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british history and culture > british history and culture 1 > Flashcards

british history and culture 1 Flashcards

1
Q

The Iberians/Beaker people

A

3000 BC and 2400 BC. Stonehenge. Farmers who became resident. The two groups blended.

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2
Q

The Celts

A

700 BC. Tribes of warrior-farmers. Came from central Europa. Good at farming and metal work (iron tools). Ruled by a warrior class but the Druids (priests) played an important role as well.

Flourished in several kingdoms in Wales and Ireland during the roman period.

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3
Q

The Romans

A

Caesar first came in 55 BC. Roman conquest 43-410 AD. Claudius divided the Celts. Brought: law and order, roads, skill of reading/writing, latin, Hadrian’s wall. Towns - made London financial and administrative centre.

ended because: were attacked all over the empire -> had to lease out their defense. Eventually lost control and retreated from the island.

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4
Q

The Anglo-Saxons

A

Germanic tribes invaded after 430 AD. Pushed the Celts into the corners. Established 7 kingdoms. Illiterate (new administration). Villages with taxes and armies. Loyalty to king and not only family.

Created the Witan (king’s council) and established shires -> counties.

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5
Q

The Vikings

A

Late 700’s. Came from Scandinavia. Raidings first but invaded in 865. Danelaw in the north but in the rest of the country King Alfred the Great was recognised as king.

After danish king Cnut died -> Edward “the confessor” became king, he died in 1066.

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6
Q

The Battle of Hastings

A
  1. Battle for succession after the death of King Edward. Between William the conqueror (of Normandy), Harold Godwinson and Harold of Norway (who was defeated at the Battle of Stamford Bridge a few days earlier).

Took place outside Hastings and was a clear victory for William who became king (and the last conqueror) of England.

Influences now came from the continent rather than Scandinavia.

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7
Q

The Domesday Book

A
  1. William the conqueror. Inventory of: land, population, lifestock etc - for taxing purposes. Gave land to lords (Noremans) and reduced saxons to second class citizens.
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8
Q

Feudalism

A

(during the medieval period) feu=land held in return for services and goods. King owned all of the land and gave out the use of it. In return the vassals owed : men, horses etc in case of war. Protection and loyalty was owed.

The feudal pyramid: king-nobility and clergy-lesser nobility-peasants-serfs.

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9
Q

King Arthur

A

Celtic king during the AS invasion. Father had united large parts of the country. mid 400’s. But also a mythical figure (later centuries). Sword in the stone, the round table.

Love troubles, Lancelot -> Arthur sailed of.

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10
Q

Henry II

A

Reign: 1133-1189. Made important and lasting work with government, law and order.

Legal reforms: common law, educated judges, court, jury-system, trials.

Quarrel with Archbishop Thomas Becket (regarding church court etc), had him assasinated inside the Canterburry church. The power struggle between church and state had begun.

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11
Q

Richard the Lionheart

A

Reign 1189-99. Popular with the people, spent most time out of the country. Took part in the crusades. His mother was the queen of France.

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12
Q

King John

A

Reign 1199-1216. Richard’s brother. Lost Normandy and most other french parts of the country.

Quarrel with the pope who closed all of the churches in England.

The people (nobles) revolted against him.

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13
Q

Magna Carta

A

A result of the revolt against king John (unhappy with him). 1215. A royal document of rights signed by John (forced to), with new demands from the nobles: creation of a council, the king could no longer raise taxes or make laws by himself. It also demanded that no one could be imprisoned or executed without a trial.

Also marks the beginning of the end of feudalism.

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14
Q

The Middle Ages in Britain

A

1066-1485

Knights, tournaments, most people lived in villages ran by a knight.

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15
Q

The Hundred Years’ War

A

1337-1453. England vs. France (with several allies included). Edward III invaded France - wanted to claim the french throne. Fueled by emerging ideas of nationalism. Several armed battles but also many truces during the long war.

Battle of Castillon marks the end of the war - French victory.

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16
Q

The Black Death

A

The worst pandemic in historical time. Reached England in 1348. Came from Mongolia -> China -> followed the trade routes. Worst in the big cities, half of London’s population died. 40-60% of Britain’s entire population died in the plauge.

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17
Q

The peasant’s revolt

A
  1. (result of the plauge and 100 years war -> decrease in population -> those who lived on could demand better rights).

Peasants and serfs marched to London to complain (and demand equal rights) to the king Richard II. About 60 000 people. Revolt lead by Wat Tyler and John Ball. Tyler was killed -> end of the revolt.

Psychological benefits : ordinary people realized they could unite and stand up against power.

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18
Q

Henry V

A

Reign: 1413-1422. Continued battle with France (100 years war). Recaptured most of Normandy. Battle of Agincourt 1415 - England won despite being severely outnumbered. Used longbows.

Married the french king’s daughter but Henry died before the king of France and therefore never became king of both countries. -> lost the french parts once again.

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19
Q

The War of the Roses

A

1455-1487. A fight between two families who both claimed right to the throne (descendents of Edward III). The Yorks and the Lancasters. Not an actual war but a power struggle, few open fights but plenty of murders and plots.

