, or for checking one thing without walking the road to reach it.

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The four nations

Countries and capitals

Country	Capital	Share of the UK
England	London	84%
Scotland	Edinburgh	just over 8%
Wales	Cardiff	5%
N. Ireland	Belfast	less than 3%
The UK	London

Patron saints

Country	Patron saint	Saint's day
England	Saint George	23 AprilSt George's Day; no longer a public holiday, still celebrated.
Scotland	Saint Andrew	30 NovemberSt Andrew's Day; an official holiday in Scotland, though not every business closes.
Wales	Saint David	1 MarchSt David's Day.
N. Ireland	Saint Patrick	17 MarchSt Patrick's Day; an official holiday in Northern Ireland.

Places in England

Place	Where
Stonehenge	WiltshireProbably a gathering place for seasonal ceremonies, not a settlement.
Maiden Castle	DorsetAn Iron Age hill fort you can still see today.
Sutton Hoo	SuffolkAn Anglo-Saxon king's grave, with his treasure, in a ship under a mound.
The Eden Project	CornwallGiant greenhouses in the south-west of England.
The Lake District	EnglandEngland's largest national park; Wastwater there was voted Britain's favourite view in 2007.
Big Ben	the Houses of Parliament in LondonThe nickname of the great bell of the clock, not the tower.
10 Downing Street	central LondonThe Prime Minister's official home, near the Houses of Parliament.
Hadrian's Wall	the north of EnglandBuilt by the Emperor Hadrian to keep out the Picts, the ancestors of the Scottish people.
Housesteads fort	Hadrian's WallOne of the wall's forts you can still walk to; the whole wall is a World Heritage Site.
Vindolanda fort	Hadrian's WallThe other fort on the wall that still stands.
The Danelaw	the east and north of EnglandWhere the Viking invaders settled and stayed; Grimsby and Scunthorpe are Viking names.
The statue of Boudicca	Westminster Bridge in LondonShe is still remembered: the statue stands near the Houses of Parliament.
The Globe Theatre	LondonIt recreates the Elizabethan theatres where Shakespeare's plays were first performed.
St Paul's Cathedral	LondonA great fire destroyed it, and the new St Paul's was designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
The Hindoostane Coffee House	George Street, LondonBritain's first curry house, opened by Sake Dean Mahomet in 1810.
The Nightingale Training School for nurses	St Thomas' Hospital, LondonThe first nursing school of its kind, founded by Florence Nightingale and still open today.
Nelson's Column	Trafalgar Square, LondonCommemorates Admiral Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
HMS Victory	PortsmouthAdmiral Nelson's ship, which can be visited in Portsmouth.
The site of the Great Exhibition of 1851	Hyde Park, LondonIt was held in the Crystal Palace, a huge building made of steel and glass.
Jodrell Bank	CheshireIts radio telescope was for many years the biggest in the world and still operates today.
The Royal Albert Hall	LondonOne of the venues of the Proms, an eight-week summer season of orchestral classical music.
The O2	Greenwich, south-east London
The National Gallery	London
Tate Modern	London
The White Tower	the Tower of LondonBuilt by William the Conqueror after 1066; the Crown Jewels are kept there.
The Royal Crescent	BathRobert Adam's ideas influenced architects in cities such as Bath, where it was built.
The Cenotaph	Whitehall
Hardwick Hall	Derbyshire
A famous celebration of Diwali	Leicester
The Aldeburgh festival	SuffolkComposer Benjamin Britten founded this festival, now internationally significant.
Dedham Vale	the Suffolk–Essex border in the east of EnglandJohn Constable is most famous for his paintings of Dedham Vale.
The Queen’s House	Greenwich
The Banqueting House	Whitehall
Kew Gardens	England
Sissinghurst	England
Hidcote	England
Wembley Stadium	London
The National Horseracing Museum	Newmarket, Suffolk
Cowes	the Isle of Wight
Land’s End	EnglandThe far south-west tip of the mainland.
The execution of Anne Boleyn	the Tower of LondonThe second of the six wives, and the mother of Elizabeth I.
Canals built during the Industrial Revolution	industrial areas of the middle and north of EnglandCanals linked new factories to towns, cities and ports as trade expanded.
The main site of the 2012 Olympic Games	Stratford, East London
The 2012 Paralympic Games	LondonHeld the same year as the London Olympics; the Paralympics trace back to Stoke Mandeville hospital's patients.
Stoke Mandeville hospital	BuckinghamshireStoke Mandeville hospital, where Paralympic sport began, is in Buckinghamshire.
Royal Ascot	BerkshireA five-day meeting attended by the Royal Family; not the same event as the Grand National at Aintree.
The Grand National	Aintree, near Liverpool
The first tennis club	Leamington Spa
The Wimbledon Championships	the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
The most famous sailing event in the UK	Cowes, Isle of Wight
The yearly rowing race between Oxford and Cambridge Universities	the Thames
The Laurence Olivier Awards	LondonHeld every year at different venues in the city, for the theatre.
Tate Britain	London
Cornwall	the south west of EnglandThe Eden Project is located there.

Places in Scotland

Place	Where
Skara Brae	OrkneyThe best-preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe.
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park	the west of ScotlandA national park of 720 square miles.
The Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood	Edinburgh
The monastery founded by St Columba	the island of IonaMissionaries from Ireland spread Christianity in the north, and St Columba was one of the most famous.
The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC)	Glasgow
The National Gallery of Scotland	Edinburgh
Dumfries House	Scotland
Crathes Castle	Scotland
Inveraray Castle	Scotland
St Andrews	ScotlandKnown as the home of golf.
John O’Groats	ScotlandOn the north coast of Scotland; the longest distance on the mainland is from here to Land's End.
The Scottish Grand National	Ayr
Europe’s longest dry ski slope	near Edinburgh
The Edinburgh Festival	Edinburgh, ScotlandIt takes place every summer.
The channel with programmes in the Gaelic language	Scotland

Places in Wales

Place	Where
Snowdonia	North WalesA national park.
The Senedd	Cardiff Bay
Conwy Castle	WalesOne of the huge castles built to hold Wales after Edward I annexed it.
Caernarvon Castle	WalesThe other castle of the same campaign, built for the same reason.
The Dylan Thomas Centre	SwanseaThe centre in Swansea, Dylan Thomas's birthplace, is one of several memorials to the poet.
The National Museum	Cardiff
Bodnant Garden	Wales
The Millennium Stadium	Cardiff
The Welsh government	CardiffThe National Assembly for Wales is based there too.
The Welsh-language channel	Wales

Places in N. Ireland

Place	Where
The Giant's Causeway	Northern IrelandColumns of volcanic rock on the north-east coast.
Stormont	Belfast
Mount Stewart	Northern Ireland
The youth conferencing system for considering how a child who has committed an offence should be dealt with	Northern Ireland
The public holiday on the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne in July	Northern Ireland

Languages

What	Language
Wales	WelshTaught in schools and universities.
Scotland	GaelicSpoken in parts of the Highlands and Islands.
N. Ireland	Irish Gaelic
Some parts of the Highlands and Islands	GaelicGaelic is a different language from English.

Population over time

The UK in	Population
1600	4MJust over 4 million.
1700	5M
1801	8M
1851	20M
1901	40M
1951	50M
1998	57M
2005	just under 60 million
2010	62MJust over 62 million.
2022	67.6M

The UK at a glance

What	Is
Currency	the pound sterlingWritten £, and there are 100 pence in a pound.
National anthem	God Save the KingPlayed at important national occasions and where the King or the Royal Family is present.
Official flag	the Union FlagOften called the Union Jack. Three crosses in one, and no Welsh dragon.
Head of state	the monarchGovernments and Prime Ministers change; the head of state does not.
Most popular sport	Football
Most well-known rugby league club competition	the Super LeagueThe handbook names the Super League as the best-known rugby league club competition.
Oldest tennis tournament	The Wimbledon ChampionshipsThe handbook calls Wimbledon the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
Only Grand Slam tennis tournament played on grass	The Wimbledon ChampionshipsThe handbook calls Wimbledon the only Grand Slam event played on grass.
Official name	the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandThe full name; 'Britain' and 'British' are used in the handbook for everyone in the UK.
Most famous rugby union competition	the Six Nations ChampionshipRugby union, not league; the Super League is the league game's competition.
System of government	a parliamentary democracyVoters in each constituency elect their MP in a General Election.
Location	the north west of EuropeMade up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Historical religion	Christianity
Most famous cricket competition	the AshesIt is a series of Test matches played between England and Australia.
Most famous tennis tournament	The Wimbledon ChampionshipsIt takes place each year at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
Most common ethnic description chosen in surveys	white

Area

What	Area
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park	720 square milesLoch Lomond is the largest stretch of fresh water in mainland Britain.
Snowdonia	838 square milesIts best-known landmark is Snowdon.
The Lake District	885 square milesEngland's largest national park, and its lakes and mountains draw the crowds.
The UK from end to end	about 870 miles, or 1,400 kilometresMeasured from the far north of Scotland to the south-west corner of England.

Other places

Place	Where
The Eid ul Adha animal sacrifice in Britain	a slaughterhouse

How the country is run

The parliaments and assemblies

Body	Meets in	Members
The National Assembly for Wales	CardiffThe Welsh government is based there too.	60Elected every four years by a form of proportional representation.
The Scottish Parliament	EdinburghAt Holyrood.	129Elected by a form of proportional representation.
The Northern Ireland Assembly	BelfastAt Stormont.	90Known as MLAs.
The UK Parliament	Westminster
The UN Security Council		15The UK holds one of the five permanent seats on this body.
The Commonwealth		54Membership is voluntary.
The Council of Europe		47It protects and promotes human rights across its member countries.
The United Nations		more than 190The UN was set up after the Second World War to promote peace and security.
The European Union		27The UK was one of them until it left.

The courts

Kind of case	England, Wales & N. Ireland	Scotland
Minor criminal cases	a Magistrates' CourtIn England and Wales magistrates usually work unpaid; in Northern Ireland a paid, legally qualified District Judge hears cases.	a Justice of the Peace Court
Serious criminal offences	a Crown CourtTried in front of a judge and a jury.	a Sheriff CourtHeard by a sheriff, or a sheriff with a jury.
Cases against someone aged 10 to 17	a Youth CourtUp to three trained magistrates, no public, and no naming the young person.
Civil disputes over money, injury or divorce	a County CourtDebts, personal injury, family matters, broken contracts.	the Sheriff CourtThe same court that takes serious criminal cases.
Civil claims for a large amount of compensation	the High Court	the Court of Session in Edinburgh
The most serious cases against young people	a Crown Court
The gravest cases, such as murder		a High CourtHeard with a judge and jury; other serious cases go to a Sheriff Court.
Offences by children and young people		the Children's Hearings SystemIn England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a case against someone aged 10 to 17 normally goes to a Youth Court.

Juries and verdicts

Where	Jurors	Verdicts
England, Wales and Northern Ireland	12Jurors are picked at random from the local electoral register.	guilty or not guilty
Scotland	15Three more than the rest of the UK.	guilty, not guilty or not provenThe third verdict is the one thing about a Scottish trial everyone is asked.

Small claims limits

Where	Limit
England and Wales	£10,000An informal hearing in front of a judge, round a table, without a lawyer.
Scotland	£5,000
N. Ireland	£5,000The same limit as Scotland, half the one in England and Wales.

Who sat in them

What	Made up of
The House of Commons	the elected MPsMPs are chosen by voters in a General Election, one per constituency.
The House of Lords	peers, who are not elected and do not represent a constituency
The House of Lords, until 1958	hereditary peers, senior judges, or bishops of the Church of EnglandHereditary peers inherited their title.
The opposition	the second-largest party in the House of CommonsThe opposition leader usually becomes PM if their party wins the next election.
The cabinet	the ministers the Prime Minister appoints to run government departmentsThe cabinet usually meets weekly to decide government policy.
The shadow cabinet	senior opposition MPs, known as shadow ministersThe shadow cabinet challenges the government and proposes alternative policies.
A Crown Court trial of a serious offence in England, Wales or Northern Ireland	a judge and a jury
A Sheriff Court hearing of a serious case in Scotland	either a sheriff or a sheriff with a jury
A High Court trial of one of the most serious cases in Scotland, such as murder	a judge and jury

Voting systems

What	Elected by
The House of Commons	first past the postThe candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins it, whoever else stood.
The European Parliament	a system of proportional representationSeats go to each party in proportion to the votes it won.
The National Assembly for Wales	a form of proportional representationMembers are called AMs and serve four-year terms.
The Scottish Parliament	a form of proportional representation
The Northern Ireland Assembly	a form of proportional representation

Roles and duties

What	Responsible for
The Prime Minister	making decisions on government policiesThe leader of the party in power, who also appoints the ministers who run the departments.
The cabinet	making decisions about government policy with the Prime Minister
The monarch	opening the new parliamentary session each yearThe speech at the opening sets out the government's policies for the year ahead.
An MP	representing everyone in their constituency, helping to create new laws, scrutinising and commenting on what the government is doing, and debating important national issues
The House of Lords	checking the laws the House of Commons passesIt also holds the government to account. The House of Commons can overrule it, but rarely does.
The Speaker	chairing debates in the House of Commons, keeping order, and representing Parliament on ceremonial occasionsChosen by the other MPs in a secret ballot, and still an MP for their own constituency.
HMRC	collecting taxesFor most employees, income tax is taken from wages by the employer and paid to HMRC.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer	the economy
The Home Secretary	crime, policing and immigration
The Foreign Secretary	managing relationships with foreign countries
The Council of Europe	the protection and promotion of human rights in its member countriesIts best-known text is the European Convention on Human Rights.
The licensee	deciding the hours that the pub or night club is open
The owner of a dog in a public place	keeping the dog under control, cleaning up after it, and making sure it wears a collar showing the owner's name and addressIt is against the law to treat a pet cruelly or to neglect it.
New citizens at the citizenship ceremony	swearing or affirming loyalty to the KingPart of the ceremony at which someone becomes a British citizen.
The police	protecting life and property, preventing disturbances (keeping the peace), and preventing and detecting crimeEveryone in the UK is expected to help the police prevent and detect crime when they can.
The judiciary	interpreting the law and ensuring that trials are conducted fairlyThe judiciary is all the judges together.
The judge	deciding on the penalty when the jury finds a defendant guiltyThe jury decides guilt from the evidence; the judge decides what follows.
Secretaries of State	subjects such as education, health and defenceThe cabinet ministers other than the Chancellor, the Home Secretary and the Foreign Secretary.
The leader of the opposition	leading their party in pointing out what they see as the government's failures and weaknessesPrime Minister's Questions is one important chance to do it.
All those living in the UK	respecting and supporting the fundamental values and principles British society is founded onNot only citizens: the values apply to everyone who lives in the UK.
Civil servants	supporting the government in developing and implementing its policies, and delivering public servicesChosen on merit and politically neutral, not political appointees; accountable to ministers.
All elected members	serving and representing their constituents
Police and Crime Commissioners	the delivery of an efficient and effective police force that reflects the needs of their local communitiesPCCs are directly elected individuals.
Police community support officers (PCSOs)	usually patrolling the streets, working with the public, and supporting police officers at crime scenes and major eventsTheir roles differ from area to area.
Magistrates	deciding the verdict in each case that comes before them and, if the person is found guilty, the sentence
The shadow cabinet	challenging the government and putting forward alternative policies
The development of the Bessemer process for the mass production of steel	the development of the shipbuilding industry and the railways

Age limits

What	Age
Drive a car or motorcycle	17And you need a licence, which means passing a test of both knowledge and skill.
Ride a moped	16
Buy alcohol in a pub or night club	18Selling it to someone younger, or buying it for them, is a criminal offence.
Drink alcohol with a meal in a hotel or restaurant	16The one exception to the rule that alcohol is for over-18s.
Stand for election as an MP	18Though winning without a major party behind you is rare.
Serve on a jury	18Anyone on the electoral register aged 18 to 70 can be asked to serve.
Become a school governor or school board member	18There is no upper age limit, unlike jury service (18 to 70).
Join the National Citizen Service	16 or 17It offers outdoor activities, skills and a community project.
Apply for a free TV licence	over 75Blind people can get a 50% discount; watching TV without a licence brings a fine of up to £1,000.
Go into a betting shop or gambling club	18There are also casinos in many places.
Buy a National Lottery ticket or scratch card	18The minimum rose from 16 to 18 in April 2021, so older practice questions may still say 16.

Culture, customs and the calendar

The calendar

January
- 1New Year
- 2the public holiday in Scotland in addition to New YearIn Scotland, 31 December is called Hogmanay.
February
- 14Valentine’s Day
March
- 1Wales's patron saint's daySt David's Day.
- 17Northern Ireland's patron saint's daySt Patrick's Day; an official holiday in Northern Ireland.
April
- 1April Fool’s DayJokes are played only until midday.
- 14VaisakhiIt is a Sikh festival celebrating the founding of the Khalsa community.
- 23England's patron saint's daySt George's Day; no longer a public holiday, still celebrated.
May
June
- 6D-DayAllied forces landed in Normandy in 1944.
July
August
September
October
- 31HalloweenIt has roots in a pagan festival marking the start of winter.
November
- 5Bonfire Night
- 11Remembrance DayOriginally it commemorated the dead of the First World War.
- 30Scotland's patron saint's daySt Andrew's Day; an official holiday in Scotland, though not every business closes.
December
- 24Christmas Eve
- 25Christmas Day
- 31New Year’s Eve
- 31HogmanayFor some Scottish people, Hogmanay is a bigger holiday than Christmas.

Moves each year

Boxing Daythe day after Christmas Day
Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Daythe day before Lent starts
Mothering Sunday, or Mother’s Daythe Sunday three weeks before Easter
Father’s Daythe third Sunday in June
EasterMarch or April
Lentthe 40 days before Easter
DiwaliOctober or November
HannukahNovember or December
Eid al-Fitra different day each year
Easter Mondaythe Monday following Good Friday
Ash Wednesdaythe day Lent begins

Who they were

Writers and composers

William Shakespeare
- HamletWith A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet, one of his most famous plays.
- the plays and poems the Elizabethan period is especially remembered for
- A Midsummer Night’s DreamIt is one of his most famous plays.
- MacbethIt is one of his most famous plays.
- Romeo and JulietIt is one of his most famous plays.
Graham Greene
- The Heart of the Matter
- The Honorary Consul
- Brighton Rock
- Our Man in Havana
Benjamin Britten
- Peter Grimes
- Billy Budd
- A Young Person's Guide to the OrchestraBased on a piece of music by Purcell; it introduces the different sections of an orchestra.
Evelyn Waugh
- Decline and Fall
- Scoop
- Brideshead Revisited
George Frederick Handel
- the Water MusicHandel wrote it for King George I.
- Music for the Royal FireworksHandel wrote it for George II.
- MessiahThis oratorio is sung regularly by choirs, often at Easter time.
Gilbert and Sullivan
- HMS Pinafore
- The Pirates of Penzance
- The Mikado
Robert Louis Stevenson
- Treasure Island
- Kidnapped
- Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Rudyard Kipling
- the Just So StoriesThey continue to be popular today.
- The Jungle BookIt continues to be popular today.
- the poem IfIt has often been voted among the UK’s favourite poems.
Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Cats
- The Phantom of the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice
- Jesus Christ Superstar
- Evita
Charles Dickens
- Oliver Twist
- Great Expectations
Dylan Thomas
- Under Milk WoodA radio play, first performed after his death in 1954.
- Do Not Go Gentle into That Good NightA poem he wrote for his dying father in 1952.
Jane Austen
- Pride and Prejudice
- Sense and Sensibility
Roald Dahl
- Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryOne of his best-known children's books, with George's Marvellous Medicine.
- George's Marvellous MedicineOne of his best-known works, with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Sir William Walton
- FaçadeIt later became a ballet.
- Balthazar's FeastWritten to be sung by a large choir.
Thomas Hardy
- Far from the Madding Crowd
- Jude the Obscure
Dame Agatha Christie
- The MousetrapIt has had the longest initial run of any show in West End history.
Geoffrey Chaucer
- Canterbury Tales
Gustav Holst
- The PlanetsIt is a suite of pieces themed around the planets of the solar system.
Isaac Newton
- Philosophiae Naturalis Principia MathematicaThe title means ‘Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy’.
J K Rowling
- the Harry Potter series
John Barbour
- The Bruce
John Milton
- Paradise LostMilton wrote it as Protestant ideas spread among poets.
JRR Tolkien
- The Lord of the RingsIn 2003 it was voted the country’s best-loved novel.
Lord Byron
- She Walks in Beauty
Robert Browning
- Home Thoughts from Abroad
Robert Burns
- Auld Lang SyneSung at the New Year in the UK and other countries.
Samuel Pepys
- a diary of the Great Plague and the Great Fire of LondonPublished later and still read today.
Sir Edward Elgar
- the Pomp and Circumstance MarchesMarch No 1, Land of Hope and Glory, is usually played at the Last Night of the Proms.
Sir Kingsley Amis
- Lucky Jim
Wilfred Owen
- Anthem for Doomed YouthOwen was inspired to write about his experiences in the First World War.
William Blake
- The Tyger
William Wordsworth
- The Daffodils

Who led what

Oliver Cromwell
- the new republicCromwell became head of the Commonwealth after defeating royalist forces.
- the campaign in IrelandCromwell's harsh suppression of the revolt still makes him a divisive figure in Ireland.
William, Duke of Normandy
- the invasion of 1066Won at Hastings and became king: William the Conqueror.
- the survey that produced the Domesday BookEvery town and village listed, with who lived there and what they owned, just after the Conquest.
Aneurin (Nye) Bevan
- the establishment of the National Health ServiceBevan, as Minister for Health, drove the NHS into being as a free, universal service.
Bobby Moore
- the England football team that won the 1966 World CupThat 1966 tournament was hosted in the UK and remains England's only World Cup win.
Boudicca
- the Iceni's revolt against the RomansQueen of a tribe in what is now eastern England, and the resistance to Rome that is still remembered.
Charles II
- the Scottish invasion of EnglandThe Scots declared Charles II king; he was crowned king of Scotland and led a Scottish army into England.
Elizabeth I
- the restoration of the Church of England as the national church of EnglandAfter Mary’s Catholic reign, Elizabeth restored the Protestant church but did not police private belief.
Ernest Rutherford
- the team that first split the atomTheir work at Manchester and Cambridge fed into the Manhattan Project.
Guy Fawkes
- the Gunpowder Plot
Henry Tudor
- the House of Lancaster at the Battle of Bosworth FieldHe won, took the throne as Henry VII, and the House of Tudor began.
Henry V
- the English at the Battle of Agincourt
Henry VIII
- the founding of the Church of EnglandThe Break with Rome: England left the Pope for a national church under the Crown.
Julius Caesar
- the Roman invasion of 55 BC
Kenneth MacAlpin
- the peoples of the north uniting against the VikingsThe union the name Scotland was first used to describe.
King Alfred the Great
- the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms uniting against the VikingsHe defeated the Vikings, but many of them stayed and mixed with local communities.
King Charles III
- the CommonwealthThe monarch is its ceremonial head. The Commonwealth has no power over its members, though it can suspend membership.
King James I
- the later plantations in several other parts of Ireland, after Ulster'sJames extended the plantation policy of settling Protestants on Irish land.
Lord Horatio Nelson
- the Battle of TrafalgarNelson's Column in London commemorates him.
Margaret Thatcher
- the Conservative government from 1979 to 1990Thatcher led sweeping privatisation and trade union reform during her decade in office.
Robert the Bruce
- the Battle of BannockburnThe Scottish king who won at Bannockburn.
Sir Francis Drake
- the circumnavigation of the world in the Golden HindDrake's ship became one of the first to sail all the way around the world.
Sir Ian Botham
- the English cricket teamBotham captained England and holds English Test cricket records.
Sir Ian Wilmot and Keith Campbell
- the team that first cloned a mammalTheir work made Dolly the first mammal ever cloned.
St Augustine
- the mission that brought Christianity to the southHe became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.
the Archbishop of Canterbury
- the Church of EnglandThe monarch is its head; the Archbishop of Canterbury leads it in spiritual matters.
the Duke of Wellington
- the Battle of Waterloo
the Emperor Claudius
- the Roman invasion of AD 43Claudius's invasion is the one that succeeded, unlike Caesar's.
the Moderator
- the General Assembly of the Church of ScotlandThe Moderator is appointed for one year only.
Winston Churchill
- Britain in the Second World WarHe became Prime Minister in May 1940, as German forces advanced through France, and refused to surrender.

