The United Kingdom

England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

England’s Geographic Regions

• The Highlands are a band of hills running the length of England’s west coast.

• The Midlands are very heavily industrialized. Some major cities here are Birmingham and Manchester.

• The lowlands are located on the east coast by the English Channel. The land here is very fertile – able to produce abundant crops.

London

• The city of London is located on the River Thames. This allows ships to come in and out of London to trade.

• London is located on the edge of Europe, which provides a great location to trade with the rest of the world.

The Industrial Revolution

• Because of their natural resources and location, England was the center of the Industrial Revolution.

• However, as their raw materials began to grow short, the United States and Germany overtook Great Britain as the leading exporters of manufactured goods.

Scotland – physical characteristics

• Scotland occupies nearly one third of the land area in Great Britain; however, less than 10 percent of the population live in Scotland.

• The physical landscape of Scotland was formed by glaciers that moved across the North during the last ice age.

• Much of Scotland is covered in moors and bogs.

Scotland – Economy

• The Scottish economy used to be centered around shipbuilding.

• However, new oil discoveries and advances in computer and electronic businesses have taken the place of older industries.

Scotland - Culture

• Instead of joining the Church of England, many Scots chose to remain a member of the Presbyterian Church.

• Also, in 1997, Scottish voters approved the creation of a Scottish Parliament.

Wales – Physical Characteristics

• Wales has a marine west coast climate like the rest of Great Britain.

• However, it receives much more rain than most of England.

Wales - Economy

• Similar to England and Scotland, Wales used to have much industry and coal mining.

• Today, Wales’ economy is centered around technolgy and tourism.

Wales – Culture

• Like Scotland, Welsh people have a strong sense of cultural independence.

• Many people still speak welsh as their first language.

Vocabulary Words

• Moor – broad, treeless rolling plains• Bog – areas of wet, spongy ground• Glen – a narrow valley

Ireland

• Ireland is divided into two parts: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

• These parts are further divided between Catholics and Protestants, as well as Celtic and English.

Physical Characteristics

• The island of Ireland is shaped like a huge bowl. Hills line most of the coastline while the middle plain is mostly flat.

• About 1/6 of the island is covered by peat – a spongy material containing waterlogged mosses and plants.

• Peat is cut and dried by farmers and used as fuel because Ireland has few forests.

History of Ireland

• The island of Ireland was first settled by Celtic tribes around 300 B.C.

• From around 800 A.D. until 1014 A.D. these tribes banded together to defend themselves from the Vikings.

• Then in 1066, the Normans invaded and conquered England and tried to rule Ireland as well.

English Possession

• After the Normans were kicked out, King Henry II of England declared himself Lord of Ireland in 1171.

• From this point on, the English began to think of Ireland and its people as “possessions.”

The Protestant Reformation

• In the 1500’s, Ireland was even more divided by the Protestant Reformation.

• Most of the native Irish people remained Catholic, while the English who lived in Ireland became Protestant.

• This resulted in cultural divergence – deliberate efforts to keep the cultures separate.

The Potato Famine

• In the 1840’s, a blight (or plant disease) wiped out the potato crop in Ireland.

• The majority of the Irish population depended on the crops as their food sustenance. As a result, over one million people died of starvation and disease.

• Many Irish people immigrated into the United States.

Towards Independence

• Rebellions between 1916 and 1921 led officials in the United Kingdom and Ireland to divide the country into two parts: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (which was still under British supervision)

• Finally, in 1949 the Republic of Ireland became its own free country.

• Since 1949, much fighting has taken place in Northern Ireland.

• However, in 1994, peace talks began between the Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland.