Western Europe: Exploring the Region Today pg.306 Section 1: Great Britain and Ireland Geography 7th Grade

Great Britain and Ireland Great Britain is the official name given to England, Scotland, and Wales. It is an island lying off the western coast of Europe. Great Britain is made up of: England – The capital is London Scotland – The capital is Edinburgh Wales – The capital is Cardiff

Is Great Britain the same as the United Kingdom? No, Great Britain and the United Kingdom refer to different areas. The United Kingdom includes Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Great Britain United Kingdom

A Democratic History The roots of British democracy go back many hundreds of years. In 1215, a group of nobles forced one English monarch, King John, to sign a document called the Magna Carta, or “ Great Charter.” The Magna Carta strengthened the power of the nobles and limited the power of the king.

In time, the group of nobles became known as the parliament. The parliament later gained more power. – It helped to decide the kinds of taxes paid by citizens and elected people from areas of the country to serve as representatives. A representative represents, or stands for, a group of people. LIMITED POWER – Britain’s monarchs today do not have the power to make laws. They may participate in national ceremonies and may represent Britain on trips to other countries, their power is limited. – Great Britain is now a constituional monarchy. In a constitutional monarchy the power of kings and queens is limited. British laws are made by parliament, not by King of Queen.

Ireland: One Island, Two Nations In 1541, England’s King Henry VIII declared himself King of Ireland and head of the Church. The colonization of Ireland by the English began. Over the centuries, Ireland’s heritage and ties to the Roman Catholic Church have been the cause of bitter disputes. Catholics were often persecuted, or mistreated, because of their beliefs. A treaty signed i 1922 said that Northern Ireland, where the Protestants held power, would remain part of Great Britain. It granted independence to most of the rest of Ireland, which became the Irish Republic in 1949.