Architects and designers

Inigo Jones
- the Queen’s House at Greenwich
- the Banqueting House in Whitehall
Sir Edwin Lutyens
- The Cenotaph in WhitehallSir Edwin Lutyens was responsible for the Cenotaph among his many war memorials.
- New DelhiIt was designed to be the seat of government in India.
Clarice Cliff
- Art Deco ceramics in Britain
Richard Arkwright
- horse-driven spinning mills that used only one machineHis single-machine mills raised production efficiency in the early textile industry.
Robert Adam
- Dumfries House
Sir Christopher Wren
- the new St Paul’s Cathedral
Thomas Chippendale
- furniture in the 18th century

Festivals

Festival	Celebrated by	Lasts
Diwali	Hindus and Sikhs	five days
Vaisakhi	SikhsVaisakhi is a Sikh festival.
Hannukah	JewsIt remembers the Jews' struggle for religious freedom and lasts eight days.	eight days
Easter	Christians, and also people who are not religious
The requirement for a newly qualified driver in Northern Ireland to display an R plate		one year after passing the testR stands for restricted driver.
The right to drive in the UK on a licence from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway		as long as the licence is validAny other country's licence is good for up to 12 months.
The right to drive in the UK on a licence from any other country		up to 12 monthsAfter that you need a UK licence; EU, Icelandic, Liechtenstein and Norwegian licences last while valid.
A jail sentence for contempt of court for breaching a Forced Marriage Protection Order		up to two yearsThe offence is contempt of court.
A UK driving licence		until the driver is 70 years old, then three years at a timeThe driving theory test has a multiple choice test and a hazard perception test.
Registration on the electoral register		as long as your personal details do not change
Giving blood		about an hour
The Proms season		eight weeksIt is a summer season of orchestral classical music.
The silence at 11.00 am on Remembrance Day		two minutesWreaths are laid at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London.
The Moderator’s appointment		one year only
A game of cricket		up to five daysEven a game that long can still end in a draw.
Royal Ascot		five daysIt is a race meeting in Berkshire.
The migration of people from the West Indies, India, Pakistan and (later) Bangladesh to work and settle in Britain		about 25 years
Charles I's period of raising money without Parliament's approval		11 years
The original maximum term of a Parliament		three yearsLater this became seven years and now it is five years.
The period when the Romans remained in Britain		400 yearsThey built roads and public buildings, created a structure of law, and introduced new plants and animals.

Builders and designers

What	Built by	Designed by
The Tower of London	William the ConquerorThe Tower of London was first built by William the Conqueror.
The White Tower	William the ConquerorThe White Tower, in the Tower of London, was built on William the Conqueror's orders.
The Great Western Railway	Isambard Kingdom BrunelIt was the first major railway built in Britain.
The Queen’s House at Greenwich		Inigo Jones
The Banqueting House in Whitehall		Inigo Jones
The new St Paul’s Cathedral		Sir Christopher Wren
Dumfries House		Robert Adam
Furniture in the 18th century		Thomas Chippendale
Art Deco ceramics in Britain		Clarice Cliff
The Cenotaph in Whitehall		Sir Edwin LutyensSir Edwin Lutyens was responsible for the Cenotaph among his many war memorials.
New Delhi		Sir Edwin LutyensIt was designed to be the seat of government in India.

Leaders

What	Led by
The Commonwealth	King Charles IIIThe monarch is its ceremonial head. The Commonwealth has no power over its members, though it can suspend membership.
The Gunpowder Plot	Guy Fawkes
The Church of England	the Archbishop of CanterburyThe monarch is its head; the Archbishop of Canterbury leads it in spiritual matters.
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland	the ModeratorThe Moderator is appointed for one year only.
The English cricket team	Sir Ian BothamBotham captained England and holds English Test cricket records.

Key dates

What	Year
The Turner Prize being established	1984It is named after painter Joseph Turner and celebrates contemporary art.
The Mousetrap opening in London	1952It has been running ever since, the longest-running play anywhere.
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction being founded	1968It is awarded for the best fiction novel by an author from the Commonwealth, Ireland or Zimbabwe.
The release of The 39 Steps	1935Alfred Hitchcock directed this 1935 British film.
The release of Brief Encounter	1945
The release of The Third Man	1949
The release of Lawrence of Arabia	1962
The release of Women in Love	1969
The release of Don't Look Now	1973
The release of Chariots of Fire	1981
The release of The Killing Fields	1984
The release of Four Weddings and a Funeral	1994
The release of Touching the Void	2003
England winning the football World Cup	1966England's only World Cup win came in 1966, on home soil.
Films first being shown publicly in the UK	1896Screenings quickly became popular; British studios flourished in the 1930s.

Writers and works

What	Written by
The Water Music	George Frederick HandelHandel wrote it for King George I.
Music for the Royal Fireworks	George Frederick HandelHandel wrote it for George II.
Messiah	George Frederick HandelThis oratorio is sung regularly by choirs, often at Easter time.
The Planets	Gustav HolstIt is a suite of pieces themed around the planets of the solar system.
The Pomp and Circumstance Marches	Sir Edward ElgarMarch No 1, Land of Hope and Glory, is usually played at the Last Night of the Proms.
Façade	Sir William WaltonIt later became a ballet.
Balthazar's Feast	Sir William WaltonWritten to be sung by a large choir.
Peter Grimes	Benjamin Britten
Billy Budd	Benjamin Britten
A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra	Benjamin BrittenBased on a piece of music by Purcell; it introduces the different sections of an orchestra.
HMS Pinafore	Gilbert and Sullivan
The Pirates of Penzance	Gilbert and Sullivan
The Mikado	Gilbert and Sullivan
Jesus Christ Superstar	Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice
Evita	Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice
Cats	Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Phantom of the Opera	Andrew Lloyd Webber
Paradise Lost	John MiltonMilton wrote it as Protestant ideas spread among poets.
Canterbury Tales	Geoffrey Chaucer
Home Thoughts from Abroad	Robert Browning
She Walks in Beauty	Lord Byron
The Daffodils	William Wordsworth
The Tyger	William Blake
Anthem for Doomed Youth	Wilfred OwenOwen was inspired to write about his experiences in the First World War.
Pride and Prejudice	Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility	Jane Austen
Oliver Twist	Charles Dickens
Great Expectations	Charles Dickens
Treasure Island	Robert Louis Stevenson
Kidnapped	Robert Louis Stevenson
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde	Robert Louis Stevenson
Far from the Madding Crowd	Thomas Hardy
Jude the Obscure	Thomas Hardy
Decline and Fall	Evelyn Waugh
Scoop	Evelyn Waugh
Brideshead Revisited	Evelyn Waugh
Lucky Jim	Sir Kingsley Amis
The Heart of the Matter	Graham Greene
The Honorary Consul	Graham Greene
Brighton Rock	Graham Greene
Our Man in Havana	Graham Greene
The Harry Potter series	J K Rowling
The Mousetrap	Dame Agatha ChristieIt has had the longest initial run of any show in West End history.
The Lord of the Rings	JRR TolkienIn 2003 it was voted the country’s best-loved novel.
George's Marvellous Medicine	Roald DahlOne of his best-known works, with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The Just So Stories	Rudyard KiplingThey continue to be popular today.
The Jungle Book	Rudyard KiplingIt continues to be popular today.
The poem If	Rudyard KiplingIt has often been voted among the UK’s favourite poems.
The Bruce	John Barbour
The plays and poems the Elizabethan period is especially remembered for	William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream	William ShakespeareIt is one of his most famous plays.
Macbeth	William ShakespeareIt is one of his most famous plays.
Romeo and Juliet	William ShakespeareIt is one of his most famous plays.
Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica	Isaac NewtonThe title means ‘Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy’.

Days of the year

What	Date
Christmas Day	25 December
Christmas Eve	24 December
Boxing Day	the day after Christmas Day
Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day	the day before Lent startsPeople eat pancakes to use up foods like eggs, fat and milk before fasting.
Vaisakhi	14 AprilIt is a Sikh festival celebrating the founding of the Khalsa community.
New Year	1 January
New Year’s Eve	31 December
Hogmanay	31 DecemberFor some Scottish people, Hogmanay is a bigger holiday than Christmas.
Valentine’s Day	14 February
April Fool’s Day	1 AprilJokes are played only until midday.
Mothering Sunday, or Mother’s Day	the Sunday three weeks before Easter
Father’s Day	the third Sunday in June
Halloween	31 OctoberIt has roots in a pagan festival marking the start of winter.
Bonfire Night	5 November
Remembrance Day	11 NovemberOriginally it commemorated the dead of the First World War.
Easter	March or AprilEaster is also celebrated by people who are not religious, with chocolate eggs as a symbol of new life.
Lent	the 40 days before Easter
Diwali	October or November
Hannukah	November or December
Eid al-Fitr	a different day each yearWhether Eid al-Fitr falls on a fixed date.
Easter Monday	the Monday following Good Friday
Ash Wednesday	the day Lent begins
The public holiday in Scotland in addition to New Year	2 JanuaryIn Scotland, 31 December is called Hogmanay.
D-Day	6 JuneAllied forces landed in Normandy in 1944.

Prizes

What	Awarded for
The Mercury Music Prize	the best album from the UK and IrelandAwarded each September.
The Brit Awards	best British group and best British solo artist
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction	the best fiction novel by an author from the Commonwealth, Ireland or ZimbabweAwarded annually since 1968.
The Turner Prize	contemporary artNamed after painter Joseph Turner.
The Laurence Olivier Awards	best director, best actor and best actressFor the theatre, in a range of categories.
Torvill and Dean’s Olympic gold medals	ice dancing
Sir Steve Redgrave’s Olympic gold medals	rowing
Dame Kelly Holmes’s Olympic gold medals	running
Ellie Simmonds’s Paralympic gold medals	swimming
The Victoria Cross	acts of valour by soldiers

People and religion

What	Share
Christian	70%The UK is historically a Christian country.
Of no religion	21%Everyone has the legal right to choose a religion, or to practise none.
Muslim	4%
Hindu	2%
Sikh	1%
Of another religion	2%Jewish and Buddhist were each under 0.5% in the same survey.
Jewish	less than 0.5%
Buddhist	less than 0.5%

What each one includes

What	Made up of
Some of the fundamental principles of British life	democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, tolerance of different faiths and beliefs, and participation in community life
The pledge new citizens speak at the citizenship ceremony	a declaration of loyalty to the United Kingdom, respect for its rights and freedoms, support for its democratic values, and a promise to observe its laws and fulfil civic duties
The responsibilities of someone who wants to be a permanent resident or citizen of the UK	obeying the law, respecting other people's rights and opinions, treating others fairly, looking after yourself and your family, and looking after your local area and the environmentThese five duties are listed as what is expected of residents in return for the freedoms below.
What the UK offers in return to permanent residents and citizens	the freedom to hold your own beliefs and religion, freedom of speech, freedom from unfair discrimination, the right to a fair trial, and the right to help elect a governmentThese five freedoms are presented as the reciprocal side of the responsibilities expected of residents.
The role of school governors and school boards	setting the schools strategic direction, ensuring accountability, and monitoring and evaluating school performanceThree named roles, which is exactly the kind of triad the test likes to list back in a different order.
Public offices British citizens can stand for	local councillor, Member of Parliament or its devolved equivalent, and Member of the European ParliamentDistinguishes standing for office from the separate right to vote.
Nationalities besides British citizens who may stand for public office	Irish citizens, eligible Commonwealth citizens, and citizens of another EU country except for standing as an MPOnly citizens of another EU country cannot stand as an MP; Irish and eligible Commonwealth citizens can.
Ways to volunteer with the police	becoming a special constable or a lay, non-police, representativeShows volunteering with the police does not require becoming a police officer.
Ways to look after the environment	recycling waste, shopping for products locally, and walking or using public transport instead of drivingThe three headline actions of section 5.8.2, likely tested together as a single which-of-these question.
The heptathlon	seven different track and field events
The Ashes	Test matches between England and AustraliaThe handbook describes the Ashes as a Test match series between England and Australia.
Rugby	union and league
The Six Nations Championship	England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and ItalyThe handbook names the six competing nations in the Six Nations Championship.
The menorah	eight candles, one lit on each day of the festival
Giant’s Causeway	columns formed from volcanic lavaThe Giant's Causeway is a rock formation made of lava columns.
The traditional pub games	pool and dartsPub quizzes are popular too, though the handbook does not call them a game.
The Crown dependencies	the Channel Islands and the Isle of ManClosely linked with the UK, with their own governments, and not part of it.
Two of the British overseas territories	St Helena and the Falkland IslandsLinked to the UK and in other parts of the world, but not part of it.
Great Britain	England, Scotland and WalesOnly those three. Northern Ireland is in the UK but not in Great Britain.
The famous horse-racing events the handbook names	Royal Ascot, the Grand National and the Scottish Grand NationalBerkshire, Aintree near Liverpool, and Ayr.
The core values of the civil service	integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartialityImpartiality includes being politically neutral.
The six changes the Chartists campaigned for	the vote for every man, elections every year, equal electoral regions, secret ballots, any man being able to stand as an MP, and MPs being paidA campaign of the 1830s and 1840s, when only men over 21 with property could vote.
The main parts of government in the UK	the monarchy, Parliament (the House of Commons and the House of Lords), the Prime Minister, the cabinet, the judiciary (courts), the police, the civil service and local governmentEight parts in the handbook's list; Parliament means both Houses and the judiciary means the courts.
The independent bodies that take complaints about the police	the Independent Police Complaints Commission in England and Wales, the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland, and the Police Ombudsman for Northern IrelandThe other route is a police station, or a letter to the Chief Constable of the force involved.
The personal characteristics UK law protects from unfair treatment	age, disability, sex, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexuality, and marital statusIn any area of life or work; eight in the handbook's list.
The exceptions to who can stand for public office	members of the armed forces, civil servants, and people found guilty of certain criminal offencesMost citizens of the UK, the Irish Republic or the Commonwealth aged 18 or over can stand.
The income people in the UK have to pay tax on	wages from paid employment, profits from self-employment, taxable benefits, pensions, and income from property, savings and dividendsIncome tax pays for services such as roads, education, the police and the armed forces.
The driving test	a test of your knowledge and a test of your practical skillsYou must pass it to get a UK driving licence, and you need a licence to drive on public roads.
The two kinds of law in the UK	criminal law and civil lawCrimes are investigated by the police and punished by the courts; civil law settles disputes between people.
Examples of criminal offences in the UK	carrying a weapon, buying or selling illegal drugs, causing harassment, alarm or distress to someone because of their religion or ethnic origin, selling tobacco to under-18s, smoking in enclosed public places, selling alcohol to under-18s, and drinking in an alcohol-free zoneThe handbook's list; it says it is not all crimes, and murder, theft and assault apply in most countries.
Examples of civil law in the UK	housing law, consumer rights, employment law and debtFor example, a dispute about faulty goods, or being taken to court over money owed.
The ways to arrange a visit to the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont	contacting the Education Service or contacting an MLAMLA: a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
The matters on which the Scottish Parliament can legislate	civil and criminal law, health, education, planning and additional tax-raising powersAnything not specifically reserved to the UK Parliament.
The issues the Northern Ireland Assembly can make decisions on	education, agriculture, the environment, health and social servicesThe handbook's list for Northern Ireland; note that planning appears only in Scotland's.
The core values of the Commonwealth	democracy, good government and the rule of lawIt has no power over its members, though it can suspend membership.
Activities schools might organise to raise money	book sales, toy sales and bringing food to sellFor extra equipment or out-of-school activities; sometimes run by parent-teacher associations.
What you agree to when applying to become a permanent resident or citizen of the UK	accepting the responsibilities that come with permanent residence, and respecting the laws, values and traditions of the UKThe handbook calls the application an important decision and commitment.
The major political parties in the UK	the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, and parties representing Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish interestsA candidate is unlikely to win a seat unless nominated by one of them.
The UK	England, Scotland, Wales and Northern IrelandGreat Britain is only England, Scotland and Wales.
Examples of the poets popular in the 19th century	William Blake, John Keats, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and Robert and Elizabeth BrowningPoetry was very popular then, the handbook says.
The ways the whole adult population can have a say in a democracy	direct voting, or choosing representatives to make decisions on their behalf
William's three children, in order of birth	Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
The roots of an individual's rights and essential freedoms in Britain	Magna Carta, the Habeas Corpus Act and the Bill of Rights of 1689The rights have developed over a period of time.
Some of the principles included in the European Convention on Human Rights	right to life; prohibition of torture; prohibition of slavery and forced labour; right to liberty and security; right to a fair trial; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of expression (speech)These are some of its principles, not all of them.
The documents you will usually need to get a National Insurance number	documents that prove your identity and that you have permission to work in the UK
The first step towards getting a driving licence	applying for a provisional driving license and finding a driving instructor
The weapons it is a criminal offence to carry	a gun, a knife or anything that is made or adapted to cause injuryIt is an offence to carry a weapon of any kind, even if it is for self-defence.
Examples of illegal drugs in the UK	heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabisSelling or buying them is illegal in the UK.
The criminal offences involving alcohol and people under 18	selling alcohol to anyone under 18, and buying alcohol for people under the age of 18
Examples of criminal offences that apply in most countries	murder, theft and assault
The things police officers must not do	misusing authority, making a false statement, being rude or abusive, or committing racial discriminationPolice officers must themselves obey the law.
What happens if you are arrested and taken to a police station	being told the reason for your arrest, and being able to seek legal advice
The ways anyone can make a complaint about the police	going to a police station or writing to the Chief Constable of the police force involved
Examples of other kinds of terrorism the UK faces	Northern Ireland-related terrorismGiven as an example, not a full list.
The civil disputes County Courts deal with	people trying to get back money that is owed to them, cases involving personal injury, family matters, breaches of contract, and divorceCounty Courts deal with a wide range of civil disputes; these are some of them.
The ways the Prime Minister can be changed	the MPs in the governing party deciding to do so, or the Prime Minister wishing to resign
The other ministers each department has, who take charge of particular areas of its work	Ministers of State and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
The things the main political parties actively look for members of the public to do	join their debates, contribute to their costs, and help at elections for Parliament or for local government
The two councils that some areas have, with different functions	a district council and a county council
The sources of funding for local authorities	money from central government and local taxes
The languages in which Members of the National Assembly for Wales can speak	either Welsh or EnglishAll of the Assembly's publications are in both languages.
Examples of the 20 areas in which the National Assembly for Wales can make laws for Wales	education and training, health and social services, economic development, and housing
The ways proceedings in Parliament are broadcast or published	television, and official reports called Hansard
The sources from which most people get information about political issues and events	newspapers (often called ‘the press’), television, radio and the internet
The places where you can look at the electoral register	the local electoral registration office (council office in England and Wales) and some public buildings such as libraries
What you have to give or show when you vote at a polling station in Northern Ireland	your name and address, and photographic identification
The ways to arrange a visit to the UK Parliament	writing to your local MP in advance to ask for tickets, or queuing on the day at the public entrance
The things you can book for a visit to the Welsh Assembly	guided tours and seats in the public galleries
The six western European countries that signed the Treaty of Rome	Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the NetherlandsThey signed it on 25 March 1957.
The member states of the European Union	Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Croatia
The organisations that may advertise for people to serve as volunteers in their governing bodies	universities, housing associations, museums and arts councils
Activities you can do as a volunteer	working with animals, youth work, helping improve the environment, working with the homeless, mentoring, work in health and hospitals, and helping older peopleExamples given include a litter pick-up, a homelessness shelter and a residential care home.
The driving theory test	a multiple choice theory test and a hazard perception test
Examples of extremism	religious extremism and far-right extremismExtremism is vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values.
Some of the local service providers you can volunteer with	local hospitals and youth projectsThere are opportunities with a wide range of local service providers.
The reasons for Britain's impact on popular music around the world	the wide use of the English language, the UK's cultural links with many countries, and British capacity for invention and innovation
Examples of the large venues that host music events throughout the year	Wembley Stadium, The O2 in Greenwich, south-east London, and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) in Glasgow
Examples of famous festivals in the UK	Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight Festival and the V FestivalFestival season takes place across the UK every summer.
Examples of the leading fashion designers of recent years	Mary Quant, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood
Examples of British writers who have won the Nobel Prize in Literature	Sir William Golding, Seamus Heaney and Harold PinterGolding is a novelist, Heaney a poet and Pinter a playwright.
Examples of past winners of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction	Ian McEwan, Hilary Mantel and Julian Barnes
Examples of the popular poets of more recent times	Sir Walter de la Mare, John Masefield, Sir John Betjeman and Ted Hughes
The foods a traditional Christmas meal often includes	roast turkey, Christmas pudding and mince piesPeople usually spend the day at home and eat a special meal.
Examples of what people do at Christmas	giving gifts, sending cards and decorating their housesMany people also decorate a tree in their home.
The public holidays at Easter	Good Friday and Easter Monday
The ways Vaisakhi is celebrated	parades, dancing and singingIt is celebrated on 14 April each year.
The times of year when bank holidays fall	the beginning of May, late May or early June, and August
The days on which trading hours in most UK shops are generally reduced	Sundays and public holidaysMost shops in the UK are open seven days a week.
Welsh cakes	flour, dried fruits and spices
Haggis	offal, suet, onions and oatmealHaggis is a sheep’s stomach stuffed with them.
An Ulster fry	bacon, eggs, sausage, black pudding, white pudding, tomatoes, mushrooms, soda bread and potato bread
Examples of the British comedies of the 1950s and 1960s	Passport to Pimlico, The Ladykillers and the Carry On filmsThe Carry On films came later.
The two highest-grossing film franchises produced in the UK	Harry Potter and James Bond
The areas of film in which Britain continues to be particularly strong	special effects and animation
Examples of actors who starred in a wide variety of popular films	Sir Lawrence Olivier, David Niven, Sir Rex Harrison and Richard Burton
Examples of recent British actors who have won Oscars	Colin Firth, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Dame Judi Dench, Kate Winslet and Tilda Swinton
The main ways UK channels other than the BBC are funded	advertisements and subscriptions
The things it is against the law to do to a pet	treating a pet cruelly and neglecting it
The activities the UK countryside offers many opportunities for	mountain biking, mountaineering and hill walking
Some of the religious buildings for other religions all over the UK	Islamic mosques, Hindu temples, Jewish synagogues, Sikh gurdwaras and Buddhist temples
The other Protestant Christian groups in the UK	Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians and Quakers
Some of the famous sports that began in Britain	cricket, football, lawn tennis, golf and rugby
The two ends of the longest distance on the mainland	John O’Groats and Land’s EndIt runs from the north coast of Scotland to the south-west corner of England.
The denominations of UK coins	1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2
The denominations of UK notes	£5, £10, £20 and £50
The reasons people in the UK are living longer than ever before	improved living standards and better health care
The significant ethnic groups other than white	people of Asian, black and mixed descentWhite is the most common ethnic description chosen in surveys.
The legal grounds on which men and women must not be discriminated against in the UK	gender, and being married or not married
The equal rights of men and women in the UK	the rights to work, own property, marry and divorce
The regions where other colonies achieved independence over the 20 years after 1947	Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific
The kinds of language Robert Burns wrote in	the Scots language, English with some Scottish words, and standard English
The causes of the Industrial Revolution	the development of machinery and the use of steam power
The things that became mechanised in the Industrial Revolution	agriculture and the manufacturing of goods
The things better transport links were needed to transport	raw materials and manufactured goods
The countries where Rudyard Kipling later lived	India, the UK and the USA
The changes that made it easier for more people to take part in public life	more democratic local government and, for the first time, a salary for members of Parliament (MPs)
The places, besides India, from which men also fought with the British in the First World War	the West Indies, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada
The Axis powers in the Second World War	fascist Germany and Italy and the Empire of Japan
The main countries on the allied side in the Second World War	the UK, France, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the Union of South Africa
The countries Hitler occupied or invaded before invading Poland	Austria and Czechoslovakia
The reasons the Allies became strong enough to attack Hitler's forces in Western Europe	German losses in the Soviet Union and the support of the Americans
The countries the allied forces pressed on through after victory on the beaches of Normandy	France and, eventually, Germany
The Japanese cities the United States dropped its newly developed atom bombs on in August 1945	Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The two sides in the Wars of the Roses	the House of Lancaster and the House of York
The places the Great Western Railway runs to from Paddington Station in London	the south west of England, the West Midlands and Wales
The places Irish people went to after leaving Ireland during the famine	the United States and EnglandAnother million and a half left Ireland.
Examples of the cities with large populations of Irish people by 1861	Liverpool, London, Manchester and Glasgow
Examples of the factors, besides the assassination, that set the conditions for the First World War	a growing sense of nationalism in many European states, increasing militarism, imperialism, and the division of the major European powers into two campsThe assassination provided the trigger for war.
The Allied Powers that Britain was part of in the First World War (amongst others)	France, Russia, Japan, Belgium, Serbia and, later, Greece, Italy, Romania and the United States
The things introduced in Wales once the last Welsh rebellions had been defeated	English laws and the English language
Examples of the objects the people of the Bronze Age made in bronze and gold	tools, ornaments and weapons
The occupations of most people in the Iron Age	farmers, craft workers or warriors
Examples of the parts of Hadrian’s Wall that can still be seen	the forts of Housesteads and Vindolanda
The most famous of the missionaries from Ireland who spread Christianity in the north	St Patrick and St Columba
The things, besides the towns and villages themselves, that were listed in the Domesday Book	who lived in each town and village, who owned the land, and what animals they owned