Ended when Henry Tudor (Lancaster) married a York princess and defeated Edward IIII. United the houses and became king Henry VII.

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20
Q

Henry VII

A

Reign: 1491-1547. First Tudor. Good king: clever and economic, ran the country as a buisniess. Made the crown strong after killing traitors - gaining land and wealth.

More protection and rules. Built up a loyal staff.

Father of: Arthur (died) and Henry VIII.

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21
Q

Henry VIII

A

Reign: 1491-1547. Had 6 wives: Catherine of Aragon (divorced), Anne Boleyn (beheaded), Jane Seymour (died), Anne of Cleves (divorced), Catherine Howard (beheaded) and Catherine Parr (outlived Henry).

Broke away from the catholic church and started the new “english church” which he became head of. But only because of private and political reasons.

Children: Mary I, Elizabeth I, Edward VI (who died at 15).

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22
Q

Mary I

A

Succeeded Jane “the 9 day queen”. Reign: 1553-1558. Catholic. Persecuted protestans “Bloody Mary”.

Married the spanish king, bad for the country.

Declared war with France and lost Calais.

Imprisoned her sister for a while because of her religious belifes.

23
Q

Elizabeth I

A

Reign: 1558-1603. Popular amongst ordinary people. Never married - mainly for political reasons.

Restored the english church and became its leader. Chose excelent advisors.

Biggest threat: her cousin Mary Queen of Scots, eventually had her executed.

Defeated the spanish armada - important win, glory days of England.

24
Q

Mary Queen of Scots

A

Elizabeth I:s cousin. Catholic. Married to the french king. Returned to Scotland after his death. Was forced to abdicate and seeked shelter at Elizabeth’s. However she was seen as a big threat to the country and Elizabeth’s advisors found proof of a planned conspiracy -> Mary was executed. Her son James later became the king of England.

25
Q

William Shakespeare

A

Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. Came from a quite wealthy (but not noble) family. Wife: Anne Hathaway.

He became a member of a theater in London and worked as an actor. Then he began writing plays and became very succesful. Retired at 49.

Died in 1616 and his plays were published a few years later.

26
Q

James Stuart

A

(son of Mary queen of Scots) took over the throne after Elizabeth I. Ruled over both Scotland and England (but they remained seperate), and Ireland.

Published a new translation of the Bible.

Problems with the Puritans as well as the catholics (who did not find him catholic enough).

27
Q

The Puritans

A

Strongly protestant people who wanted to purify the church. Wanted: freedom to read (in translation) and interprete the bible. Opposed ceremonies. Disapproved of the general immorality of catholicism.

They also disapproved of the divine power o the King.

Many puritans later emigrated to America and founded the New England colonies .

28
Q

The Gunpowder Plot

A
  1. A group of catholics who wanted to kill the king and blow up parliament in order to force people back in to catholicism.

Guy Fawkes was caught with gunpowder -> plot failed.

5th of November “Bonfire night” - celebrated as a victory of the protestants.

29
Q

The Civil War

A

1642-1651. Between royalists and parliamentarians “roundheads”.

Some wanted the king’s power to decrease, wanted to stabilize parliament’s role and increase its power.

Oliver Cromwell: leader of the puritan party. The puritans won and had Charles I executed for treason. -> England became a republic between 1649-1660. “The Commonwealth”.

30
Q

The Restoration

A

Mid 1600’s. Charles II was “invited” back to restore monarchy in England. He also brought back things such as theather, fancy clothes etc.

He had no children - his brothre James II succeeded him.

31
Q

James II

A

Reign 1685-1688. Was asked to abdicate because he was catholic (and the people did not want his son to succeeded him, they wanted someone protestant). His daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange were, and took over the throne instead. (The Glorious Revolution, 1688)

At this time parliament was divided regarding religion and power, the two parties tories and whigs began forming.

32
Q

The American Colonies

A

13 colonies.

First to be colonised: Virgina (south) and New England (north).

The Pilgrim Fathers: sailed over on the Mayflower in 1620 to New England. Mostly puritans. Fundamentalistst, wanted to create a theoractic state.
Boston - “The city upon the Hill”.

The southern colonies with their plantations were focused on agriculture - buisniess venture, merchants. Needed a lot of labor which resulted in the trade triangle -> exported goods and imported slaves from Africa.

The Middle colonies, such as New York, were more neutral and free.

33
Q

The Battle of Boyne

A
  1. James II tried to reclaim the throne from Mary and William. However, he failed and this is regarded as the definite victory for protestantism over catholicism in England.
34
Q

Acts of Union

A
  1. Two acts of parliament which united England and Scotland into Great Britain. Queen Anne were the regent at the time.
35
Q

George I

A

(of Hanover) Reign: 1714-1727. German cousin of Queen Anne - who had no surviving children.

Only spoke german, uniterested in reiging over England. He did not hold council which resulted in the development of the cabinet-system. Lead by the PM - first: Robert Walpole.

36
Q

The Napoleonic Wars

A

1803-1815. Results of the french revolution. Had seized Holland and Belgium -> Britain were anxious about Napoleon’s further intentions and declared war with France in 1803.

Battle of Trafalgar : 1805, Admiral Horatio Nelson won an important victory against the french-spanish navy. And at the Battle of Waterloo Britain finally defeated France.

37
Q

The Boston Tea Party

A
  1. King George III had angered the americans, especially by raising taxes - later removed them from everything but tea which resulted in the uproar in the uproar against “taxation without representation”.

A group of American colonists dumped large amounts of tea from the British East India Company in the harbor.

-> lit a further spark for the 13 colonies to unite and fight for indpendence.

37
Q

The French Indian War/Seven Years’ War

A

1756-1763. Both England and France wanted to become a global power and gain control over the new world - > war in America. The native americans fought with the french. England won the war and France had to give up their canadian colonies.

37
Q

George Washington

A

Leader of the 13 colonies when they faught for independence. Wanted to form a united nation. ^

Elected as the first president in 1788.

38
Q

The Industrialization

A

Began in the late 1700’s - first country in the world. Marks the end of cottage industires -> mechanised machinery required less labour -> factories.

Ecnomic progess for the country, but also developed a large, poor working class.

Rail roads and a large amount of natural resources (coal, steel etc) played an important part in the early industrialization.

38
Q

The Bill of Rights

A
  1. The 10 frist amendments of the American constitution.
    Includes amendments such as: freedom of religion and press, the right to carry arms and the right to trial in front of a jury.

The division of power - the federal system of government.

39
Q

Urbanization

A

Late 1700’s and 1800’s. Consequence of the industrialization. People moved to the city to be closer to the factories.

Cities became crowded and poluted.

Created a seperation of different areas of life: home-work, the sexes and the classes (the higher classes moved out to the suburbs).

40
Q

Queen Victoria

A

Reign: 1837 (18 years old)-1901 (The Victorian Era).

Married german prince Albert - very in love, had 9 children, happy family - important values which strengthened the monarchy. Took Albert’s death hard, withdrew from the public and always wore black after that.

Popular with the people. Despite the loss of political power the monarchy remained strong because of Victoria’s popularity.

Ex. of social reforms during this era: poor law, trade unions, education acts.

41
Q

Colonialism/Imperialism

A

19th century. Wanted to make up for the loss of the American colonies -> colonised other parts of the world: India, Australia, large parts of Africa. The empire reached it’s peak in the 1920’s.

The colonies gave tremendous wealth and labor to Britain. As well as natural resources.

42
Q

The Great Exhibition

A

1851, London, Crystal Palace. Displayed goods from all over the empire, such as: machinery and animals. Symbol of the Victorian age.

Exhibited culture and industry from all over the empire.

43
Q

Charles Dickens

A

1812-1870. Most important writer of the Victorian era. Experienced all different parts of the Victorian society -> could portray it very well. He was extremely popular among all layers of society. His books even influenced and changed society by pushing social reforms.

44
Q

Edward VII

A

Queen Victoria’s son, took over the throne in 1901, at 60 years of age. Unserious person. Died in 1910. =the Edwardian Age (general prosperity).

45
Q

The Suffragettes

A

First militant women’s movement. Demanded voting rights for women. Remained minors all their lives.

One of the leaders: Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst.

Actions: petitions for parliament, a paper, marches, public gatherings and more violent actions such as riots and fires.

Their violent behaviour had opposite effect on parliament and women did not gain the right to vote until after World War I. (1928:all women allowed to vote)

46
Q

World War I

A

1914-18. The shots at Sarajevo marked that beginning of the war. Britain entered the war when Germany invaded France through Belgium.

The allies: Britain, France, Russia, US, Italy, Japan.

The Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire.

Big loss for Germany, the allies won. 9 million people lost their lives.

Ended 11/11 11:11

47
Q

The Depression

A

Wall Street crash in 1929. Resultet in large numbers of unempolyment both in America and Britain.

48
Q

The Hunger Years

A

Ireland. 1845-47. Failed potato crops = 20% of the population (8 million) starved to death. And many others emmigrated.

They had wheat enough to feed the entire population but that was exported to Britain. The governemnt in London did nothing to help the Irish during these years.

49
Q

The Easter Rising

A
  1. Mainly in Dublin. Irish rebels/republicans wanted indpendence for Ireland -> First armed conflict of the revolutionary period. The IRA was formed after this rising. In 1921 Ireland gained independence from the British.
50
Q

The Troubles

A

1968-1998. Conflict between catholics (republicans) and protestants (loyalists) in Northern Ireland.

Republicans wanted to become part of the Republic of Ireland and loyalists wanted to remain british.

Bloody Sunday - civil rights demonstration in Derry - british army killed 13 people.

Complicated quarrel which never ended but has remained quite peaceful since 98.

51
Q

The Battle of Culloden

A
  1. The final british defeat of the scottish highlanders. Forbid their culture and took their land = the clan system was destroyed.

british history and culture (1 decks)

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