History and Culture

British Isles  Two independent countries make up the British Isles.  Republic of Ireland  United Kingdom, which is a union of four small countries  England  Scotland  Wales  Northern Ireland  Throughout their history, the people of the British Isles have been linked together.

Timeline  5,000 years ago-Early settlers build Stonehenge.  450 BC- the Celts arrive in British Isles and settle in Wales, Scotland, Ireland.  55 BC- Britain became part of Rome Empire.  1066 AD- the Normans conquered England and establish a strong kingdom.  England starts on path to becomes a world power.  Start of the Industrial revolution  Britain joins WW II

Rise and Decline of Empire Rise  England joined with Wales and Scotland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain.  Launched overseas empire and had colonies in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia by the late 1800s  Economy soared with the Industrial Revolution in the 1700s and 1800s.  At its height the British Empire was the largest in history. Decline  In the 1900s the British Empire began to crumble.  World War I and the Great Depression hurt the British economy.  Rebellions in Ireland forced Britain to grant self-rule to all but the northern part of Ireland.  Other overseas colonies began movements for independence.  After World War II Great Britain gave up most of its colonies.

Government  United Kingdom  Constitutional monarchy—a type of democracy in which a king or queen serves as head of state but a legislature makes the laws  Magna Carta, a document drawn up in the Middle Ages, limited the powers of kings.  Prime minister leads British government.  Most members of Parliament, Britain’s legislative body, are elected.  Republic of Ireland  Constitutional Republic  President as head of state  Prime minister, appointed by the president, runs the government with the Irish parliament.

Culture PEOPLE  Common heritage—many people in the British Isles can trace their heritage to the region’s early settlers.  Sports such as soccer and rugby are a shared trait among people of Britain.  Regions, particularly Ireland and Scotland, maintain their unique identities.  Immigrants from all corners of the world have settled in Britain, adding to the rich culture of the region. Pop Culture  Influences people all around the globe  English is the language of business, education, and the Internet in many places.  British music and literature are popular.

Scandinavia  Vikings were Scandinavian warriors who raided Europe and the Mediterranean in the early Middle Ages.  Excellent sailors  Conquered the British Isles, Finland, and parts of France, Germany, and Russia  Great explorers  Established settlements in Iceland and Greenland  First Europeans to reach North America

Timeline In the 1100s the Viking raids ended and powerful Scandinavian chiefs competed for power in the region. By the late 1300s Denmark ruled a union of all Scandinavian kingdoms and territories. Sweden challenged Denmark’s power and left the union, taking Finland with it. By the 1900s Scandinavian countries wanted independence.  Norway, Finland, and Iceland all became independent Greenland remains a part of Denmark as a self-ruling territory.

Present Day  Today, the countries of Scandinavia have much in common  All the countries are Parliamentary Democracies  Similar political views, languages, and religion  Large, wealthy cities, strong economies, and well- educated workers  High standards of living  Sweden, Denmark, Greenland, Finland, Norway, and Iceland are among the world’s most peaceful, stable, and prosperous nations.