Who is in charge

What	Responsible
Protecting Britain's fundamental values and principles	law, custom, and expectationThe handbook grounds these values in legal protection as well as social custom, not statute alone.
Raising school standards	school governors and school boardsThey have an important part to play, through strategy, accountability and monitoring.
Recycling information in Northern Ireland	the local authorityNorthern Ireland is the odd one out: the other three nations each have a named website, NI does not.
Registering a car or motorcycle if you live in the UK	the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)You must also pay an annual road tax.
Arranging a National Insurance number for someone with permission to work in the UK	the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)You telephone the DWP to arrange it; you can start work before it arrives.
Paying National Insurance Contributions	almost everybody in the UK who is in paid work, including self-employed peopleThe money pays for state benefits and services such as the state pension and the NHS.
Telling you the reason for your arrest	a police officerAt the police station; you will also be able to seek legal advice.
Policy and laws on defence, foreign affairs, immigration, taxation and social security	the central UK governmentThe matters kept back from the devolved administrations.
Arranging a booking to visit the Welsh Assembly	the Assembly Booking ServiceThe Senedd is an open building: guided tours, or seats in the public galleries.
Registering to vote	your local council electoral registration officeUsually based at your local council; in Scotland it may be elsewhere.
Appointing life peers	the monarch, on the advice of the Prime MinisterNominated by the Prime Minister, the other main parties' leaders or an independent Appointments Commission; the PM's power dates from 1958.
Advising, warning and encouraging the Prime Minister	the monarchIn regular meetings; the decisions on policy are the Prime Minister's and the cabinet's.
Appointing the government, which the people have chosen in a democratic election	the monarchThe monarch does not rule the country. They invite the leader of the party with most MPs, or of a coalition, to be Prime Minister.
Public services such as education, in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland	the devolved administrationsDefence, foreign affairs, immigration, taxation and social security stay with the UK government.
Making sure the opposition has a guaranteed amount of time to debate issues which it chooses	the SpeakerPart of keeping order during political debates, so that the rules are followed.
Making the electoral register available for anyone to look at	each local authorityBy law; the viewing has to be supervised.
Giving information, booking tickets and arranging tours for visitors to the Scottish Parliament	visitor services
Punishing crimes	the courtsCrimes are usually investigated by the police or another authority such as a council.
The children of married parents	both parents equally

