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History of Britain
by Jesús (Y5B, 2006-07)

Pre-Roman inhabitants of Britain were Celtic–speaking people.

Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 and 54 BC. But it was not subdued by Rome until the first century.

In the 5th century the Germanic Tribes of the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes invaded Britain. During the 8th and 9th centuries, the Vikings, particularly the Danes, sent conquering armies.

11th century: Scotland came under the influence of the English rule.

12th century: Henry II (1154–1189) conquered Ireland.

13th century: Edward I conquered Wales and under his reign (1272-1307) the first Parliament was convened.

15th century: the Tudors became the ruling family of England following the War of the Roses and Henry VIII established the Church of England.

16th century: Elizabeth I Challenged the Spanish supremacy of the seas, and in 1588 the Spanish Armada was defeated.

17th century: Oliver Cromwell ruled the country under Puritanism.

18th century: England and Scotland formed the Kingdom of Great Britain.

1. During the reign of George III, in 1783, the American colonies won independence.
2. A period of war with revolutionary France and the Empire of Napoleon Bonaparte ensued.

19th century: Great Britain and Ireland joined to create the United Kingdom.

1. Queen Victoria (1837-1901) - Victorian Age - Britain’s colonial expansion reached its zenith (more here). Older dominions, such as Canada and Australia, were granted independence  eventually - Canada in 1867 and Australia in 1901.
2. The Industrial Revolution

20th century: the United Kingdom entered World War I allied with France and Russia in 1914. It entered the World War II in 1939 and fought German and Japanese forces in Europe, Africa and Asia.

After World War II the Irish free state became the Irish Republic and left the Commonwealth.

1. Terrorist acts increased between Roman Catholics, seeking union with the Republic of Ireland and protestants wishing to remain part of the UK.
2. 1973 The UK joined the European Union.
3. 1997 Labour Party won power with Tony Blair, after the whole century with the Conservative party in the power.

The English language has been influenced by the Celtic language, Latin & Greek, and French. (See ...)