Known for

What	Known for
Christmas Day	the birth of Jesus ChristIt is also a public holiday.
Boxing Day	the day after Christmas Day, and a public holiday
Good Friday	the day marking the death of Jesus Christ
Easter Sunday	the day marking Jesus Christ rising from the dead
Lent	a time for Christians to reflect and prepare for EasterTraditionally people fasted; today many give something up, like a favourite food.
The Easter egg	chocolate eggs given as gifts at Easter, symbolising new life
Shrove Tuesday	the day before Lent begins, also called Pancake Day
Pancake Day	eating pancakes, traditionally made to use up eggs, fat and milk before fastingWhy pancakes are eaten on this day.
Ash Wednesday	church services marking Christians with an ash cross as a sign of mortality and sorrow for sin
Diwali	the victory of good over evil and the gaining of knowledge
Hannukah	remembering the Jews’ struggle for religious freedom
The menorah lighting	the story of oil that lasted eight days instead of one
Eid al-Fitr	marking the end of Ramadan
Ramadan	a month when Muslims fast
Eid ul Adha	the prophet Ibrahim being willing to sacrifice his son when God commanded it
Vaisakhi	the founding of the Sikh community, the Khalsa
Valentine’s Day	an occasion for lovers to exchange cards and gifts
April Fool’s Day	people playing jokes on each other until midday
Mothering Sunday	children sending cards or buying gifts for their mothers
Father’s Day	children sending cards or buying gifts for their fathers
Halloween	an ancient festival rooted in a pagan marking of the start of winter
Bonfire Night	a failed 1605 plot by Guy Fawkes and other Catholics to kill the king in Parliament with a bombThe origin of Bonfire Night.
Remembrance Day	commemorating those who died fighting for the UK and its allies
Tower of London	housing the Crown JewelsVisitors to the Tower of London can see the Crown Jewels there.
The White Tower	being an example of a Norman castle keep
The Cenotaph in Whitehall	being the site of the yearly Remembrance Day serviceThe Cenotaph hosts the UK's annual Remembrance Day service.
The Eden Project	its biomes that hold plants gathered from around the worldThe Eden Project's biomes are giant greenhouses holding plants from around the world.
Loch Lomond	being the biggest area of fresh water in mainland Britain
Snowdonia	being home to Snowdon, the highest peak in WalesSnowdonia's best-known feature is Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.
The Lake District	its lakes and mountains, and popularity with climbers, walkers and sailors
Wastwater	being voted Britain's favourite view by TV viewersWastwater, in the Lake District, was voted Britain's favourite view on television.
The jester at a medieval court	telling jokes and making fun of people in the CourtThe handbook traces British comedy and satire back this far.
Punch	being the most famous of the satirical magazines, published for the first time in the 1840sSatirical magazines began in the 19th century; political cartoons attacking politicians came in the 18th.
Private Eye	continuing the tradition of satire in magazines todayPolitical cartoons continue in newspapers alongside it.
Music hall	a form of variety theatre with comedians, very common until television became the leading form of entertainment
Morecambe and Wise	performing in the music halls of the 1940s and 1950s before becoming stars of televisionThe handbook names them as the example of that move from music hall to television.
The situation comedy, or sitcom	looking at family life and relationships in the workplaceThey remain popular.
That Was The Week That Was	television satire in the 1960sSpitting Image carried the same tradition into the 1980s and 1990s.
Spitting Image	television satire in the 1980s and 1990sThat Was The Week That Was did the same job in the 1960s.
Monty Python's Flying Circus	introducing a new type of progressive comedy in 1969Stand-up comedy, a solo comedian talking to a live audience, has become popular again more recently.
Stand-up comedy	a solo comedian talking to a live audienceIt has become popular again in recent years.
British soap opera	regular programmes such as Coronation Street and EastEndersThe handbook names these two as the regular soap operas.
The BBC	being the largest broadcaster in the world, and the only wholly state-funded media organisation that is independent of governmentIt is paid for by the money from TV licences. Other UK channels are funded by advertisements and subscriptions.
A community's 'local' pub	being a natural focal point for social activitiesPub quizzes are popular there.
The British pub	opening during the day from 11.00 am, or 12 noon on SundaysNight clubs with dancing and music usually open and close later than pubs.
The National Lottery	draws made every week, which you enter by buying a ticket or a scratch cardUnder-18s are not allowed to take part.
The Proms	a season of orchestral classical music organised by the BBC since 1927The Last Night of the Proms is its most well-known concert.
The London Eye	a Ferris wheel 443 feet, or 135 metres, tall on the southern bank of the River ThamesIt was originally built as part of the celebrations for the new millennium.
The Fringe	being the biggest and most well-known of the Edinburgh Festival's arts festivalsThe Edinburgh Festival runs every summer; the Fringe is mainly theatre and comedy.
The Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf	telling of its hero's battles against monstersStill translated into modern English.
The National Trust	working to preserve important buildings, coastline and countrysideA charity, founded in 1895; the National Trust for Scotland does the same there. Also listed as an environmental charity.
The Open Championship	being the only golf 'Major' held outside the United StatesIt is hosted by a different golf course every year.
Halloween lanterns	being carved out of pumpkins, with a candle inside31 October; children dress up and go trick or treating.
William Wordsworth	poetry inspired by nature
Nick Park	his animated films, including three featuring Wallace and GromitFour Oscars in all.
The James Bond films	being one of the two highest-grossing film franchises produced in the UKHarry Potter is the other.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle	being a Scottish author of stories about Sherlock Holmes, one of the first fictional detectivesA Scottish doctor as well as a writer, 1859 to 1930.
The British constitution	not being written down in any single document, which is why it is described as 'unwritten'Mainly because, unlike America or France, the UK never had a revolution that led permanently to a totally new system of government.
The Citizens Advice Bureau	giving the names of local solicitors and the areas of law they specialise inSolicitors' charges are usually based on the time they spend on a case.
The National Domestic Violence Freephone Helpline	taking calls 24 hours a day from anyone facing domestic violenceThe police can also help someone find a safe place to stay.
The National Citizen Service	giving 16- and 17-year-olds the chance to enjoy outdoor activities, develop their skills and take part in a community projectOne of the programmes for young people the handbook names under volunteering.
The MOT test	being required every year once a vehicle is more than three years oldNot having an MOT certificate for a vehicle over three years old is an offence.
Housing law	disputes between landlords and tenants over issues such as repairs and evictionCivil law, not criminal.
Employment law	disputes over wages and cases of unfair dismissal or discrimination in the workplaceCivil law, not criminal.
Magistrates and Justices of the Peace in England, Wales and Scotland	usually working unpaid and not needing legal qualificationsMembers of the local community who receive training; in Northern Ireland a paid, legally qualified District Judge sits instead.
A Youth Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland	hearing cases against people aged 10 to 17, in front of up to three specially trained magistrates or a District JudgeThe most serious cases go to the Crown Court.
A Magistrates' Court in Northern Ireland	cases being heard by a District Judge or Deputy District Judge, who is legally qualified and paidThe odd one out: in England, Wales and Scotland magistrates usually work unpaid.
Jury service	being compulsory for everyone summoned, unless they are not eligible or have a good reason to be excusedA criminal conviction can make someone ineligible; ill health is a good reason to be excused.
Pressure and lobby groups	being organisations that try to influence government policySome represent British business, like the CBI; others campaign on a topic, like Greenpeace or Liberty.
The Palace of Westminster	its public galleries in both Houses, where the public can listen to debatesWrite to your MP for tickets in advance, or queue on the day; entrance is free.
The Commonwealth	being an association of countries that support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and developmentMost members were once part of the British Empire; a few that were not have joined too.
The Treaty of Rome	setting up what was then called the European Economic Community (EEC), now the European UnionSigned by six western European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
The Council of Europe	drawing up conventions and charters such as the European Convention on Human Rights, though it has no power to make lawsSeparate from the EU: 47 member countries, including the UK, and responsible for protecting and promoting human rights in them.
NATO	being a group of European and North American countries that have agreed to help each other if they come under attackIt also aims to keep peace between its members; the UK is one.
Crisis and Shelter	working with homeless peopleTwo of the charities the handbook names; Age UK works with older people, the NSPCC with children.
The PDSA	working with animalsIts full name is the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals.
British society	having no place for extremism or intoleranceStated just before the five fundamental principles are listed.
The Pre-Raphaelites	being an important group of artists in the second half of the 19th centuryDetailed pictures on religious or literary themes in bright colours; Holman Hunt, Rossetti and Millais.
The UN Security Council	recommending action when there are international crises and threats to peace15 members; the UK is one of five permanent members.
The United Nations	being set up after the Second World War to prevent war and promote international peace and securityMore than 190 countries are members; the UK is one.
The Speaker	being neutral and not representing a political party, even though he or she is an MPChosen by other MPs in a secret ballot. Still represents a constituency and deals with constituents’ problems like any other MP.
Forced Marriage Protection Orders	protecting a person from being forced into a marriage, or a person already in oneIntroduced in 2008 under the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007.
Britain at the turn of the 19th century	not being a democracy as we know it todayThere were elections to select MPs, but only a small group of people could vote.
The Chartist campaign	being generally seen as a failure at the timeBy 1918 most of the Chartists' reforms had been adopted.
God Save the King	being played at important national occasions and at events attended by the King (or Queen) or the Royal Family
Elections for the European Parliament	being held every five years
Proportional representation	allocating seats to each party in proportion to the total number of votes it has wonElections to the European Parliament use it.
The Human Rights Act 1998	incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law
Brutality and violence in the home	being a serious crime in the UK
The helpline section at the front of Yellow Pages	listing emergency telephone numbers, including, for women, the number of the nearest women’s centre
Practising FGM or taking a girl or woman abroad for FGM	being a criminal offence
Arranged marriages, where both parties agree to the marriage	being acceptable in the UK
Forcing another person to marry	being a criminal offence
Money raised from income tax	paying for government services such as roads, education, police and the armed forces
Money raised from National Insurance Contributions	paying for state benefits and services such as the state retirement pension and the National Health Service (NHS)
Not paying enough National Insurance Contributions	meaning you cannot receive certain contributory benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance or a full state retirement pension
A National Insurance number	being a unique personal account number
A driving licence	being required to drive on public roads in the UKYou must also be at least 17 to drive a car or motor cycle.
The driving test	having to be passed to get a UK driving licence
The tax disc	showing that the annual road tax has been paid, and having to be displayed on the windscreen
Driving without insurance	being a serious criminal offenceYou must also have valid motor insurance.
Not having an MOT certificate for a vehicle that is more than three years old	being an offence
Civil law	settling disputes between individuals or groups
Consumer rights	disputes about faulty goods or services
Police forces in the UK	being independent of the government
Terrorist groups	trying to radicalise and recruit people to their causeHow, where and to what extent they try to do so will vary.
The small claims procedure	being an informal way of helping people to settle minor disputes without spending a lot of time and money using a lawyer
The small claims hearing	being held in front of a judge in an ordinary room, with people from both sides of the dispute sitting around a table
Money Claims Online	letting small claims be issued onlineIts website is www.moneyclaim.gov.uk.
Solicitors	being trained lawyers who give advice on legal matters, take action for their clients and represent their clients in court
Solicitors' charges	usually being based on how much time solicitors spend on a case
The cabinet	being a committee which usually meets weeklyIt makes important decisions about government policy.
Prime Minister's Questions	taking place every week while Parliament is sittingOne important opportunity for the opposition to challenge the government.
Independents	usually representing an issue important to their constituencyThey are the MPs who do not represent any of the main political parties.
The main political parties	having branches in most constituencies and holding policy-making conferences every year
The CBI (Confederation of British Industry)	representing the views of British business
Greenpeace	campaigning on the environmentLiberty, another such group, campaigns on human rights.
Civil servants	being chosen on merit and politically neutral, not political appointeesThey are accountable to ministers.
Most large towns and cities	having a single local authority
The Belfast Agreement (or Good Friday Agreement) of 1998	being followed soon after by the establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly
The UK's free press	meaning that what is written in newspapers is free from government controlThe UK has a free press.
Some newspaper owners and editors	holding strong political opinions and running campaigns to try to influence government policy and public opinion
Radio and television coverage of the political parties	having to be balanced by law, so that equal time is given to rival viewpoints
A polling station on election day	being open from 7.00 am until 10.00 pm
A polling booth	being where you take your ballot paper to fill it in privately
A postal ballot	having your ballot paper sent to your home before the election
Registering to be an organ donor	being able to make it easier for your family to decide whether to donate your organs when you dieMany people in the UK are waiting for organ transplants; living people can also donate a kidney.
The British Red Cross	being a British branch of an international organisationCharities range from British branches of international organisations to small local charities working in particular areas.
Age UK	working with older people
The NSPCC	working with children
Cancer Research UK	being a medical research charity
Friends of the Earth	being an environmental charity
Using recycled materials to make new products	using less energy and meaning that we do not need to extract more raw materials from the earthIt also means that less rubbish is created, so the amount being put into landfill is reduced.
Shopping for products locally	being a good way to support your local community, where you canIt will also reduce your carbon footprint, because the products you buy will not have had to travel as far.
Walking and using public transport to get around	creating less pollution than when you use a car
The franchise	growing over the course of the 19th centuryThe franchise is the number of people who had the right to vote.
A constitutional monarchy	the king or queen not ruling the country but appointing the government, which the people have chosen in a democratic electionThe UK has a constitutional monarchy.
Parliamentary constituencies	being the areas into which the UK is divided
The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007	being the Act under which Forced Marriage Protection Orders were introduced in 2008
The criminal offence of carrying a weapon	applying even if the weapon is for self-defenceIt covers a gun, a knife or anything made or adapted to cause injury.
The police	being organised into a number of separate police forcesEach force is headed by a Chief Constable.
Police community support officers (PCSOs)	having different roles according to the area
Magistrates and Justices of the Peace (JPs)	being members of the local community
Liberty	campaigning on human rights
Local elections for councillors	being held in May every year for most local authorities
Elections for the National Assembly for Wales	being held every four years
The publications of the National Assembly for Wales	all being in both Welsh and English
The electoral registration office	being usually based at your local council (in Scotland it may be based elsewhere)
The electoral register	being updated every year in September or October
Stormont	being where the Northern Ireland Assembly meets
Membership of the Commonwealth	being voluntary
School fundraising events	raising money for extra equipment or out-of-school activities
The products you buy locally	reducing your carbon footprint, because they will not have had to travel as far
The Last Night of the Proms	being the most well-known concert of the PromsAlong with others in the series, it is broadcast on television.
Henry Purcell	being the organist at Westminster Abbey
Messiah	being an oratorio that is sung regularly by choirs, often at Easter time
The Planets	being a suite of pieces themed around the planets of the solar system
I vow to thee my country	being a popular hymn in British churchesHolst adapted Jupiter, part of the Planets suite, as its tune.
Land of Hope and Glory	usually being played at the Last Night of the PromsIt is played at the Royal Albert Hall.
Balthazar's Feast	being intended to be sung by a large choirIt is probably among Walton's best-known works.
A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra	introducing the listener to the various different sections of an orchestra
The National Eisteddfod of Wales	being an annual cultural festival with music, dance, art and original performances largely in WelshIt includes a number of important competitions for Welsh poetry.
The Mousetrap	having the longest initial run of any show in historyIt is a murder-mystery play, running in the West End since 1952.
Gilbert and Sullivan	writing comic operas, often making fun of popular culture and politicsThey wrote in the 19th century; their work is still often staged by professional and amateur groups.
Pantomimes	being based on fairy stories and being light-hearted plays with music and comedy, enjoyed by family audiencesMany theatres produce a pantomime at Christmas time.
The Dame in a pantomime	being a woman played by a man
The pantomime horse or cow	being played by two actors in the same costume
Sir Laurence Olivier	his roles in various Shakespeare playsHe was later Lord Olivier; the Laurence Olivier Awards are named after him.
Art in the Middle Ages	mostly having a religious theme, particularly wall paintings in churches and illustrations in religious books
The Turner Prize	being recognised as one of the most prestigious visual art awards in Europe
John Constable	his works of Dedham Vale on the Suffolk–Essex border in the east of EnglandA landscape painter, 1776–1837.
Henry Moore	his large bronze abstract sculptures
Lucian Freud	his portraits
Architecture in the Middle Ages	great cathedrals and churches, many of which still stand today
The annual Chelsea Flower Show	showcasing garden design from Britain and around the world
Sir Terence Conran	being a 20th-century interior designer
Agatha Christie	detective stories that are read all over the world
Jane Austen’s novels	being concerned with marriage and family relationshipsHer books include Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
Lucky Jim	being the most well-known novel by Sir Kingsley Amis
The poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight	being about one of the knights at the court of King ArthurIt is one of the poems that survive from the Middle Ages.
Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey	being the place where some of the best-known poets are buried or commemorated
Hogmanay	being, for some Scottish people, a bigger holiday than Christmas
Bank holidays	being of no religious significanceBanks and many other businesses are closed for the day.
Yorkshire puddings	being batter that is baked in the ovenThey are served with roast beef.
Welsh cakes	being a traditional Welsh snackThey are served either hot or cold.
Haggis	being a food traditionally associated with ScotlandHaggis is a sheep’s stomach stuffed with offal, suet, onions and oatmeal.
An Ulster fry	being a food traditionally associated with Northern IrelandIt is a fried meal.
Sir Charles (Charlie) Chaplin	his tramp character in silent moviesHe was one of many British actors to make a career in Hollywood.
British film studios	flourishing in the 1930s
The film In Which We Serve	being an example of the British movies that played an important part in boosting morale during the Second World War
British film comedies	having a high point in the 1950s and 1960s
Ealing Studios	having a claim to being the oldest continuously working film studio facility in the world
The British Academy Film Awards	being the British equivalent of the OscarsThey are held annually.
Social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter	being a popular way for people to stay in touch with friends, organise social events, and share photos, videos and opinions
Night clubs with dancing and music	usually opening and closing later than pubs
The countryside in the UK	having a large network of public footpaths
National parks	being areas of protected countryside that everyone can visit, and where people live, work and look after the landscape
The National Trust for Scotland	being a charity that works to preserve important buildings, coastline and countryside in the UK
Elizabeth Tower	being named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond JubileeThe Diamond Jubilee was in 2012.
Windermere	being the biggest stretch of water in the Lake District
The Church of England	being a Protestant Church that has existed since the Reformation in the 1530s
The Roman Catholic denomination of Christianity	being the biggest of the other denominations of Christianity
Sir Jackie Stewart	being a Scottish former racing driver who won the Formula 1 world championship three times
Sir Ian Botham	holding a number of English Test cricket records, both for batting and for bowlingHe also captained the English cricket team.
Dame Kelly Holmes	winning two gold medals for running in the 2004 Olympic Games
Bradley Wiggins	winning seven Olympic medals, including gold medals in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games
Andy Murray	being a Scottish tennis player who won the men’s singles in the US Open in 2012
Royal Ascot	being attended by members of the Royal Family
The banknotes of Northern Ireland and Scotland	being valid everywhere in the UKShops and businesses do not have to accept them.
The 1950s	being a period of economic recovery after the war and increasing prosperity for working people
The radio telescope at Jodrell Bank	being for many years the biggest in the world and continuing to operate todaySir Bernard Lovell built it in Cheshire.
The Turing machine	being a theoretical mathematical device invented in the 1930s
The discovery of the structure of the DNA molecule	contributing to many scientific advances, particularly in medicine and fighting crime
Concorde	being the world's only supersonic passenger aircraft
The City of London	being an international centre for investments, insurance and other financial services, a role that grew greatly with deregulation
The Declaration of Rights	confirming that the king would no longer be able to raise taxes or administer justice without agreement from ParliamentIt was read at the coronation of William and Mary.
The Act of Union of 1707	creating the Kingdom of Great Britain
The rebellion of the clans	an attempt to put a Stuart king back on the throne in place of George IIGeorge II was George I's son.
The Highland Clearances	evictions becoming very common in the early 19th century
Auld Lang Syne	being sung by people in the UK and other countries when they are celebrating the New YearIn Scotland the New Year is called Hogmanay.
The Emancipation Act	abolishing slavery throughout the British Empire
The declaration of independence by 13 American colonies in 1776	stating that people had a right to establish their own governmentsFighting broke out between the colonists and the British forces.
The Battle of Trafalgar	Britain's navy winning against combined French and Spanish fleets
HMS Victory	being Admiral Nelson's shipIt can be visited in Portsmouth.
Ireland's unification with England, Scotland and Wales	creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandIt happened in 1801, after the Act of Union of 1800.
The Victorian Age	being a time when Britain increased in power and influence abroadQueen Victoria's reign is known as the Victorian Age.
The free trade reforms	helping the development of British industry, because raw materials could now be imported more cheaplyThe repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 was one example.
The Crystal Palace	being a huge building made of steel and glassThe Great Exhibition opened there in 1851.
The Crimean War	being the first war to be extensively covered by the media through news stories and photographs
The Fenians	favouring complete independenceThey were part of the Irish Nationalist movement.
Charles Stuart Parnell	advocating Home RuleHome Rule: Ireland would remain in the UK but have its own parliament.
The Reform Act of 1867	creating many more urban seats in Parliament and reducing the amount of property that people needed to have before they could vote
The Women’s Franchise League	fighting to get the vote in local elections for married women
The transition from Empire to Commonwealth	being, for the most part, orderly, with countries granted their independenceIt took place by the second half of the 20th century.
Rudyard Kipling’s poems and novels	reflecting the idea that the British Empire was a force for good
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria	setting off a chain of events leading to the First World WarThe First World War is dated 1914–18.
Home Rule for Ireland	being a proposal for a self-governing Ireland with its own parliament but still part of the UKThe British government promised it in 1913.
John Maynard Keynes	publishing influential new theories of economicsHe was an economist.
The phrase 'the Blitz spirit'	describing Britons pulling together in the face of adversityDespite the destruction, there was a strong national spirit of resistance in the UK.
Churchill's first speech to the House of Commons after he became Prime Minister	the line 'I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat'Made in 1940.
Churchill's speech to the House of Commons during the Battle of Britain	the line 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few'Made in 1940.
The Statute of Rhuddlan	annexing Wales to the Crown of EnglandKing Edward I of England introduced it in 1284.
Conwy and Caernarvon castles	being huge castles built to maintain English rule in Wales
The Battle of Bannockburn	the Scottish defeating the EnglishThe Scottish were led by Robert the Bruce.
The Crusades	European Christians fighting for control of the Holy LandMany knights took part in them.
The Battle of Agincourt	a vastly outnumbered English army defeating the FrenchOne of the most famous battles of the Hundred Years War.
Magna Carta	establishing the idea that even the king was subject to the lawIt protected the rights of the nobility.
The English words ‘park’ and ‘beauty’	being based on Norman French words
The English words ‘apple’, ‘cow’ and ‘summer’	being based on Anglo-Saxon words
Many of the great cathedrals built in the Middle Ages	still being used for worshipLincoln Cathedral is one example of these great cathedrals.
The stained glass windows in several of the cathedrals	telling stories about the Bible and Christian saints
English wool	becoming a very important export
The Wars of the Roses	being a civil war begun to decide who should be king of England
The Battle of Bosworth Field	ending the Wars of the Roses
Henry VIII	breaking away from the Church of Rome and marrying six times
The Book of Common Prayer	being written in the reign of Edward VI to be used in the Church of England
Shakespeare’s Henry V	the line ‘Once more unto the breach’
Shakespeare’s Hamlet	the line ‘To be or not to be’
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet	the line ‘A rose by any other name’
Shakespeare’s As You Like It	the line ‘All the world’s a stage’
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18	the line ‘The darling buds of May’
The Globe Theatre in London	being a modern copy of the theatres in which Shakespeare’s plays were first performed
The Habeas Corpus Act	guaranteeing that no one could be held prisoner unlawfullyEvery prisoner has a right to a court hearing.
Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica	showing how gravity applied to the whole universeIt was Isaac Newton’s most famous published work.
Killiecrankie	being where an armed rebellion in support of James II was quickly defeatedThere was also support for James in Scotland.
Skara Brae	being the best preserved prehistoric village in northern EuropeIt has helped archaeologists to understand more about how people lived near the end of the Stone Age.
The people of the Bronze Age	being accomplished metalworkers who made many beautiful objects in bronze and goldThe objects they made included tools, ornaments and weapons.
The Iron Age	people learning how to make weapons and tools out of ironIt followed the Bronze Age.
Sutton Hoo	being the burial place of an Anglo-Saxon king, who was buried with treasure and armour in a ship covered by a mound of earth
The rest of Ireland	being an independent country
The Crown dependencies	having their own governments, and being closely linked with the UK but not part of it
British overseas territories	being in other parts of the world, and linked to the UK but not a part of it
The Education Act 1944	introducing free secondary education in England and WalesThe division between primary and secondary schools that it enforced still remains in most areas of Britain.
The centres set up in the West Indies	recruiting people to drive buses
The new laws to restrict immigration to Britain passed in the late 1960s	requiring immigrants to have a strong connection to Britain through birth or ancestry
The MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner	enabling doctors and researchers to obtain exact and non-invasive images of human internal organs, and revolutionising diagnostic medicine
25 December 1990	being the day information was successfully transferred via the web for the first time
Strikes in the 1970s	affecting many industries and services, and causing problems between the trade unions and the government
The 1970s in Northern Ireland	being a time of serious unrest
The violence in Northern Ireland in the decades after 1969	some 3,000 people losing their lives
The UK’s response to Argentina invading the Falkland Islands	a naval taskforce being sent from the UK and military action leading to the recovery of the islands
The Whigs and the Tories	being the beginning of party politics
Robert Burns	being a Scottish poet
Scientific discoveries such as James Watt’s work on steam power	helping the progress of the Industrial Revolution
Agriculture in Britain before the 18th century	being the biggest source of employment
The mechanisation of agriculture and the manufacturing of goods	making things more efficient and increasing production
Manufacturing jobs in Britain	becoming the main source of employment
Richard Arkwright’s horse-driven spinning mills that used only one machine	increasing the efficiency of production
Canals built during the Industrial Revolution	being built to link the factories to towns and cities and to the ports
The booming slave trade	helping to sustain commercial expansion and prosperity
The British colonies in North America in the 1760s	being wealthy and largely in control of their own affairs
Many of the colonist families in North America	being well educated and interested in ideas of liberty
Nelson's Column	being a monument to Admiral NelsonIt is in Trafalgar Square, London.
The Union Flag	being one symbol of the union between England, Scotland, Wales and IrelandIt was a new version of the official flag.
A number of reformers in the UK during the Victorian Age	leading moves to improve conditions of life for the poorThe middle classes also became increasingly significant.
Improved transport links	enabling goods and people to move more easily around the country
George and Robert Stephenson	pioneering the railway engine just before Queen Victoria came to the throneA major expansion of the railways took place in the Victorian period. Railways were built throughout the Empire.
The exhibits at the Great Exhibition in 1851	ranging from huge machines to handmade goods
Conditions in the Crimean War	being very poor, so that many soldiers died from illnesses they caught in the hospitals rather than from war wounds
The growth of the British Empire	continuing until the 1920s
Deaths in the Boer War	many more people dying from disease than in the fighting
The poem If	often being voted among the UK’s favourite poems
The early 20th century	being a time of optimism in BritainIt was also a time of social progress.
The First World War	being centred in Europe but a global war involving nations from around the world
The guerrilla war in Ireland	being a war against the British army and the police in Ireland that followed the Easter Rising
Car ownership between 1930 and 1939	doubling from 1 million to 2 million
The success of the Dunkirk evacuation	making Britain better able to continue the fight against the GermansMany lives and a lot of equipment were lost.
The UK during the Blitz	a strong national spirit of resistance despite the destruction
Churchill's speech to the House of Commons after Dunkirk	the line 'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender'Made in 1940.
Penicillin today	treating bacterial infections
The last Welsh rebellions	having been defeated by the middle of the 15th century
The labour shortages after the Black Death	peasants beginning to demand higher wages
The development of the legal system in the Middle Ages	the principle that judges are independent of the government beginning to be established
The English words ‘demand’ and ‘ask’	being examples of words with very similar meanings, one from French and one from Anglo-Saxon‘Demand’ is the French word and ‘ask’ the Anglo-Saxon word.
Geoffrey Chaucer	writing, in the years leading up to 1400, a series of poems in English about a group of people going to Canterbury on a pilgrimage
England during the Middle Ages	being an important trading nation
The Reformation	a movement across Europe against the authority of the Pope and the ideas and practices of the Roman Catholic Church
Protestant ideas	gradually gaining strength in England, Wales and Scotland during the 16th century
England under Elizabeth I	everyone having to attend their local church, with laws about the type of religious services and the prayers which could be saidElizabeth did not ask about people’s real beliefs.
The Church of Scotland	being a Protestant Church that, unlike the Church of England, was not a state Church
The colonisation of the eastern coast of America	greatly increasing in the next century, particularly by people who disagreed with the religious views of the next two kings
The reign of King James	a new translation of the Bible into English
The King James Version of the Bible	continuing to be used in many Protestant churches todayIt was not the first English Bible.
Ireland in the Tudor and Stuart period	being an almost completely Catholic country
English authority over the whole of Ireland	the introduction of English laws
The Puritans	being a group of Protestants who advocated strict and simple religious doctrine and worship, many of them in Parliament
The great fire the year after the 1665 plague outbreak in London	destroying much of the city, including many churches and St Paul's CathedralThe book says the following year and gives no year for the fire.
The Channel	permanently separating Britain from the continent about 10,000 years ago
Stonehenge	probably being a special gathering place for seasonal ceremoniesIt is one of the monuments built by the first farmers.
The Roman invasion of 55 BC	being unsuccessfulJulius Caesar led it.
Britain after the Roman invasion of 55 BC	remaining separate from the Roman Empire for nearly 100 years
The Roman invasion of AD 43	being successful in occupying almost all of BritainThe Emperor Claudius led the Roman army in it.
Hadrian's Wall	being a UNESCO World Heritage SiteIt is also a popular area for walkers.
The first Christian communities in Britain	beginning to appear in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD
The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms established in Britain by about AD 600	being mainly in what is now England
The parts of the west of Britain, including much of what is now Wales, and Scotland	remaining free of Anglo-Saxon rule
The Viking settlers	mixing with local communities
The term Scotland	beginning to be used to describe the country in the north that united under one king
The Domesday Book	giving a picture of society in England just after the Norman ConquestIt still exists today.

Other names

What	Also known as
Diwali	the Festival of LightsAn alternate name for Diwali.
Yeoman Warders	BeefeatersTower of London tours are given by the Yeoman Warders, informally called Beefeaters.
The great bell of the clock at the Houses of Parliament	Big Ben
The Church of England, in Scotland and the United States	the Episcopal ChurchIn other countries it is called the Anglican Church.
London's West End	TheatrelandThe Mousetrap has been running there since 1952.
A piece of additional land that people rent to grow fruit and vegetables	an allotment
The official reports of what is said in Parliament	HansardProceedings are also broadcast on television; the written record is in large libraries and online.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children	the NSPCCOne of the charities that work with children.
The Prime Minister's country house outside London	ChequersThe official home in town is 10 Downing Street.
The ceremonial leader of a council, appointed by many local authorities	a mayorIn some towns a mayor is elected to be the effective leader of the administration.
MPs who do not represent any of the main political parties	independentsUsually elected on one issue that matters to their constituency.
The fresh election held in a constituency when its MP dies or resigns	a by-electionIt is held only in that MP's constituency.
Members of the European Parliament	MEPsTheir elections were held every five years, by proportional representation rather than first past the post.
The regular local meetings where constituents can talk to their MP in person	surgeriesAdvertised in the local newspaper; Assembly members, MSPs and MEPs hold them too.
Safe places to stay for people escaping domestic violence	refuges or sheltersNot in every area; the helpline section of Yellow Pages lists the nearest women's centre.
A marriage where one or both parties do not or cannot give their consent	a forced marriageForcing another person to marry is a criminal offence.
A marriage where both parties agree to it	an arranged marriageAcceptable in the UK; what the law forbids is forcing someone to marry.
The system where your employer takes income tax from your wages and pays it to HMRC	Pay As You Earn (PAYE)For most people the right amount is taken automatically by the employer.
The system self-employed people use to pay their own tax, which includes completing a tax return	self-assessmentOther people may also need to complete a tax return.
All the judges together	the judiciaryTheir job is to interpret the law and make sure trials are fair.
The democratically elected councils that govern towns, cities and rural areas	local authoritiesSome areas have both a district and a county council.
The voter registration system used in Northern Ireland	individual registrationEach voter completes their own form; elsewhere one form per household lists everyone eligible.
Parent-teacher associations	PTAsThey organise school fundraising events.
Persuading people to vote for a party's candidates by handing out leaflets or knocking on doors	canvassingYou do not have to tell a canvasser how you intend to vote.
The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals	the PDSAThe handbook's example of a charity working with animals.
The public holidays on which banks and many other businesses are closed for the day	bank holidaysThe other public holidays, besides the festivals the handbook names first.
The arrangement that distributes ministerial offices among the main parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly	a power-sharing agreementThe Assembly has 90 members, elected by a form of proportional representation.
Working for good causes without payment	volunteeringExamples: helping at an animal rescue shelter, youth work, a litter pick-up.
The number of people who had the right to vote	the franchisePolitical parties began to involve ordinary men and women as members.
A set of principles by which a country is governed	a constitution
A small area of the country that an MP represents	a parliamentary constituencyThe UK is divided into parliamentary constituencies.
Peers nominated just for their own lifetime	life peers
The arrangement where two parties join together when no party wins a majority	a coalition
Female genital mutilation (FGM)	cutting or female circumcisionIt is illegal in the UK.
The heads of each police force	Chief ConstablesThe police are organised into a number of separate police forces.
The officers who support police officers	police community support officers (PCSOs)
Vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values	extremismIt includes religious extremism and far-right extremism.
A group of members of the public chosen at random from the local electoral register	a jury
The place where people vote in an election	a polling station (a polling place in Scotland)
The card you are sent before an election, telling you where your polling station is and when the election will take place	a poll cardIn Scotland the polling station is called a polling place.
The elected members of the Northern Ireland Assembly	MLAsThey meet at Stormont, in Belfast.
The elected members of the Scottish Parliament	MSPsThey meet in the Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood in Edinburgh.
The elected members of the National Assembly for Wales	AMsThey meet in the Welsh Assembly in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
European laws	directives, regulations or framework decisions
The group of European and North American countries that have agreed to help each other if they come under attack	NATOIt also aims to maintain peace between all of its members.
The title of the heir apparent to the throne	Prince of Wales
March No 1 of the Pomp and Circumstance Marches	Land of Hope and Glory
A poem which must be 14 lines long	a sonnetShakespeare wrote many of them.
Father Christmas	Santa Claus
The red flower found on the battlefields of the First World War	a poppyPeople wear poppies.
The central shopping area of most towns and cities	the town centre
The people who sell a variety of goods at a market	stallholdersMany towns have markets on one or more days a week.
Situation comedies	sitcomsSitcoms remain popular.
The people who provide vaccinations and medical treatment for animals	veterinary surgeons (vets)
The official Church of the state	the Church of England
The Church of England in countries other than Scotland and the United States	the Anglican Church
The national Church in Scotland	the Church of ScotlandIt is a Presbyterian Church.
UEFA	the Union of European Football AssociationsMany UK teams compete in the UEFA Champions League against other teams from Europe.
FIFA	the Fédération Internationale de Football AssociationEach country in the UK has its own national team that competes in the FIFA World Cup.
St Andrews	the home of golf
The Education Act 1944	The Butler ActIt introduced free secondary education in England and Wales; R A Butler oversaw it.
Constituencies that had hardly any voters	rotten boroughs
The Act of Union of 1707	the Treaty of Union in Scotland
The most important minister in Parliament	the Prime Minister
Industries where people worked from home to produce goods such as cloth and lace	cottage industries
The process of preparing fibres for spinning into yarn and fabric	carding
People who supported the abolition of slavery	abolitionists
The Union Flag	the Union Jack
Queen Victoria's reign	the Victorian Age
An arrangement in which Ireland would remain in the UK but have its own parliament	Home Rule
The right of every adult, male or female, to vote	universal suffrageIt followed in the century after the 19th century.
The six mainly Protestant counties in the north that remained part of the UK	Northern Ireland
The conflict between those wishing for full Irish independence and those wishing to remain loyal to the British government	the Troubles
The area of Ireland around Dublin that the English ruled by 1200	the Pale
The prominent families whose members owned land in the north of Scotland and Ireland	the clans
The two separate parts of Parliament	HousesThe numbers attending Parliament increased.
The law in England that grew from following previous decisions and tradition	common law
The collection of poems about a group of people on a pilgrimage	The Canterbury Tales
The Act that formally united Wales with England during the reign of Henry VIII	the Act for the Government of Wales
The settlements of Scottish and English Protestants in Ulster	plantations
The idea that the king was directly appointed by God to rule	the Divine Right of KingsJames I and Charles I both believed in it.
The Protestants who advocated strict and simple religious doctrine and worship	the PuritansMany in Parliament were Puritans.
The people who supported the king when the country split	the Cavaliers
The people who supported Parliament when the country split	the Roundheads
The republic that England declared	the Commonwealth
The Latin phrase meaning ‘you must present the person in court’	habeas corpus
The oldest surviving scientific society in the world	the Royal Society
The event in which William took over the throne from James II	the Glorious Revolution
James II’s supporters	JacobitesSome, particularly in Scotland, continued to believe that James was the rightful king.
The tombs in which people buried their dead in the Bronze Age	round barrows
The homes people lived in during the Bronze Age	roundhouses
The defended sites that people sometimes lived in	hill fortsPeople still lived in roundhouses, grouped together into larger settlements.
UNESCO	the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization
William, Duke of Normandy	William the ConquerorHe became king of England.
The Beveridge Report	Social Insurance and Allied ServicesIt was a 1942 report.
The problem of imports of goods being valued at more than the price paid for exports	a problem with the ‘balance of payments’
The campaigners who presented petitions to Parliament	the Chartists
The women who formed the women’s suffrage movement	suffragettes
A nation with an expansive Empire, well-admired navy, thriving industry and strong political institutions	a global ‘superpower’Britain in the early 20th century was such a nation.
The long war with France, fought by English kings, that included the Battle of Agincourt	the Hundred Years WarIt actually lasted 116 years.
Most peasants under the Norman system of feudalism	serfsSome peasants had their own land.
The three Houses of the Scottish Parliament	EstatesThe Estates were the lords, the commons and the clergy.
The King James Version of the Bible	the Authorised Version
The northern province of Ireland	Ulster
Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica	Mathematical Principles of Natural PhilosophyThis is the meaning of the Latin title.
The time when the first people to live in Britain, hunter-gatherers, lived	the Stone Age

Who did what

What	Who
Introduced James Bond in his books	Ian FlemingThe films that followed are one of the two highest-grossing franchises made in the UK.
Were inspired to write about their experiences in the First World War	Wilfred Owen and Siegfried SassoonOwen's Anthem for Doomed Youth is the poem the handbook names.
Appoint the local Chief Constable	Police and Crime CommissionersElected by the public in England and Wales since November 2012; they set local police priorities.
Is chosen by other MPs in a secret ballot	the SpeakerOnce chosen the Speaker is neutral: still an MP with a constituency, but for no party.
Should be notified if you think someone is trying to persuade you to join an extremist or terrorist cause	your local police forceThe handbook's one instruction on extremism.
Can decide to change the Prime Minister	the MPs in the governing partyThe other route is the Prime Minister choosing to resign, as they usually do after losing a General Election.
Used the power to suspend the Northern Ireland Assembly several times	the UK governmentWhen local political leaders found it difficult to work together; it has been running successfully since 2007.
Gets a say in a democracy	the whole adult population
Could vote in elections for MPs at the turn of the 19th century	only men over 21 who owned a certain amount of propertyOnly a small group of people could vote.
Is head of state for many countries in the Commonwealth	the monarch
Invites the leader of the party with the largest number of MPs, or the leader of a coalition between more than one party, to become the Prime Minister	the monarch
Was married to Queen Elizabeth II	Prince Philip
Is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and the current ruling monarch	King Charles III
Is the heir apparent to King Charles III	William, Prince of WalesPrince of Wales is the title for the heir apparent to the throne.
Makes a speech which summarises the government's policies for the year ahead	the monarch
Has all Acts of Parliament made in their name	the monarch
Represents the UK to the rest of the world	the monarch
Receives foreign ambassadors and high commissioners, entertains visiting heads of state, and makes state visits overseas	the monarchState visits are in support of diplomatic and economic relationships with other countries.
Has an important role in providing stability and continuity	the monarch
Continues as head of state while governments and Prime Ministers change regularly	the monarch
Provides a focus for national identity and pride	the monarchThis was demonstrated through the celebrations of the Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee.
Can join together to form a coalition if one party does not get a majority	two parties
Is regarded as the more important of the two chambers in Parliament	the House of CommonsIts members are democratically elected.
Sits in the House of Commons, as do almost all members of the cabinet	the Prime Minister
Have usually had an important career in politics, business, law or another profession	life peers
Also nominate life peers, as well as the Prime Minister	the leaders of the other main political parties, and an independent Appointments Commission for non-party peers
Elect a few of their number to represent them in the House of Lords	hereditary peersSince 1999, hereditary peers have lost the automatic right to attend the House of Lords.
Is normally more independent of the government than the House of Commons	the House of Lords
Can suggest amendments or propose new laws, which are then discussed by MPs	the House of Lords
Has powers to overrule the House of Lords, though these are not used often	the House of Commons
Is the chief officer of the House of Commons	the SpeakerChairs the debates in the House of Commons.
Are elected at a General Election	MPsA General Election is held at least every five years.
Is elected in each constituency	the candidate who gets the most votes
Usually forms the government	the party that wins the majority of constituencies
Hold regular local ‘surgeries’ where constituents can go in person to talk about issues that concern them	many MPs, Assembly members, MSPs and MEPs
Had an important role in drafting the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms	British diplomats and lawyers
Can be prosecuted for being violent towards their partner	anyone, whether a man or woman, married or living together
Can be charged with rape for forcing a woman to have sex	any man, including a woman’s husband
Can explain the options available to someone facing domestic violence	a solicitor or the Citizens Advice Bureau
Can help you find a safe place to stay if you are facing domestic violence	the policeThe 24-hour National Domestic Violence Freephone Helpline is on 0808 2000 247.
Can apply for a Forced Marriage Protection Order	a potential victim, or someone acting for them
Deducts an employee's National Insurance Contributions from their pay	the employer
Are sent a National Insurance number just before their 16th birthday	all young people in the UK
Will need a National Insurance number	a non-UK national living in the UK and looking for work, starting work or setting up as self-employed
Should not expect to be allowed to become permanent residents in the UK	those who do not respect the lawAll residents are expected to comply with the law.
Receives equal treatment under the law	every person in the UKThe law applies in the same way to everyone, no matter who they are or where they are from.
Usually investigates crimes	the police or another authority such as a councilCrimes are punished by the courts.
Can confiscate alcohol or move young people on from public places	the police
Is expected to help the police prevent and detect crimes whenever they can	everyone in the UK
Pose the most serious of the terrorist threats facing the UK	Al Qa’ida, its affiliates and like-minded organisationsThe UK also faces threats from other kinds of terrorism.
Must either change its policies or ask Parliament to change the law if the judges agree its actions are illegal	the government
Can order a public body that is not respecting someone's legal rights to change its practices and/or pay compensation	judges
Make decisions in disputes between members of the public or organisations	judgesThe disputes might be about contracts, property or employment rights or after an accident.
Supports magistrates	a legal adviserMagistrates also receive training to do the job.
Has to listen to the evidence presented at the trial and then decide on a verdict based on what they have heard	the jury
Are expected to attend the hearing of a young person's case	the parents or carers of the young person
Is the leader of the political party in power	the Prime Minister
Has control over many important public appointments	the Prime MinisterHe or she also appoints the members of the cabinet.
Usually resigns if his or her party loses a General Election	the Prime Minister
Has to debate or approve many of the cabinet's decisions about government policy	Parliament
Usually becomes Prime Minister if his or her party wins the next General Election	the leader of the opposition
Appoints senior opposition MPs to be ‘shadow ministers’	the leader of the opposition
Are accountable to ministers	civil servants
Is elected in some towns to be the effective leader of the administration	a mayor
Coordinate policies across London	the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of LondonLondon has 33 local authorities.
Can pass laws for Scotland on all matters which are not specifically reserved to the UK Parliament	the Scottish Parliament
Has the power to suspend all devolved assemblies	the UK government
Can vote in all public elections	adult citizens of the UK, and citizens of the Commonwealth and the Irish Republic who are resident in the UK
Can vote in all elections except General Elections	adult citizens of other EU states who are resident in the UK
Must have their name on the electoral register	anyone who wants to vote in a parliamentary, local or European election
Is sent an electoral registration form to complete and return with the names of everyone resident and eligible to vote	every householdNorthern Ireland differs: each entitled voter completes their own form.
Must complete their own registration form in Northern Ireland	all those entitled to vote
Keeps the electoral register	each local electoral registration office (council office in England and Wales)
Has the right to make you vote for a particular candidate	no one
Can register for a postal ballot	anyone who finds it difficult to get to a polling station or polling place
May not stand for election to the House of Commons but are eligible for all other public offices	members of the House of Lords
Has no power over its members, although it can suspend membership	the Commonwealth
Is separate from the EU, has 47 member countries including the UK and is responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights in them	the Council of Europe
Are randomly selected to serve on a jury	people on the electoral registerThey also get the right to vote.
Sometimes organise events at schools	Parent-teacher associations (PTAs)
Are people from the local community who wish to make a positive contribution to children's education	School governors, or members of the school board in Scotland
Can apply to open a free school in their local area in England	Parents and other community groups
Began to involve ordinary men and women as members	political parties
Campaigned for reform in the 1830s and 1840s	a group called the Chartists
Had most of their reforms adopted by 1918	the Chartists
Died on September 8, 2022	Queen Elizabeth II
Is the elder son of King Charles III	William, Prince of Wales
Makes state visits overseas in support of diplomatic and economic relationships with other countries	the monarch
Represents a constituency and deals with constituents’ problems like any other MP, despite being neutral	the SpeakerThe Speaker does not represent a political party.
Should give their full and free consent to a marriage	both people involved
Must get a UK full driving licence to continue driving after using their licence in the UK for up to 12 months	someone with a licence from any other countryThe sentence before: a licence from any other country may be used in the UK for up to 12 months.
Receives training and is supported by a legal adviser	a magistrateIn England, Wales and Scotland they usually work unpaid and do not need legal qualifications.
Is unlikely to win an election as an MP	anyone who stands without being nominated to represent one of the major political parties
Found it difficult to work together when the UK government suspended the Northern Ireland Assembly several times	local political leaders in Northern Ireland
Can vote, with a few exceptions	all UK-born and naturalised adult citizens
Will ask for your name and address when you arrive at the polling station	the polling station staff
Meets in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay	the Welsh Assembly
Originally decided not to join the European Economic Community	the UKIt became a member in 1973.
Can be asked to serve on a jury	anyone who is on the electoral register and is aged 18 to 70
Has to tell a canvasser how they intend to vote	no oneUnless they choose to.
Can also donate a kidney	living people
Was the person for whom Handel wrote the Water Music	King George I
Was the person for whom Handel wrote Music for the Royal Fireworks	George IIHe was the son of King George I.
Adapted Jupiter, part of the Planets suite, as the tune for I vow to thee my country	Gustav Holst
Was strongly influenced by traditional English folk music	Ralph Vaughan WilliamsHe wrote music for orchestras and choirs.
Wrote marches for the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II	Sir William Walton
Wrote the piece of music on which A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra is based	Henry Purcell
Founded the Aldeburgh festival in Suffolk	Benjamin BrittenIt continues to be a popular music event of international importance.
Were among the many painters from abroad working in Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries	Hans Holbein and Sir Anthony Van Dyck
Gave his name to the Turner Prize	Joseph Turner
Shows the shortlisted Turner Prize works before the winner is announced	Tate Britain
Are among the previous winners of the Turner Prize	Damien Hirst and Richard Wright
Was a portrait painter who often painted people in country or garden scenery	Thomas GainsboroughLived 1727–88.
Was a Scottish painter best known for painting portraits	David AllanLived 1744–96.
Has The Origin of Painting as one of his most famous works	David Allan
Is considered the artist who raised the profile of landscape painting	Joseph Turner
Painted detailed pictures on religious or literary themes in bright colours	the Pre-Raphaelites
Were among the members of the Pre-Raphaelites	Holman Hunt, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Sir John Millais
Was a very successful Northern Irish portrait painter	Sir John LaveryLived 1856–1941.
Painted the Royal Family as part of his work as a Northern Irish portrait painter	Sir John Lavery
Was an English sculptor and artist	Henry MooreLived 1898–1986.
Was a Welsh artist best known for his engravings and stained glass	John PettsLived 1914–91.
Was a German-born British artist	Lucian FreudLived 1922–2011.
Was an important contributor to the ‘pop art’ movement of the 1960s	David HockneyHe continues to be influential today.
Took inspiration from classical architecture in the 17th century to design the Queen’s House at Greenwich and the Banqueting House in Whitehall in London	Inigo Jones
Helped develop a British version of the ornate styles popular in Europe	Sir Christopher WrenLater in the 17th century, in buildings such as the new St Paul’s Cathedral.
Was the Scottish architect who influenced the development of architecture in the UK, Europe and America	Robert Adam
Designed the inside decoration as well as the building itself in great houses such as Dumfries House in Scotland	Robert Adam
Had ideas that influenced architects in cities such as Bath, where the Royal Crescent was built	Robert Adam
Was responsible for many war memorials throughout the world after the First World War	Sir Edwin LutyensThese included the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
Are the people who attend the annual Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph	the Queen, politicians and foreign ambassadors
Are among the modern British architects who continue to work on major projects throughout the world as well as within the UK	Sir Norman Foster, Lord (Richard) Rogers and Dame Zaha Hadid
Designed the grounds around country houses in the 18th century so that the landscape appeared to be natural, with grass, trees and lakes	Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown
Often said that a place had ‘capabilities’	Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown
Often worked with Edwin Lutyens to design colourful gardens around the houses he designed	Gertrude Jekyll
Was a Scottish doctor and writer	Sir Arthur Conan Doyle1859 to 1930.
Wrote satirical novels, including Decline and Fall and Scoop	Evelyn Waugh
Wrote novels often influenced by his religious beliefs, including The Heart of the Matter, The Honorary Consul, Brighton Rock and Our Man in Havana	Graham Greene
Wrote the Harry Potter series of children’s books and now writes fiction for adults as well	J K Rowling
Wrote many sonnets and some longer poems as well as plays	Shakespeare
Wrote poems inspired by Scotland and the traditional stories and songs from the area on the borders of Scotland and England	Sir Walter Scott
Go to church on Christmas Eve (24 December) or on Christmas Day itself	many Christians
Is believed by very young children to bring them presents during the night before Christmas Day	Father ChristmasHe is also known as Santa Claus.
Thank Allah at Eid al-Fitr for giving them the strength to complete the fast	Muslims
Attend special services and meals at Eid al-Fitr	Muslims
Are reminded of their own commitment to God by Eid ul Adha	Muslims
Sacrifice an animal to eat during Eid ul Adha	many Muslims
Later left for Hollywood and remained an important film director until his death	Sir Alfred HitchcockHe died in 1980.
Has won four Oscars for his animated films, including three for films featuring Wallace and Gromit	Nick Park
Hosts the annual British Academy Film Awards	the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)
Can get a 50% discount on a TV licence	blind peoplePeople over 75 can apply for a free TV licence.
Is funded by the money from TV licences	the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Keeps many parts of the countryside and places of interest open in England, Wales and Northern Ireland	the National TrustThe National Trust for Scotland also keeps parts of the countryside and places of interest open.
Looks after Edinburgh Castle	Historic ScotlandHistoric Scotland is a Scottish government agency.
Give tours of the Tower of London	the Yeoman WardersThey tell visitors about the building’s history.
Has the legal right to choose their religion, or to choose not to practise a religion	everyone
Is the head of the Church of England	the monarch
From the Church of England sit in the House of Lords	several bishops
Govern the Church of Scotland	ministers and elders
Often speaks on behalf of the Church of Scotland	the Moderator
Finished third in the medal table at the 2012 Olympic Games	the British team
Did the work at Stoke Mandeville hospital in which the Paralympics have their origin	Dr GuttmanHe was a German refugee.
Encouraged patients to take part in exercise and sport	Dr Guttman
Was the first man in the world to run a mile in under four minutes	Sir Roger BannisterHe did it in 1954.
Won gold medals for ice dancing in four consecutive world championships	Jayne Torvill and Christopher DeanThey also won gold medals for ice dancing at the Olympic Games in 1984.
Won gold medals in rowing in five consecutive Olympic Games	Sir Steve RedgraveHe is one of Britain’s greatest Olympians.
Won 16 Paralympic medals, including 11 gold medals, in races over five Paralympic Games	Baroness Tanni-Grey ThompsonShe is an athlete who uses a wheelchair.
Broke a total of 30 world records	Baroness Tanni-Grey ThompsonShe also won the London Marathon six times.
Has won six gold medals over two Paralympic Games	David WeirHe uses a wheelchair and has also won the London Marathon six times.
Is the first Briton to win the Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 metres	Mo Farah
Was the youngest member of the British team at the 2008 Paralympic Games	Ellie Simmonds
Was the first person to sail single-handed around the world, in 1966/67	Sir Francis ChichesterHe was a British sailor.
Became the first person to sail single-handed around the world without stopping	Sir Robin Knox-JohnstonHe did it two years after Sir Francis Chichester’s voyage.
Need not accept Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes	shops and businesses
Leave school with better qualifications than boys, on average	girls
Study at university in greater numbers than men	women
Was the son of a solicitor and, after studying at Oxford University, became a barrister	Clement Attlee
Gave up being a barrister to do social work in East London and eventually became a Labour MP	Clement Attlee
Led the Labour Party for 20 years	Clement AttleeHe was Prime Minister from 1945 to 1951.
Served briefly as a Liberal MP and was subsequently the leader of the Liberals in the House of Lords	William BeveridgeHe is best known for the 1942 report Social Insurance and Allied Services.
Often read and performed his work in public, including for the BBC	Dylan Thomas
Died at the age of 39 in New York	Dylan Thomas
Sent agents to India and Pakistan to find workers	textile and engineering firms from the north of England and the Midlands
Quite commonly asked women to leave their jobs when they got married in the 1960s	employersParliament passed new laws giving women the right to equal pay.
Made new discoveries in astronomy after working with radar	Sir Bernard Lovell
Put the first cash machine into use in 1967	Barclays BankIt was in Enfield, north London.
Was the physiologist who pioneered IVF therapy in Britain with Patrick Steptoe	Sir Robert Edwards
Was the gynaecologist who pioneered IVF therapy in Britain with Sir Robert Edwards	Patrick Steptoe
Directly ruled Northern Ireland after the Northern Ireland Parliament was suspended in 1972	the UK government
Moved to Northern Ireland as a child after being born in Manchester	Mary Peters
Raised money for local athletics and became the team manager for the women's British Olympic team	Mary Peters
Continues to promote sport and tourism in Northern Ireland	Mary Peters
Trained as a chemist and lawyer	Margaret Thatcher
Became Leader of the Opposition in 1975 when she was elected Leader of the Conservative Party	Margaret Thatcher
Was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the 20th century	Margaret ThatcherShe remained in office until 1990.
Made structural changes to the economy through the privatisation of nationalised industries	the Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher
Imposed legal controls on trade union powers	the Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher
Served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War	Roald Dahl
Was given fewer legislative powers but considerable control over public services	the Welsh Assembly
Have decommissioned their arms and are inactive	most paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland
Declared that the king or queen must be a Protestant	Parliament
Had to ask Parliament every year to renew funding for the army and the navy	the monarch
Needed to have advisers, or ministers, who would be able to ensure a majority of votes in the House of Commons and the House of Lords	the monarchThis was needed to be able to govern effectively.
Remained very important but was no longer able to insist on particular policies or actions if Parliament did not agree	the monarch
Was Queen Anne’s nearest Protestant relative	George IHe was a German; Parliament chose him to be the next king in 1714 when Anne died.
Did not speak very good English, and this increased his need to rely on his ministers	George I
Was the grandson of James II and landed in Scotland	Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie)
Lost a lot of their power and influence after Culloden	the clans
Became landlords if they had the favour of the English king	Chieftains
Revised a lot of traditional folk songs by changing or adding lyrics	Robert Burns
Originally trained and worked as a barber	Richard Arkwright
Was able to dye hair and make wigs	Richard Arkwright
Started to work in textiles when wigs became less popular	Richard Arkwright
Worked and were treated in the same way as adults during the Industrial Revolution	Children
Gained control over Canada	BritainThe East India Company gained control of large parts of India.
Particularly came into conflict with Britain over trading and settlements overseas	FranceFrance was expanding and trading in a similar way in many of the same areas of the world.
Dominated the overseas slavery industry by the 18th century	Britain and the American coloniesSlavery was illegal within Britain itself.
Were employed after 1833 to replace the freed slaves	Indian and Chinese workers2 million of them were employed.
Worked on sugar plantations in the Caribbean, in mines in South Africa, on railways in East Africa and in the army in Kenya	Indian and Chinese workersThey had been employed after 1833 to replace the freed slaves.
Eventually defeated the British army	the American colonistsBritain then recognised the colonies' independence in 1783.
Became Emperor of France	NapoleonHe continued the war.
Had the longest reign of any British monarch, as at 2013	Queen VictoriaShe reigned until 1901, almost 64 years.
Trained as a nurse in Germany at the age of 31	Florence Nightingale
Improved the conditions in the hospital in Turkey and reduced the mortality rate, working with fellow nurses	Florence Nightingale
Is often regarded as the founder of modern nursing	Florence Nightingale
Set up the Women’s Franchise League in 1889	Emmeline Pankhurst
Was assassinated on 28 June 1914	Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Opposed the Home Rule Bill	the Protestants in the north of IrelandThey threatened to resist Home Rule by force.
Threatened to resist Home Rule by force	the Protestants in the north of IrelandThey opposed the Home Rule Bill.
Rose up against the British in Dublin in 1916 in the Easter Rising	Irish NationalistsThey were not willing to wait.
Believed that the conditions imposed on Germany by the Allies after the First World War were unfair	Adolf Hitler
Wanted to conquer more land for the German people	Adolf Hitler
Set about renegotiating treaties, building up arms, and testing Germany's military strength in nearby countries	Adolf Hitler
Declared war in order to stop Hitler's aggression when he invaded Poland in 1939	Britain and France
Wanted to invade Britain	HitlerBefore sending in troops, Germany needed to control the air.
Was the son of a politician and, before becoming a Conservative MP in 1900, was a soldier and journalist	Winston Churchill
Defeated the British in Singapore and then occupied Burma, threatening India	the Japanese
Entered the war when the Japanese bombed its naval base at Pearl Harbour in December 1941	the United States
Attempted the largest invasion in history by attacking the Soviet Union	Hitler
Ultimately repelled the German forces that attacked the Soviet Union	the SovietsThe damage the German forces sustained proved to be a pivotal point in the war.
Dropped its newly developed atom bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki when the war against Japan ended in August 1945	the United States
Discovered penicillin	Alexander FlemingHe was researching influenza (the flu) in 1928 when he made the discovery.
Developed penicillin into a usable drug	Howard Florey and Ernst ChainBoth were scientists.
Gave land to his lords in return for help in war	the kingLandowners had to send certain numbers of men to serve in the army.
Had to send certain numbers of men to serve in the army	landowners
Was forced by his noblemen to agree to a number of demands	King John
Were usually smaller landowners and were elected to sit in the House of Commons	knightsWealthy people from towns and cities were also elected to sit in the House of Commons.
Developed common law in England	judgesCommon law grew by precedence, that is following previous decisions, and tradition.
Continued to speak Anglo-Saxon after the Norman Conquest	the peasants
Had English as their preferred language by 1400	the royal court and ParliamentBy then, official documents in England were also being written in English.
Printed The Canterbury Tales	William CaxtonIt was one of the first books he printed; he was the first person in England to print with a press.
Was killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field	King Richard III of the House of York
Was King Richard III’s niece and married King Henry VII	Elizabeth of York
Was the first king of the House of Tudor	King Henry VII
Wanted to make sure that England remained peaceful and that his position as king was secure after his victory in the Wars of the Roses	Henry VII
Deliberately strengthened the central administration of England after his victory in the Wars of the Roses	Henry VII
Deliberately reduced the power of the nobles after his victory in the Wars of the Roses	Henry VII
Was thrifty and built up the monarchy’s financial reserves	Henry VII
Continued the policy of centralising power when Henry VII died	Henry VIII
Decided to divorce Catherine of Aragon when she was too old to give him another child	Henry VIIIHe hoped another wife would give him a son to be his heir.
Was unpopular in the country and was accused of taking lovers	Anne Boleyn
Married Henry VIII after Anne Boleyn’s execution	Jane Seymour
Was a widow who married Henry VIII late in his life	Catherine Parr
Had to approve Henry VIII’s divorce from his first wife	the Pope
Rebelled against English attempts to impose Protestantism and the English system of laws about the inheritance of land	the Irish chieftainsMuch brutal fighting followed.
Died at the age of 15 after ruling for just over six years	Edward VIHis half-sister Mary became queen.
Was a devout Catholic and persecuted Protestants	MaryShe became known as ‘Bloody Mary’ for this reason.
Did not ask about people’s real beliefs, even though everyone had to attend their local church	Elizabeth I
Found a balance between the views of Catholics and the more extreme Protestants	Elizabeth I
Avoided any serious religious conflict within England	Elizabeth I
Became one of the most popular monarchs in English history, particularly after the English defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588	Elizabeth I
Abolished the authority of the Pope in Scotland in 1560	the Scottish ParliamentThe Scottish Parliament was predominantly Protestant.
Spent much of her childhood in France	Mary, Queen of Scots
Was the centre of a power struggle between different groups when she returned to Scotland	Mary, Queen of Scots
Fled to England after her husband was murdered	Mary, Queen of Scots
Was suspected of involvement when her husband was murdered	Mary, Queen of Scots
Was the Protestant son of Mary, Queen of Scots	James VI of Scotland
Was Elizabeth I’s cousin and hoped that Elizabeth might help her	Mary, Queen of Scots
Was an Elizabethan playwright and actor who wrote many poems and plays	William Shakespeare
Dramatised significant events from the past but did not focus solely on kings and queens	William Shakespeare
Was one of the first to portray ordinary Englishmen and women	William Shakespeare
Is regarded by many people as the greatest playwright of all time	William Shakespeare
Never married and so had no children of her own to inherit her throne	Elizabeth I
Extended English control outside the Pale in Ireland	Henry VII and Henry VIIIThey had established English authority over the whole country.
Issued instructions that local leaders in Ireland were expected to follow	the Lord Lieutenants in DublinEnglish laws were introduced.
Was very skilled at managing Parliament	Elizabeth I
Tried to rule without Parliament at all when he could not get it to agree with his religious and foreign policies	Charles I
Introduced a revised Prayer Book	Charles IHe wanted the worship of the Church of England to include more ceremony.
Could not find the money he needed for his own army without the help of Parliament	Charles IA Scottish army was formed.
Did not agree with the king's religious views and disliked his reforms of the Church of England	the Puritans
Began another rebellion because they were afraid of the growing power of the Puritans	the Roman Catholics in Ireland
Entered the House of Commons and tried to arrest five parliamentary leaders	Charles IThe five leaders had been warned and were not there.
Was held prisoner by the parliamentary army	Charles I
Was unwilling to reach any agreement with Parliament while held prisoner by the parliamentary army	Charles IHe was executed in 1649.
Remains a controversial figure in Ireland even today	Oliver CromwellHe was successful in establishing the authority of the English Parliament, but did so with such violence.
Declared Charles II to be king after not agreeing to the execution of Charles I	the Scots
Was given the title of Lord Protector	Oliver CromwellHe ruled until his death in 1658.
Was not able to control the army or the government as Lord Protector	Cromwell's son Richard
Invited Charles II to come back from exile in May 1660	ParliamentHe had been living in exile in the Netherlands.
Was crowned King of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland after Parliament invited him back from exile	Charles II
Made it clear that he had ‘no wish to go on his travels again’	Charles II
Again became the established official Church after the Restoration	the Church of England
Were kept out of power after the Restoration	Roman Catholics and Puritans
Was king when the Royal Society was formed to promote ‘natural knowledge’	Charles IICharles II was interested in science.
Successfully predicted the return of the comet now called Halley’s Comet	Sir Edmund Halley
First became interested in science when he studied at Cambridge University	Isaac Newton
Discovered that white light is made up of the colours of the rainbow	Isaac Newton
Died in 1685 having had no legitimate children	Charles II
Favoured Roman Catholics and allowed them to be army officers, which an Act of Parliament had forbidden	James II
Did not seek to reach agreements with Parliament and arrested some of the bishops of the Church of England	James II
Were James II’s heirs	his two daughtersBoth were firmly Protestant.
Had a son, after which it suddenly seemed likely that the next monarch would not be a Protestant	James II’s wife
Was the Protestant ruler of the Netherlands and married to James II’s elder daughter, Mary	William of OrangeMary was his cousin.
Met no resistance when he reached England after being asked to invade	William of Orange
Fled to France in the Glorious Revolution	James IIWilliam took over the throne as William III in England, Wales and Ireland and William II of Scotland.
Ruled jointly with Mary, James II’s elder daughter	William of Orange
Wanted to regain the throne and invaded Ireland with the help of a French army	James II
Defeated James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland in 1690	William of Orange
Re-conquered Ireland after James II invaded it	William of Orange
Fled back to France when William re-conquered Ireland	James II
Had many restrictions placed on their Church in Ireland and were unable to take part in the government	Irish Catholics
Were required formally to accept William as king by taking an oath	all Scottish clans
Were late in taking the oath and were all killed	the MacDonalds of Glencoe
Were the first people to live in Britain	hunter-gatherersThey lived in what we call the Stone Age.
Were the people the Emperor Hadrian built a wall in the north of England to keep out	the Picts
Built roads and public buildings, created a structure of law, and introduced new plants and animals in Britain	the Romans
Spoke the languages that are the basis of modern-day English	the Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons
Became the first Archbishop of Canterbury	St Augustine
Was the first of the Danish kings who ruled what is now England	CnutCnut is also called Canute.
Was the Saxon king of England killed in the Battle of Hastings	HaroldHe was defeated at Hastings by William, the Duke of Normandy.
Became Prime Minister when the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties formed a coalition	David CameronHe was the leader of the Conservative Party.
Called a general election for July 4, 2024	Rishi SunakHe did so despite reshuffling his cabinet and local election losses.
Was Prime Minister from 1945 to 1951	Clement Attlee
Undertook the nationalisation of major industries (like coal and steel)	Attlee’s government
Implemented many of Beveridge’s plans for a stronger welfare state	Attlee’s government
Introduced measures to improve the conditions of workers	Clement Attlee
Was a British economist and social reformer	William Beveridge
Oversaw the introduction of the Education Act 1944	R A Butler
Encouraged workers from Ireland and other parts of Europe to come to the UK and help with the reconstruction	the British governmentThere were labour shortages.
Proposed that enemy aircraft could be detected by radio waves	Sir Robert Watson-Watt
Was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer	Sir Frank WhittleHe developed the jet engine in Britain in the 1930s.
Was one of the first Western leaders to recognise and welcome the changes in the leadership of the Soviet Union which eventually led to the end of the Cold War	Margaret Thatcher
Introduced a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly	the Blair government
Have been engaged in the global fight against international terrorism and against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction since 2000, including operations in Afghanistan and Iraq	British armed forces
Took control of who could be monarch	Parliament
Were Protestants and had been persecuted for their religion	the Huguenots
Were educated and skilled and worked as scientists, in banking, or in weaving or other crafts	many of the Huguenots
Was the first man to be called Prime Minister	Sir Robert WalpoleHe was Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742.
Was the son of George I	George II
Initially had some successes against George II’s army	Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie)
Escaped back to Europe after being defeated at the Battle of Culloden	Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie)
Later used the steam engine to power machinery	Richard Arkwright
Worked during the Industrial Revolution and were sometimes treated even more harshly than adults	Children
Was born in 1759 and grew up in the Bengal region of India	Sake Dean Mahomet
Tried to escape or revolted against their owners in protest at their terrible treatment	SlavesMany tried to escape and others revolted.
Petitioned Parliament to ban the slave trade	the Quakers
Was an evangelical Christian and a member of Parliament	William Wilberforce
Stopped slave ships from other countries, freed the slaves and punished the slave traders	the Royal Navy
Wanted to tax the colonies in North America	the British government
Saw the British government’s wish to tax the colonies as an attack on their freedom	the colonists
Tried to compromise with the colonies by repealing some of the taxes	Parliament
Fought a number of wars with Britain during the 18th century	France
Continued the war that the new French government declared on Britain	NapoleonHe became Emperor of France.
Became queen of the UK at the age of 18	Queen Victoria
Introduced the Victoria Cross medal during the Crimean War	Queen Victoria
Was born in Italy to English parents	Florence Nightingale
Began to demand more political power as they grew in influence	the middle classes in the wealthy industrial towns and cities
Were still unable to vote after the Reform Act of 1832	members of the working classVoting was still based on ownership of property.
Could not vote after the Reform Act of 1867	the majority of men, and all women
Had fewer rights than men in 19th century Britain	womenThe same was true in the rest of Europe.
Campaigned and demonstrated for greater rights, in particular the right to vote, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries	womenAn increasing number of women did so.
Went on hunger strike, along with many other women of the Women’s Social and Political Union	Emmeline Pankhurst
Believed that the Empire benefited Britain through increased trade and commerce	supporters of expansion
Believed in the Empire as a force for good in the world	the great majority of British people
Won greater freedom and autonomy from Britain as they developed	different parts of the Empire
Wrote books and poems set in both India and the UK	Rudyard Kipling
Won the First World War when it ended in 1918	Britain and its alliesThe war ended at 11.00 am on 11th November 1918.
Postponed any changes in Ireland when the First World War broke out	the British government
Were among the prominent writers in the inter-war time of cultural blossoming	Graham Greene and Evelyn WaughThe handbook names them as examples ('writers such as').
Stood almost alone against Nazi Germany from the end of June 1940 until the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941	Britain and the Empire
Refused to surrender to the Nazis	Winston ChurchillHe was an inspirational leader to the British people in a time of great hardship.
Moved to London as a teenager and later qualified as a doctor	Alexander FlemingHe was born in Scotland.
Was researching influenza (the ‘flu’) in 1928 when he discovered penicillin	Alexander Fleming
Were able to establish their rule in Wales	the English
Had a small area of their lord’s land to grow food, but had to work for their lord and could not move away	serfs
Has origins that can be traced to the king’s council of advisers	Parliament
Would need to involve his noblemen in decisions after the Magna Carta	the king
Became King Henry VII after the Battle of Bosworth Field	Henry Tudor, the leader of the House of Lancaster
Was the only one of Catherine of Aragon and Henry’s children to survive	Mary
Gave Henry VIII the son he wanted, Edward	Jane SeymourShe died shortly after the birth.
Was a German princess whom Henry VIII married	Anne of Cleves
Was married by Henry VIII for political reasons but divorced soon after	Anne of Cleves
Was a cousin of Anne Boleyn and was also accused of taking lovers	Catherine HowardShe was also executed.
Survived Henry VIII, married again but died soon after	Catherine Parr
Was the strongly Protestant son who succeeded Henry VIII	Edward VI
Suspected Mary, Queen of Scots of wanting to take over the English throne	Elizabeth IShe kept Mary a prisoner for 20 years.
Sought new trade routes and tried to expand British trade into the Spanish colonies in the Americas	English explorersThis was in the Elizabethan period.
Was one of the commanders in the defeat of the Spanish Armada and one of the founders of England’s naval tradition	Sir Francis Drake
First began to colonise the eastern coast of America in Elizabeth I’s time	English settlers
Became King James I of England, Wales and Ireland	James VI of ScotlandScotland remained a separate country.
Established English authority over the whole of Ireland	Henry VII and Henry VIII
Took the title ‘King of Ireland’	Henry VIII
Opposed rule by the Protestant government in England during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I	many people in Ireland
Was successful in balancing her wishes and views against those of the House of Lords and the increasingly Protestant House of Commons	Elizabeth I
Were less skilled politically than Elizabeth I	James I and Charles I
Thought that the king should be able to act without having to seek approval from Parliament	James I and Charles I
Inherited the thrones of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland	Charles IHe tried to rule in line with the Divine Right of Kings.
Had to recall Parliament because of trouble in Scotland	Charles IFor 11 years he had found ways to raise money without Parliament's approval.
Wanted the worship of the Church of England to include more ceremony	Charles I
Tried to impose the revised Prayer Book on the Presbyterian Church in Scotland	Charles IThis led to serious unrest.
Refused to give the king the money he asked for, even after the Scottish army invaded England	Parliament
Demanded control of the English army	ParliamentThe change would have transferred substantial power from the king to Parliament.
Had been warned and were not there when Charles I entered the House of Commons to arrest them	the five parliamentary leaders
Was sent to Ireland, where the revolt that began in 1641 still continued and there was still a Royalist army	Oliver CromwellHe was one of the army's generals.
Was successful in establishing the authority of the English Parliament but with such violence that he remains a controversial figure in Ireland even today	Oliver Cromwell
Was crowned king of Scotland and led a Scottish army into England	Charles IICromwell defeated this army in the Battles of Dunbar and Worcester.
Now controlled Scotland as well as England and Wales, after Cromwell defeated the Scottish army at Dunbar and Worcester	Parliament
Were among the early members of the Royal Society	Sir Edmund Halley and Sir Isaac Newton
Was the Roman Catholic brother of Charles II	JamesHe became king when Charles II died.
Was the cousin and husband of James II's elder daughter, Mary	William of Orange
Came and went in Britain, following the herds of deer and horses which they hunted	hunter-gatherers
Built houses, tombs and monuments on the land	the first farmers in BritainOne of these monuments, Stonehenge, still stands in what is now the English county of Wiltshire.
Was the queen of the Iceni in what is now eastern England	BoudiccaShe was one of the tribal leaders who fought against the Romans.
Were the ancestors of the Scottish people	the Picts
Left Britain to defend other parts of the Roman Empire and never returned	the Roman army
First visited Britain to raid coastal towns and take away goods and slaves	the Vikings
Began to stay and form their own communities in the east of England and Scotland	the Vikings
Became king of England after defeating Harold at the Battle of Hastings	William, Duke of NormandyHe is known as William the Conqueror.
Sent people all over England to draw up lists of all the towns and villages	William, Duke of NormandyThe lists were called the Domesday Book.

Directors

What	Directed by
The 39 Steps	Alfred Hitchcock1935; one of the famous British films the handbook lists with its director.
Brief Encounter	David Lean1945; Lean also directed Lawrence of Arabia.
The Third Man	Carol Reed1949.
The Belles of St Trinian's	Frank Launder1954.
Lawrence of Arabia	David Lean1962; Lean also directed Brief Encounter.
Women in Love	Ken Russell1969.
Don't Look Now	Nicolas Roeg1973.
Chariots of Fire	Hugh Hudson1981.
The Killing Fields	Roland Joffé1984.
Four Weddings and a Funeral	Mike Newell1994.
Touching the Void	Kevin MacDonald2003.

How many

What	Count
National parks in England, Wales and Scotland	15Protected countryside that everyone can visit, where people also live and work.
Local authorities in London	33The Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London coordinate policies across the capital.
Senior MPs appointed by the Prime Minister to be ministers in charge of departments	about 20
Works shortlisted for the Turner Prize every year	4
Volunteers helping to keep the National Trust running	more than 61,000
Ski centres in Scotland	fiveScotland also has Europe’s longest dry ski slope, near Edinburgh.
Pence in a pound	100

Inventions

What	Developed by
A British style distinct from that elsewhere in Europe	Henry PurcellHe also wrote church music, operas and other pieces.
New methods of treatment for people with spinal injuries	Dr Guttman

Birthplaces

What	Born in
George Frederick Handel	GermanyHe spent many years in the UK.
Sir Edward Elgar	Worcester, England
Mo Farah	SomaliaHe is a British distance runner.
Mary Peters	ManchesterShe moved to Northern Ireland as a child.
Roald Dahl	WalesHis parents were Norwegian.
Florence Nightingale	ItalyHer parents were English.
Alexander Fleming	ScotlandHe moved to London as a teenager and later qualified as a doctor.
Isaac Newton	Lincolnshire, eastern England
Dylan Thomas	Swansea
The world’s first ‘test-tube baby’	Oldham, Lancashire

Henry VIII's six wives

What	What became of her
Façade	turned into a balletIt is probably among Walton's best-known works.
Much of the religious art of the Middle Ages	lost after the Protestant Reformation
The attempt by Scottish Jacobites to put James II’s son on the throne	quickly defeated
The slaves carried on British ships	taken to America and the Caribbean, where they were made to work on tobacco and sugar plantationsThey travelled on British ships in horrible conditions.
Admiral Nelson	killed in the Battle of TrafalgarHe was in charge of the British fleet at Trafalgar.
The Duke of Wellington	later Prime MinisterHe was known as the Iron Duke.
The leaders of the Easter Rising	executed under military law
The rest of Ireland outside the six northern counties	turned into the Irish Free State
Coventry during the Blitz	almost totally destroyedA great deal of damage was done in other cities, especially in the East End of London.

Sports

What	Sport
Bradley Wiggins	cycling
Mo Farah	distance running

Where they came from

What	From
Cricket	EnglandIt is now played in many countries.
Rugby	EnglandIt began in the early 19th century and is very popular in the UK today.
The modern game of golf	ScotlandIt can be traced back to the 15th century.
Modern tennis	EnglandIt evolved in the late 19th century.
Alan Turing	BritainA mathematician who invented the Turing machine.
Francis Crick	BritainOne of those awarded the Nobel Prize for the DNA discovery.
Sir Christopher Cockerell	BritainAn inventor.
The Harrier jump jet	the UKIt was designed and developed there.
Sir Peter Mansfield	BritainA scientist and co-inventor of the MRI scanner.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee	BritainThe inventor of the World Wide Web.
The sugar and tobacco Britain imported	North America and the West Indies
The textiles, tea and spices Britain imported	India and the area that is today called Indonesia
The Jews who came to Britain to escape persecution between 1870 and 1914	Russia and PolandAround 120,000 of them came in that period.
The weavers who came to work in England in the Middle Ages	France
The glass manufacturers who came to work in England in the Middle Ages	Italy
The missionaries who spread Christianity in the north	Ireland
The missionaries who spread Christianity in the south	RomeThey were led by St Augustine.
The 28,000 people of Indian origin Britain admitted in the early 1970s	Uganda
John Logie Baird	ScotlandHe developed the television in the 1920s.
Sir Robert Watson-Watt	Scotland
John MacLeod	ScotlandA physician and researcher.
Many of the great thinkers of the Enlightenment	ScotlandThe book says they were Scottish.
Most of the objects shown at the Great Exhibition in 1851	BritainCountries from all over the world showed their goods.
Many of the new settlers in Ulster	south-west ScotlandOther land was given to companies based in London.

Who came next

What	Followed by
William and Mary	Queen Anne
Mary, Queen of Scots	James VI of ScotlandShe gave her throne to her son.
Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector	Cromwell's son Richard
Charles II	his brother JamesJames was a Roman Catholic.
The Bronze Age	the Iron Age

Parents and children

What	Child of
Charles I	James IJames I and Charles I were both less skilled politically.

Early Britain

to 1066

Key dates

What	Year
Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain	55 BCRome's first try at Britain. It failed, and Rome kept away for nearly a century.
The Emperor Claudius's invasion of Britain	AD 43The invasion that worked: Rome held nearly all of Britain after this, for 400 years.
The Roman army leaving Britain	AD 410Rome pulled its army out to defend the rest of the empire, and it never came back.
Anglo-Saxon kingdoms being established in Britain	AD 600Two centuries after Rome left. Much of Wales and Scotland stayed outside their rule.
The first Viking raids on Britain	AD 789The first Viking contact was a raid for goods and slaves; settling came later.
The Battle of Hastings	1066The last foreign invasion of England to succeed.

Leaders

What	Led by
The Roman invasion of 55 BC	Julius Caesar
The Roman invasion of AD 43	the Emperor ClaudiusClaudius's invasion is the one that succeeded, unlike Caesar's.
The invasion of 1066	William, Duke of NormandyWon at Hastings and became king: William the Conqueror.
The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms uniting against the Vikings	King Alfred the GreatHe defeated the Vikings, but many of them stayed and mixed with local communities.
The peoples of the north uniting against the Vikings	Kenneth MacAlpinThe union the name Scotland was first used to describe.
The mission that brought Christianity to the south	St AugustineHe became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Iceni's revolt against the Romans	BoudiccaQueen of a tribe in what is now eastern England, and the resistance to Rome that is still remembered.
The survey that produced the Domesday Book	William, Duke of NormandyEvery town and village listed, with who lived there and what they owned, just after the Conquest.

Known for

What	Known for
The first farmers in Britain	arriving about 6,000 years ago, probably from south-east EuropeThey built houses, tombs and monuments; Stonehenge is one of their monuments.
The Bronze Age	beginning about 4,000 years ago, when people learned to make bronzePeople lived in roundhouses and buried their dead in tombs called round barrows.
The Norman Conquest	being the last successful foreign invasion of EnglandIt changed government and social structure; nobody has managed it since.
The people of the Iron Age	speaking a language from the Celtic family, and making the first coins minted in BritainSome coins carry the names of Iron Age kings; the Celtic languages survive in Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
The Bayeux Tapestry	commemorating the Battle of Hastings in a great piece of embroidery, which can still be seen in France todayA record of 1066 that survives in France.

Other names

What	Also known as
The system of land ownership used by the Normans	feudalismThe king gave land to his lords in return for help in war; landowners had to send men to serve in the army.

Where they came from

What	From
The Vikings	Denmark and NorwayFirst raiders, then settlers in the east and north of England, the Danelaw.
The Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons	northern EuropeThe tribes that invaded after the Romans left; the handbook names no countries.
William the Conqueror	Normandy, in what is now northern FranceHe defeated Harold at Hastings in 1066.

The Middle Ages

1066 to 1485

Key dates

What	Year
English rule over the Pale being established	1200The Pale was the area around Dublin; English troops came to help an Irish king and stayed.
Magna Carta limiting the king's power	1215The charter King John's noblemen forced on him. It established that even the king was subject to the law.
The Battle of Bannockburn	1314The Scots under Robert the Bruce defeated the English.
The Black Death	1348A plague that killed a third of the people of England, and a similar share in Scotland and Wales.
English becoming the language of the courts and official documents	1400Three centuries after the Conquest, the ruling class's Norman French had given way.
The Battle of Agincourt	1415A battle of the Hundred Years War, won by an English army that was vastly outnumbered.
The Wars of the Roses	1455Lancaster's red rose against York's white rose; ended at Bosworth Field in 1485.
The Battle of Bosworth Field	1485Ended the Wars of the Roses; Henry Tudor became Henry VII.

Acts of Parliament

What	Passed
Statute of Rhuddlan	1284Edward I's law annexing Wales to the Crown of England.

Leaders

What	Led by
The Battle of Bannockburn	Robert the BruceThe Scottish king who won at Bannockburn.
The English at the Battle of Agincourt	Henry V
The House of Lancaster at the Battle of Bosworth Field	Henry TudorHe won, took the throne as Henry VII, and the House of Tudor began.

Who sat in them

What	Made up of
The House of Lords in the Middle Ages	the nobility, great landowners and bishopsKnights and wealthy people from towns were elected to the House of Commons.
The House of Commons in the Middle Ages	knights and wealthy people from towns and citiesThese were elected, though only a small part of the population could vote.
The Scottish Parliament	the lords, the commons and the clergyThree Houses, called Estates, where England had two.
The king's council of advisers	important noblemen and the leaders of the ChurchParliament grew out of this: the body a medieval king actually governed through.

Emblems

The House of	Emblem
Lancaster	a red roseOne of the two sides of the civil war, and where the war's name comes from.
York	a white roseThe other side.
Tudor	a red rose with a white rose inside itThe two roses joined, as a sign that York and Lancaster were now allies.

Known for

What	Known for
The Hundred Years War	a long war with France that actually lasted 116 yearsThe Battle of Agincourt in 1415 was one of its most famous battles.
William Caxton	being the first person in England to print books using a printing pressThe Canterbury Tales was one of the first books he printed.
The Black Death	killing one third of the population of England, and a similar share in Scotland and WalesOne of the worst disasters ever to strike Britain; there were labour shortages and peasants began to demand higher wages.
Scotland's legal system in the Middle Ages	developing slightly differently from England's, with laws that were 'codified', that is written downEngland's common law grew from precedent instead.
The growing wealth of the towns after the Black Death	the development of a strong middle classPeople had left the countryside for the towns after the Black Death.

Other names

What	Also known as
The period from the Norman Conquest up to about 1485	the Middle AgesAlso called the medieval period.
The owners of large areas of land who appeared after the Black Death	the gentryOne of the new social classes that appeared after the Black Death.
Magna Carta	the Great CharterThe charter of rights King John's noblemen forced him to agree to in 1215.

What each one includes

What	Made up of
The English language	Norman French and Anglo-Saxon, which gradually combined into oneAfter the Conquest the king and his noblemen spoke Norman French and the peasants spoke Anglo-Saxon.

Where they came from

What	From
The engineers who came to work in England in the Middle Ages	GermanyEngland was a trading nation; weavers came from France, glass makers from Italy.
The canal builders who came to work in England in the Middle Ages	HollandOne of several skilled trades that came from abroad to a trading nation.

The Tudors and the Stuarts

1485 to 1714

Key dates

What	Year
The abolition of the Pope's authority in Scotland	1560In the same year, Roman Catholic religious services became illegal in Scotland.
Roman Catholic religious services becoming illegal in Scotland	1560The predominantly Protestant Scottish Parliament also abolished the authority of the Pope in Scotland that year.
The defeat of the Spanish Armada	1588Defeated in the reign of Elizabeth I.
The death of Elizabeth I	1603Elizabeth I died without an heir of her own, passing the throne to her Scottish cousin.
The Gunpowder Plot	1605A plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill the Protestant king. Bonfire Night marks its failure.
The first Union Flag being created	1606England's cross of St George with Scotland's cross of St Andrew. Ireland's cross of St Patrick came later.
Charles I recalling Parliament to ask for funds	1640He needed money and had ruled without Parliament for eleven years. The quarrel that followed became a war.
The revolt in Ireland	1641Catholic Ireland rose up while Puritan influence grew in the English Parliament.
The start of the English Civil War	1642Parliament's Roundheads against the King's Cavaliers.
Parliament winning the civil war	1646Charles I was held prisoner, was unwilling to agree with Parliament, and was executed in 1649.
The execution of Charles I	1649England became a republic, the only time in its history that it had no monarch.
The first Jews since the Middle Ages settling in London	1656Marked the return of Jewish settlement to Britain after a long absence.
The death of Oliver Cromwell	1658His son Richard became Lord Protector but could not keep the army's support.
The Restoration of the monarchy	1660Charles II was invited back after Cromwell's death.
A major outbreak of plague in London	1665
The death of Charles II	1685His brother became James II of England, Wales and Ireland and James VII of Scotland.
The Glorious Revolution	1688Protestants asked William of Orange to take the throne rather than have a Catholic king.
The Battle of the Boyne	1690William III defeated James II at the Boyne; it is still celebrated by some in Northern Ireland today.
Newspapers being allowed to operate without a government licence	1695The start of a free press: newspapers not controlled by the government. Increasing numbers began to be published.

Acts of Parliament

What	Passed
Habeas Corpus Act	1679Forbade unlawful imprisonment.
Bill of Rights	1689Confirmed Parliament's rights and the limits of the king's power.
Act of Union	1707Joined the kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Who did what

What	Who
Recalled Parliament in 1640 to ask for funds	Charles I
Believed in the Divine Right of Kings	James I and Charles IThe idea that the king was directly appointed by God to rule; both thought he need not seek Parliament's approval.
Was one of the founders of England's naval tradition	Sir Francis DrakeA commander against the Armada, and the captain of the Golden Hind round the world.
Became William III in England, Wales and Ireland, and William II of Scotland	William of OrangeAfter the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
Became queen of Scotland when only a week old	Mary, Queen of ScotsHer father had died; much of her childhood was then spent in France.
Defeated the Scottish army in the Battles of Dunbar and Worcester	Oliver CromwellCharles II had been crowned king of Scotland and led that army into England.
Escaped from Worcester, famously hiding in an oak tree, and eventually fled to Europe	Charles IIHe came back as king at the Restoration.

Leaders

What	Led by
The new republic	Oliver CromwellCromwell became head of the Commonwealth after defeating royalist forces.
The campaign in Ireland	Oliver CromwellCromwell's harsh suppression of the revolt still makes him a divisive figure in Ireland.
The Scottish invasion of England	Charles IIThe Scots declared Charles II king; he was crowned king of Scotland and led a Scottish army into England.
The circumnavigation of the world in the Golden Hind	Sir Francis DrakeDrake's ship became one of the first to sail all the way around the world.
The later plantations in several other parts of Ireland, after Ulster's	King James IJames extended the plantation policy of settling Protestants on Irish land.
The founding of the Church of England	Henry VIIIThe Break with Rome: England left the Pope for a national church under the Crown.
The restoration of the Church of England as the national church of England	Elizabeth IAfter Mary’s Catholic reign, Elizabeth restored the Protestant church but did not police private belief.

What each one includes

What	Made up of
The new powers the king gained over the Church of England	the power to appoint bishops and set the rules of worship, powers that used to belong to the PopeNaming bishops and setting worship had been the Pope’s. Handing them to the king is what the break actually meant.
The beliefs and worship of the Protestants	reading the Bible in their own language rather than Latin, not praying to saints or shrines, and valuing individual faith over obedience to the ChurchThese three practices are the shorthand the test uses to distinguish Protestant belief from Catholic practice throughout this chapter.
The two main groups in Parliament after the Glorious Revolution	the Whigs and the ToriesThe modern Conservative Party is still sometimes called the Tories.

Who came next

What	Followed by
Henry VII	Henry VIIIThis is the start of the Tudor line proper on the throne, and the sentence the course was missing that puts Henry VII in a question at all.
Henry VIII	Edward VIEdward VI was Henry's son by Jane Seymour; he died at 15 after ruling for just over six years.
Edward VI	MaryThe death of Edward VI at fifteen, after a six-year reign, is what puts Mary on the throne.
Mary	Elizabeth IThis is the hinge the current course starts from; the row before it is what was missing.

Henry VIII's six wives

What	What became of her
Catherine of Aragon	divorcedHer failure to produce a surviving son is the reason Henry sought the divorce that led to the Break with Rome.
Anne Boleyn	executedShe was unpopular, was accused of taking lovers, and was executed at the Tower of London.
Jane Seymour	diedShe gave Henry the son he wanted, Edward, but died shortly after the birth.
Anne of Cleves	divorcedUnlike Catherine of Aragon, this divorce was quick and the marriage was political rather than personal from the start.
Catherine Howard	executedShe was a cousin of Anne Boleyn and met the same fate for the same accusation, a pairing worth revising together.
Catherine Parr	survived Henry VIIIShe was a widow who married Henry late in his life; she survived him, married again and died soon after.
Charles I	executedHeld prisoner by the parliamentary army, unwilling to agree terms, executed in 1649.
Mary, Queen of Scots	kept a prisoner for 20 years, then executed, accused of plotting against Elizabeth IElizabeth's cousin, who had fled to England hoping for help.

Parents and children

What	Child of
Mary	Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIIICatherine and Henry had a number of children but only Mary survived; she became queen after Edward VI died.
Elizabeth I	Henry VIII and Anne BoleynElizabeth followed her half-sister Mary as monarch.

Other names

What	Also known as
Mary	Bloody MaryThe nickname is shorthand for her persecution of Protestants and is one of the most recognisable labels in the chapter.
The movement against the authority of the Pope in Henry VIII's time	the ReformationAcross Europe, against the ideas and practices of the Roman Catholic Church; Protestants came out of it.
The Conservative Party	the ToriesFrom the two main groups in Parliament after the Glorious Revolution, the Whigs and the Tories.
Britain's system of government after the Glorious Revolution	constitutional monarchyBegun by the laws passed after 1688.

Known for

What	Known for
William Shakespeare	a great influence on the English language, inventing many words still common todayPlaywright and poet, born in Stratford-upon-Avon; his lines are still quoted.
The Battles of Marston Moor and Naseby	the defeat of the king's army in the Civil WarCharles I's army lost both; the Roundheads won the war.
Britain's time as a republic	lasting 11 yearsFrom the execution of Charles I to the Restoration; without Cromwell there was no clear leader.
The Glorious Revolution	the laws passed after it, the beginning of what is called 'constitutional monarchy'1688: William of Orange took the throne and Parliament's power was confirmed.
The Bill of Rights	confirming the rights of Parliament and the limits of the king's power1689; the monarch had to ask Parliament every year to renew funding for the army and navy.
The Elizabethan period	growing patriotism, a feeling of pride in being EnglishIt is also remembered for the richness of its poetry and drama.
Scotland after the Act of Union of 1707	keeping its own legal and education systems and Presbyterian ChurchNo longer an independent country, but not absorbed either.

Writers and works

What	Written by
Hamlet	William ShakespeareWith A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet, one of his most famous plays.
A diary of the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London	Samuel PepysPublished later and still read today.

Birthplaces

What	Born in
William Shakespeare	Stratford-upon-Avon1564 to 1616; a playwright and actor as well as a poet.

How long they last

What	Lasts
The maximum term of a Parliament	five yearsThree years after the Glorious Revolution, then seven, and now five.

A global power

1714 to 1901

Key dates

What	Year
Parliament choosing George I to be the next king	1714Queen Anne died and George I, a German, was her nearest Protestant relative.
Robert Walpole becoming Prime Minister	1721The first man to be called Prime Minister; he held the post from 1721 to 1742.
Richard Arkwright being born	1732
Robert Walpole's time as Prime Minister ending	1742The first man to be called Prime Minister, from 1721.
The rebellion of the clans	1745Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, tried to put a Stuart king back on the throne in place of George II.
The Battle of Culloden	1746Charles Edward Stuart was defeated, and the clans lost a lot of their power and influence afterwards.
Sake Dean Mahomet being born	1759He grew up in the Bengal region of India.
13 American colonies declaring independence	1776The quarrel was over taxation.
Sake Dean Mahomet coming to Britain	1782He later opened the Hindoostane Coffee House, Britain's first curry house, in London in 1810.
Britain recognising the colonies' independence	1783Britain recognised the independence of the 13 colonies in 1783, seven years after they declared it in 1776.
Sake Dean Mahomet eloping with an Irish girl called Jane Daly	1786
A revolution in France	1789The new French government soon declared war on Britain.
Ireland becoming unified with England, Scotland and Wales	1801After the Act of Union of 1800.
The Battle of Trafalgar	1805Nelson defeated the French and Spanish fleets.
Trading slaves in British ships or from British ports becoming illegal	1807Banned the slave trade in British ships and ports, a step before empire-wide abolition in 1833.
The Hindoostane Coffee House's opening	1810Opened by Sake Dean Mahomet, it was the first curry house in Britain.
The Battle of Waterloo	1815Napoleon's final defeat.
More parliamentary seats being given to the towns and cities	1832The same Act abolished the old pocket and rotten boroughs.
Queen Victoria becoming queen of the UK	1837Began a 64-year reign, the longest of any British monarch up to 2013, naming the Victorian Age.
The repealing of the Corn Laws	1846Ended protection on grain imports, letting cheaper raw materials fuel British industry.
The legal limit on working hours for women and children being set at 10 hours a day	1847Factory conditions gradually improved; in 1847 women's and children's hours were limited by law to 10 a day.
The Great Exhibition	1851Held in Hyde Park in the Crystal Palace, a huge building of steel and glass; most exhibits were made in Britain.
The start of the Crimean War	1853Britain, Turkey and France against Russia. It was the first war the newspapers covered closely.
Florence Nightingale going to Turkey to nurse soldiers	1854She and her fellow nurses cut the mortality rate in military hospitals during the Crimean War.
The end of the Crimean War	1856Britain fought with Turkey and France against Russia.
Emmeline Pankhurst being born	1858She was born in Manchester.
Florence Nightingale establishing the Nightingale Training School for nurses at St Thomas’ Hospital in London	1860
Rudyard Kipling being born	1865He was born in India.
A married woman’s earnings, property and money ceasing to belong automatically to her husband	1870Acts of Parliament in 1870 and 1882 let wives keep their own earnings and property.
The first tennis club’s founding	1872Founded in Leamington Spa, as modern tennis was taking shape in England.
Clement Attlee being born	1883
The setting up of the Women's Franchise League	1889Campaigned to win married women the vote in local elections, an early step toward suffrage.
The founding of the National Trust	1895Founded by three volunteers.
The start of the Boer War	1899Britain went to war in South Africa with settlers who had come from the Netherlands.
Winston Churchill first becoming a Conservative MP	1900He entered Parliament decades before leading Britain in the Second World War.

Acts of Parliament

What	Passed
Act of Union with Ireland	1800It joined Ireland to England, Scotland and Wales as the United Kingdom.
Reform Act that abolished the pocket and rotten boroughs	1832Abolished pocket and rotten boroughs and gave more seats to towns and cities.
Emancipation Act	1833Abolished slavery throughout the British Empire.
Second Reform Act	1867It widened the vote again, to more of the men in the towns and cities.

Leaders

The Battle of	Led by
Trafalgar	Lord Horatio NelsonNelson's Column in London commemorates him.
Waterloo	the Duke of Wellington

Who did what

What	Who
Became queen of the UK in 1837	Queen Victoria
Became Prime Minister in 1721	Robert Walpole
Came to Britain in 1782 and later opened its first curry house	Sake Dean Mahomet
Went to Turkey in 1854 to nurse soldiers	Florence Nightingale
Was chosen by Parliament in 1714 to be the next king	George I
Defeated the Emperor Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815	the Duke of WellingtonThe end of the French Wars. He later became Prime Minister.
Set up the first formal anti-slavery groups in the late 1700s	the QuakersThey petitioned Parliament to ban the practice; William Wilberforce also played an important part in changing the law.
Was reigning when the British Empire became the largest empire the world had seen	Queen VictoriaHer reign is known as the Victorian Age.
Pioneered the railway engine	George and Robert StephensonFather and son; the railways then expanded greatly in the Victorian period.
Was supported by clansmen from the Scottish highlands and raised an army in 1745	Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie)The grandson of James II; defeated at Culloden in 1746.
Said there should be no taxation without representation in the British Parliament	the American colonistsThe British government wanted to tax the colonies; the colonists saw it as an attack on their freedom.
Played an important part in changing the law and turning public opinion against the slave trade	William WilberforceAn evangelical Christian and MP, one of the abolitionists.

Designers

What	Designed by
Horse-driven spinning mills that used only one machine	Richard ArkwrightHis single-machine mills raised production efficiency in the early textile industry.

Known for

What	Known for
Adam Smith	ideas about economicsHis work founded ideas about economics that are still cited today.
David Hume	ideas about human natureHis writing on human nature still shapes philosophy today.
Captain James Cook	mapping the coast of AustraliaHis mapping was followed by the establishment of colonies there.
Richard Arkwright	improving the carding machine, and the efficient and profitable way he ran his factoriesCarding prepares fibres for spinning; this was part of his wider textile work.
Sake Dean Mahomet	introducing shampooing to BritainHe and his wife brought this Indian head-massage practice to Britain.
The Acts of Parliament of 1870 and 1882	giving wives the right to keep their own earnings and propertyBefore them, a married woman's earnings and property automatically belonged to her husband.
The Huguenots	Protestant refugees who came from France between 1680 and 1720Persecuted for their religion. Many were educated and skilled: scientists, bankers, weavers.
The Great Western Railway	being the first major railway built in BritainIsambard Kingdom Brunel's line, from Paddington in London to the south-west and Wales.
The Boer War	a war in South Africa against settlers from the Netherlands, called the Boers1899 to 1902; it made the discussions about the future of the Empire more urgent.
The famine in Ireland in the middle of the 19th century	the failure of the potato crop, which many depended on for a large part of their dietA million died and another million and a half left; some went to the United States, others to England.
James Watt	his work on steam powerOne of the scientific discoveries that helped the progress of the Industrial Revolution.
The British Empire in the Victorian age	an estimated population of more than 400 million people, the largest empire the world had seenThe largest empire the world had seen; the figure is the handbook's own estimate.
The Bessemer process	the mass production of steelIt fed the shipbuilding industry and the railways.
The cross of St George	being a red cross on a white groundSt George is the patron saint of England; his cross is one of the three on the Union Flag.
The cross of St Andrew	being a diagonal white cross on a blue groundSt Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland; his cross is one of the three on the Union Flag.
The cross of St Patrick	being a diagonal red cross on a white groundSt Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland; his cross is one of the three on the Union Flag.
The official Welsh flag	showing a Welsh dragonThe dragon is not on the Union Flag.
Queen Victoria's reign	lasting almost 64 years, until 1901She became queen at 18; the handbook (2013) calls it the longest reign of any British monarch.
The Corn Laws	preventing the import of cheap grainRepealed in 1846, one of the century's reforms.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel	being an engineer who built tunnels, bridges, railway lines and shipsOriginally from Portsmouth.
The Chartists	campaigning for the vote for the working classes and other people without propertyThey campaigned in the 1830s and 1840s and presented petitions to Parliament; their six demands are a row of their own.
The Reform Act of 1832	increasing the number of people with the right to vote and abolishing the pocket and rotten boroughsMore parliamentary seats went to the towns and cities.
Emmeline Pankhurst	helping to found the Women's Social and Political Union, the first group whose members were called suffragettes1903; she was born in Manchester.
The suffragettes of the Women's Social and Political Union	civil disobedience: chaining themselves to railings, smashing windows, committing arson and going on hunger strikeEmmeline Pankhurst was among those who went on hunger strike.
The Jacobites	an attempt to put James II's son on the throne in place of George IQuickly defeated; a second rising came in 1745.
The Enlightenment	new ideas about politics, philosophy and science developed in the 18th century, including the principle that everyone has the right to their own political and religious beliefsMany of its great thinkers were Scottish: Adam Smith on economics, David Hume on human nature.
British industry in the 19th century	producing more than half of the world's iron, coal and cotton clothIt led the world, the handbook says.
Working conditions during the Industrial Revolution	being very poor, with no laws to protect employees, who were often forced to work long hours in dangerous conditionsChildren worked too, and were treated the same as adults, sometimes more harshly.
The East India Company	gaining control of large parts of India, despite originally being set up to tradeBritain gained control over Canada in the same period.

Other names

What	Also known as
Robert Burns	The BardA Scottish poet; Auld Lang Syne, sung at New Year, is his.
The Duke of Wellington	the Iron DukeHe later became Prime Minister.
The rapid development of industry in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries	the Industrial RevolutionBritain was the first country to industrialise on a large scale.
A constituency controlled by a single wealthy family	a pocket boroughAbolished, with the rotten boroughs, by the Reform Act of 1832.
The destruction of small farms (crofts) by Scottish landlords to make space for large flocks of sheep and cattle	the Highland ClearancesEvictions became very common in the early 19th century; many Scots left for North America.
The New Year in Scotland	HogmanayAuld Lang Syne is sung to celebrate it.

Birthplaces

What	Born in
Emmeline Pankhurst	ManchesterBorn in 1858; in 1903 she helped found the Women's Social and Political Union.
Rudyard Kipling	India1865; he later lived in India, the UK and the USA.

Where they came from

What	From
The slaves carried on British ships	West AfricaTaken to work on plantations in America and the Caribbean, in horrible conditions.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel	Portsmouth, EnglandThe handbook says originally from, not born in.

What each one includes

What	Made up of
The Union Flag	the cross of St George, the cross of St Andrew and the cross of St PatrickNo Welsh dragon: Wales was already united with England when the first flag was made in 1606.
The lands the British Empire grew to cover in the Victorian period	all of India, Australia and large parts of AfricaThe largest empire the world had seen, with more than 400 million people.

Writers and works

What	Written by
Auld Lang Syne	Robert BurnsSung at the New Year in the UK and other countries.

The 20th century

1901 to 1945

Key dates

What	Year
Motor-car racing in the UK	1902The UK remains a world leader in developing motor-sport technology today.
R A Butler being born	1902
The end of the Boer War	1902It began in 1899.
The founding of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU)	1903The WSPU pioneered the term 'suffragette' and used civil disobedience to campaign for votes for women.
Kipling being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature	1907Kipling's poems and novels reflected the idea that the British Empire was a force for good.
The first time the UK hosted the Olympic Games	1908The earliest of the UK's three Olympic hosting years; the others were 1948 and 2012.
Home Rule being proposed for Ireland	1913A self-governing Irish parliament within the UK was proposed.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria	1914The killing that started the First World War.
The Easter Rising	1916Irish nationalists rose against British rule in Dublin.
The Battle of the Somme	191660,000 British casualties on the first day.
Women over 30 getting the vote	1918The first stage of votes for women.
The end of the First World War	1918The fighting stopped at 11 o'clock on 11 November.
Women over the age of 30 being given the right to stand for Parliament	1918They were also given voting rights that year.
A peace treaty being signed after the guerrilla war in Ireland	1921In 1922 Ireland became two countries.
The Northern Ireland Parliament being set up	1922
Ireland becoming two countries	1922The south became the Irish Free State; six counties in the north stayed in the UK.
The BBC's first radio broadcasts	1922Radio broadcasting began.
Women getting the vote at 21, the same as men	1928The voting age for women became the same as for men.
The discovery of penicillin	1928Discovered by Alexander Fleming, a Scottish doctor.
The UK getting a fully democratic voting system	1928
The Great Depression	1929Followed by high unemployment, worst in heavy industry.
The first television broadcast, between London and Glasgow	1932John Logie Baird developed the television; in 1932 he made the first broadcast between London and Glasgow.
Hitler coming to power in Germany	1933His rise set in motion the policies that led to the Second World War.
The first successful radar test	1935Sir Robert Watson-Watt proposed that enemy aircraft could be detected by radio waves.
The BBC starting the world's first regular television service	1936
The most recent British man’s Grand Slam singles title before Murray’s 2012 US Open win	1936The handbook says no British man had won a Grand Slam singles title since 1936 before Murray.
The German invasion of Poland	1939It brought the UK and France to declare war on Germany.
The evacuation of Dunkirk	1940About 300,000 men were rescued, many by volunteers in small boats.
The Battle of Britain	1940The air battle between Germany and Britain.
German forces defeating allied troops and advancing through France	1940As France fell, British and French soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk.
Winston Churchill becoming Prime Minister	1940He became Prime Minister at a time of national crisis and was Britain's war leader.
The German invasion of the Soviet Union	1941The invasion opened a huge new front that ultimately weakened German forces.
The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour	1941It brought the United States into the war.
The wartime government commissioning the Beveridge Report	1941
R A Butler becoming responsible for education	1941
The publication of the Beveridge Report	1942William Beveridge's report set out the ideas behind the modern welfare state.
The D-Day landings in Normandy	1944Allied forces landed in Normandy and began the advance that ended the war in Europe.

Acts of Parliament

What	Passed
Education Act	1944R A Butler's Act: it introduced free secondary education in England and Wales.

Who did what

What	Who
Was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907	Rudyard Kipling
Became Prime Minister in 1940	Winston Churchill
Became a Conservative MP in 1923 and later took charge of education	R A ButlerHis 1944 Education Act introduced free secondary education in England and Wales.

Leaders

What	Led by
Britain in the Second World War	Winston ChurchillHe became Prime Minister in May 1940, as German forces advanced through France, and refused to surrender.
The team that first split the atom	Ernest RutherfordTheir work at Manchester and Cambridge fed into the Manhattan Project.

What each one includes

What	Made up of
The Central Powers in the First World War	Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire and, later, BulgariaThe side the Allies fought against.
Examples of the social measures introduced in Britain before the First World War	financial help for the unemployed, old-age pensions and free school mealsPart of what the handbook calls a period of optimism before the war.

Known for

What	Known for
The evacuation of Dunkirk	giving rise to the phrase 'the Dunkirk spirit'Small boats from Britain helped the Navy rescue more than 300,000 men from the beaches.
The Manhattan Project	developing the atomic bomb in the United StatesBritish scientists, including Rutherford's team who first split the atom, took part.
John MacLeod	co-discovering insulin, used to treat diabetesA Scottish physician and researcher, 1876 to 1935.
The Spitfire and the Hurricane	being the most important planes the Royal Air Force used in the Battle of BritainBoth were designed and built in Britain, the handbook adds.
The Battle of the Somme	about 60,000 British casualties on the first day aloneThe British attack began in July 1916.
The Great Depression of the 1930s	badly affecting traditional heavy industries such as shipbuilding, while new industries like automobiles and aviation developedIts effects were felt differently in different parts of the UK.
The Battle of Britain	being the aerial battle the British fought and won against the Germans in the summer of 1940Fought with the Spitfire and the Hurricane.

Other names

What	Also known as
The German night-time bombing of London and other British cities	the BlitzThe German air force kept bombing British cities at night after the Battle of Britain.

Britain since 1945

Key dates

What	Year
Clement Attlee becoming Prime Minister	1945Churchill's deputy in the war; his government founded the NHS.
The Allied victory over Germany	1945The war in Europe ended with Germany's comprehensive defeat.
The end of the war against Japan	1945The war ended after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Alexander Fleming winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine	1945Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928 and won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945.
Winston Churchill losing a General Election while Prime Minister	1945He lost office just after leading Britain to victory in Europe.
Nine colonies, including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, gaining independence	1947Part of the end of the empire after the war.
People from the West Indies being invited to come and work in Britain	1948For about 25 years, people from the West Indies, India, Pakistan and later Bangladesh travelled to work and settle in Britain.
The establishment of the National Health Service	1948Free health care for everyone at the point of use, from Beveridge's plan.
The second time the UK hosted the Olympic Games	1948The middle of the UK's three Olympic hosting years, between 1908 and 2012.
The Irish Free State becoming a republic	1949The Irish Free State, formed after partition, became a republic in 1949.
The UK signing the European Convention on Human Rights	1950British diplomats and lawyers helped draft this Convention.
Winston Churchill returning as Prime Minister	1951He served a second term as Prime Minister in the 1950s.
Queen Elizabeth II becoming queen	1952She reigned from her father's death in 1952 until she died in 2022.
Dylan Thomas writing Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night for his dying father	1952
The discovery of the structure of the DNA molecule	1953The discovery underpinned later advances in medicine and forensic science.
The first sub-four-minute mile	1954No one had run a mile in under four minutes before this.
Under Milk Wood being first performed	1954
The European Economic Community being formed	1957The EEC's six founders later grew into the European Union, which the UK joined in 1973.
The Treaty of Rome being signed	195725 March 1957; the UK joined what it created in 1973.
The Prime Minister gaining the power to nominate life peers	1958Life peers hold the title for their own lifetime only. Hereditary peers lost the automatic right to attend in 1999.
Margaret Thatcher first being elected as a Conservative MP	1959Cabinet minister from 1970, as Secretary of State for Education and Science.
Winston Churchill standing down as an MP	1964He remained a Member of Parliament for over six decades.
Winston Churchill's death	1965He was given a state funeral after his death.
England’s only international football tournament victory	1966That World Cup was hosted in the UK the same year England lifted the trophy.
The UK hosting the football World Cup	1966It was England’s only international tournament victory.
The first cash machine being put into use	1967James Goodfellow invented the ATM; the first was put into use by Barclays Bank in Enfield, north London.
The Troubles breaking out	1969
The voting age being set at 18	1969With a few exceptions, every UK-born and naturalised adult can vote.
Concorde first flying	1969The world's only supersonic passenger aircraft, built by Britain and France together.
Margaret Thatcher becoming a cabinet minister as the Secretary of State for Education and Science	1970
The Northern Ireland Parliament being abolished	1972Shortly after the Troubles began.
Mary Peters winning an Olympic gold medal in the pentathlon	1972She later raised money for local athletics and continues to promote sport and tourism in Northern Ireland.
The UK joining the EEC	1973The UK originally decided not to join; the EEC was the forerunner of EU membership.
Margaret Thatcher first being elected as Leader of the Conservative Party	1975
Concorde beginning to carry passengers	1976Concorde's passenger service began seven years after its first flight.
The birth of the world's first IVF baby	1978The birth in Oldham followed IVF research by Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe.
Margaret Thatcher becoming the first woman Prime Minister	1979Thatcher went on to become the UK's longest-serving 20th-century Prime Minister.
Argentina invading the Falkland Islands	1982
Torvill and Dean’s Olympic ice dancing gold medal	1984The pair also won four consecutive ice dancing world championships around this time.
Information first being transferred over the World Wide Web	1990This first web transfer followed Tim Berners-Lee's invention of the World Wide Web.
The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait	1990The invasion led Britain into a leading role in the coalition that liberated Kuwait.
The first successful cloning of a mammal	1996Dolly's cloning opened research into cloning for conservation and medicine.
Powers beginning to be devolved to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland	1997More control over matters that directly affect each nation.
The Labour Party under Tony Blair first being elected	1997Blair's government went on to introduce the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.
The Good Friday Agreement	1998Also called the Belfast Agreement; it led to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The Scottish Parliament being established	1999Devolution to Scotland.
The Welsh Assembly being established	1999Devolution to Wales.
The Northern Ireland Assembly being elected	1999The Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998; the Assembly was elected in 1999.
Hereditary peers losing the automatic right to sit in the House of Lords	1999Hereditary peers now elect a few of their number to represent them instead.
Winston Churchill being voted the greatest Briton of all time	2002A public vote decades later still ranked him as Britain's greatest figure.
The Northern Ireland Assembly being suspended	2002It was not reinstated until 2007.
Concorde being retired from service	2003Concorde was the world's only supersonic passenger aircraft; it began carrying passengers in 1976.
Dame Kelly Holmes’s Olympic gold medals for running	2004Both golds came from the same 2004 Games.
Ellen MacArthur becoming the fastest person to sail solo around the world	2004A yachtswoman's record: sailing around the world alone, without a crew, faster than anyone before her.
Gordon Brown taking over as Prime Minister	2007
The Northern Ireland Assembly being reinstated	2007Its return in 2007 marked stable, working devolved government in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Assembly beginning to run successfully	2007Before this the Assembly had been suspended several times by the UK government.
The vote naming Wastwater Britain’s favourite view	2007TV viewers voted Wastwater as Britain's favourite view in 2007.
Forced Marriage Protection Orders being introduced	2008For England, Wales and Northern Ireland, under the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007. Scotland followed in 2011.
The Paralympic Games at which Ellie Simmonds was the youngest member of the British team	2008She won gold medals for swimming at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games.
British combat troops leaving Iraq	2009Their withdrawal ended Britain's combat role in the Iraq conflict.
The Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition forming a government	2010No party won an overall majority, the first time since February 1974. David Cameron became Prime Minister.
No political party winning an overall majority in the General Election	2010It was the first time in the UK since February 1974.
The Welsh Assembly gaining the power to pass laws without the UK Parliament's agreement	2011
Forced Marriage Protection Orders reaching Scotland	2011Introduced in November 2011. England, Wales and Northern Ireland got equivalent orders in 2008.
The clock tower at Parliament being named Elizabeth Tower	2012For Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee	2012Sixty years as queen. The clock tower at Parliament is named the Elizabeth Tower in its honour.
The third time the UK hosted the Olympic Games	2012The most recent of the UK's three Olympic hosting years; its main site was in Stratford, East London.
Bradley Wiggins becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France	2012A cyclist's breakthrough: no British rider had ever won the Tour de France before this.
Mo Farah’s Olympic gold medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m	2012Farah, a distance runner born in Somalia, took both these golds at the same London Games.
The first Briton to win Olympic gold in the 10,000 metres	2012The handbook names Mo Farah as the first Briton to win Olympic 10,000m gold, in 2012.
Jessica Ennis’s Olympic heptathlon gold medal	2012Ennis, an athlete, also holds a number of British athletics records beyond this title.
Andy Murray winning the US Open men’s singles title	2012His win ended Britain's long wait for a men's Grand Slam singles title, stretching back to 1936.
Andy Murray winning Olympic gold and silver medals	2012Part of a stellar year: the same 2012 that brought his US Open title and Wimbledon runner-up finish.
Andy Murray’s runner-up finish in the Wimbledon men’s singles	2012That same year he went one better by winning the US Open instead.
Ellie Simmonds’s second Paralympic swimming gold medals	2012She also holds a number of world records.
The public first electing Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales	2012November 2012. PCCs cover England and Wales.
The referendum on leaving the European Union	2016The referendum result set the UK on the path to leaving the European Union.
The UK leaving the European Union	2020Officially at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020, four years after the referendum that decided it.
Queen Elizabeth II's death	2022She died on 8 September 2022. Her eldest son, Charles, is now King Charles III.
King Charles III becoming king	2022His heir apparent is his elder son, William, Prince of Wales.
Prince Edward becoming the Duke of Edinburgh	2023On his 59th birthday, by his eldest brother King Charles III, who formerly held the title.
The Labour Party under Keir Starmer winning a majority	2024
The general principles of EU law ceasing to be part of UK law	2024Brexit itself took place on 31 January 2020.

Leaders

What	Led by
The establishment of the National Health Service	Aneurin (Nye) BevanBevan, as Minister for Health, drove the NHS into being as a free, universal service.
The England football team that won the 1966 World Cup	Bobby MooreThat 1966 tournament was hosted in the UK and remains England's only World Cup win.
The team that first cloned a mammal	Sir Ian Wilmot and Keith CampbellTheir work made Dolly the first mammal ever cloned.
The Conservative government from 1979 to 1990	Margaret ThatcherThatcher led sweeping privatisation and trade union reform during her decade in office.

Acts of Parliament

What	Passed
Human Rights Act	1998
Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act	2007This Act created the Forced Marriage Protection Order.

Prizes

What	Awarded for
Mo Farah’s 2012 Olympic gold medals	the 5,000 metres and the 10,000 metresThe handbook states Farahs 2012 Olympic golds were for the 5,000m and 10,000m.
Jessica Ennis’s 2012 Olympic gold medal	the heptathlon

Other names

What	Also known as
The clock tower at the Houses of Parliament	Elizabeth TowerNamed in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
The 1960s	the Swinging SixtiesA decade of significant social change, and the name the handbook gives it.
NATO	the North Atlantic Treaty OrganizationAn alliance set up to resist the perceived threat of invasion by the Soviet Union and its allies; the UK joined.

Who did what

What	Who
Was Winston Churchill’s Deputy Prime Minister in the wartime coalition government	Clement Attlee
Was Prime Minister when the National Health Service was created	Clement AttleeBevan, his Minister for Health, led the work; Attlee led the government.
Became Prime Minister in 1945	Clement Attlee
Won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945	Alexander Fleming
Was given a state funeral after his death in 1965	Winston ChurchillThe handbook records the funeral as the honour, not the burial place.
Was voted the greatest Briton of all time in 2002	Winston Churchill
Became the first woman Prime Minister, in 1979	Margaret Thatcher
Took over as Prime Minister in 2007	Gordon Brown
Became queen in 1952	Queen Elizabeth II
Became king in 2022	King Charles III
Won Olympic gold for ice dancing in 1984	Torvill and Dean
Won Olympic gold medals for running in 2004	Dame Kelly Holmes
Became the fastest person to sail solo around the world, in 2004	Ellen MacArthur
Became the first Briton to win the Tour de France, in 2012	Bradley Wiggins
Won the US Open men’s singles title in 2012	Andy Murray
Won Paralympic swimming gold medals in 2008 and again in 2012	Ellie Simmonds
Co-invented the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner	Sir Peter MansfieldThe scanner lets doctors see exact images of internal organs without surgery.
Was made a Dame of the British Empire in 2000	Mary PetersFor her work promoting sport and tourism in Northern Ireland.
Worked closely with the United States President, Ronald Reagan	Margaret ThatcherAnd was among the first Western leaders to welcome the changes in the Soviet Union that ended the Cold War.
Helped establish the Northern Ireland peace process	John MajorPrime Minister after Margaret Thatcher.
Led the government that reached the Good Friday Agreement in 1998	Tony BlairIt built on the peace process John Major had helped start.

Inventions

What	Developed by
The television	John Logie BairdA Scotsman, working in the 1920s; he made the first broadcast between London and Glasgow in 1932.
Radar	Sir Robert Watson-WattA Scotsman, who proposed that enemy aircraft could be found by radio waves. First successful test in 1935.
The jet engine	Sir Frank WhittleAn RAF engineer officer, working in Britain in the 1930s.
IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) therapy	Sir Robert Edwards and Patrick SteptoeA physiologist and a gynaecologist; the handbook's word is pioneered.
Concorde	Britain and FranceThe world's only supersonic commercial airliner.

Inventions

What	Invented by
The Turing machine	Alan TuringA theoretical device from the 1930s whose theory shaped computer science and the modern computer.
The hovercraft	Sir Christopher CockerellA British inventor, working in the 1950s.
The cash machine	James GoodfellowInvented in the 1960s. The first was put into use by Barclays in Enfield, north London, in 1967.
The World Wide Web	Sir Tim Berners-LeeBritish. Information was first sent over the web on 25 December 1990.

Builders

What	Built by
The radio telescope at Jodrell Bank	Sir Bernard LovellWorking with radar led him to astronomy. It was the biggest in the world for many years and still runs.

Known for

What	Known for
The Swinging Sixties	growth in British fashion, cinema and popular musicPeople also started to become better off, and many bought cars and other consumer goods.
The popular music of the Swinging Sixties	groups such as The Beatles and The Rolling StonesBoth are named in the handbook as examples of the decade's popular music.
Francis Crick	being awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the structure of the DNA moleculeThe structure was worked out in 1953 at universities in London and Cambridge.
The Harrier jump jet	being an aircraft capable of taking off verticallyDesigned and developed in the UK; one of the handbook's 20th-century British inventions.
Sir Ian Wilmot and Keith Campbell	leading the team that was first to clone a mammal, Dolly the sheep1996; two British scientists.
The national system of benefits introduced after the Second World War	providing 'social security', so that the population would be protected 'from the cradle to the grave'Introduced alongside the NHS by the Labour government elected in 1945.
Harold Macmillan	his 'wind of change' speech about decolonisation and independence for the countries of the EmpirePrime Minister at the time.
Dylan Thomas	being a Welsh poet and writerUnder Milk Wood and Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night are his best-known works.
Roald Dahl	his children's books, though he also wrote for adultsBorn in Wales to Norwegian parents; he served in the Royal Air Force in the Second World War.

What each one includes

What	Made up of
The liberalisation of social law in the 1960s	changes to the law on divorce, and on abortion in England, Wales and Scotland
What Parliament changed for women at work in the 1960s	the right to equal pay, and a ban on employers discriminating against women because of their genderBefore this it was quite common for employers to ask women to leave their jobs when they married.
The new architecture that became common in the 1960s	high-rise buildings, concrete and steelThe decade was one of technological progress, and the buildings showed it.
The industries the 1945 Labour government nationalised	the railways, coal mines, and gas, water and electricity suppliesTaken into public ownership.
The five 'Giant Evils' the Beveridge Report said the government should fight	Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and IdlenessThe report provided the basis of the modern welfare state.

Where they came from

What	From
Margaret Thatcher	Grantham in LincolnshireThe daughter of a grocer.

Birthplaces

What	Born in
Clement Attlee	London1883; the Labour leader who became Prime Minister in 1945.

Writers and works

What	Written by
Under Milk Wood	Dylan ThomasA radio play, first performed after his death in 1954.
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night	Dylan ThomasA poem he wrote for his dying father in 1952.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory	Roald DahlOne of his best-known children's books, with George's Marvellous Medicine.

Who came next

What	Followed by
Margaret Thatcher	John MajorHe helped establish the Northern Ireland peace process.

The four nations

Countries and capitals

Patron saints

Places in England

Places in Scotland

Places in Wales

Places in N. Ireland

Languages

Population over time

The UK at a glance

Area

Other places

How the country is run

The parliaments and assemblies

The courts

Juries and verdicts

Small claims limits

Who sat in them

Voting systems

Roles and duties

Age limits

Culture, customs and the calendar

The calendar

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Moves each year

Who they were

Writers and composers

William Shakespeare

Graham Greene

Benjamin Britten

Evelyn Waugh

George Frederick Handel

Gilbert and Sullivan

Robert Louis Stevenson

Rudyard Kipling

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice

Charles Dickens

Dylan Thomas

Jane Austen

Roald Dahl

Sir William Walton

Thomas Hardy

Dame Agatha Christie

Geoffrey Chaucer

Gustav Holst

Isaac Newton

J K Rowling

John Barbour

John Milton

JRR Tolkien

Lord Byron

Robert Browning

Robert Burns

Samuel Pepys

Sir Edward Elgar

Sir Kingsley Amis

Wilfred Owen

William Blake

William Wordsworth

Who led what

Oliver Cromwell

William, Duke of Normandy

Aneurin (Nye) Bevan

Bobby Moore

Boudicca

Charles II

Elizabeth I

Ernest Rutherford