History of England

England has a very interesting, if not complicated, history. Nobody is quite sure when and how England even became a country! Some historians believe that England became a nation long after the Norman Conquest in 1066,  but others believe that England and the English law was created by the Anglo-Saxon sucessers of Alfred the Great, long before the Norman Conquest.  

William the Conquerer

About 1000 years ago, the Dark Ages ended and the well known Medieval Times began. The Vikings also ended their reign over England and the Normans, from France, took over.  The Normans spoke French and ruled over England, parts of France and parts of Ireland.  This was also the time of the crusades, where you had to be a Christian or you were put to death.  William the Conqueror also lived during this time. He invaded England in 1066 and ruled with a network of barons which he brought with him from England and France.  William and his followers built the Tower of London, which was home to kings and rulers for 500 years.

200 years ago, England was always at war with France because the French were determined to dominate all of Europe. England was also trying to extend the English empire worldwide. As a result, England began to create colonies in India, Burma and Mayasia and lost their colonies in the USA. Their "Finest Hour", as they like to call it, began 50 years later. This was the time of the industrial revolution, the birth of the steam engine.  This made life so much easier for the English but it cost a lot of citizens their jobs.  It was also during this time that the second round of the Bubonic plague (Black Death) hit England and the Great Fire of London took place. The second round of the plague was the most serious but it was "burnt out" by the Great Fire of London in 1666. The fire killed four-fifths of England's population and left 100,000 people homeless.  To prevent another devestating fire, King Charles ordered that the houses were to be re-built with stones or bricks instead of wood.

England's history has lots of twists and turns and has involved many major wars like World War I and World War II. However, one consistent part of England's history is their love for the monarchy.  Their first monarch was King Henry II in 1154 and the monarchy has continued to survive even to our present day with Queen Elizabeth II. The monarchy is in no threat of disappearing from England with William and Kate next in line for the royal throne.

Websites Used:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/conquest/wessex_kings/birth_england_wessex_01.shtml

http://www.historyofengland.net/content/view/28/41/

http://www.historyofengland.net/content/view/27/41/

http://www.historyofengland.net/content/view/31/41/

Famous Citizens of England

England has many famous citizens that have influenced the world. Sir Isaac Newton has influenced the study of Science, Music has been influenced by popular singers like Adele and William Shakespeare has inspired authors to write for centuries!  There are so many English celebrities that I couldn't possibly blog about all of them! These are my favourite famous people from England.

I couldn't possibly blog on this topic without mentioning the Spice Girls.  The band orginanted from England and was created on January 1, 1994.  The members of the all-girl band included Geri Halliwell, Melanie Brown, Victoria Adams (now Victoria Beckham), Melanie Chisholm, and  Emma Bunton. They instantly had chart-topping singles and when "Wannabe" was released, it added more success to the already successful band. Unfortunatly, the girls disbanned fourteen years later on January 1, 2008.  The Spice Girls made amazing music and they have obviously brought "Girl Power" to England.

This person is somebody I owe all of my childhood too. She changed my view on life and made me realize it is important to always look for the good in others.  Joanne Kathleen Rowling, aka JK Rowling, is most famous for writing the Harry Potter Series.  Rowling first thought of the idea on a train ride from Manchester to London in 1990 where she had thought of some of her first chracters.  JK Rowling is the first author to become a billionare and she is one of the richest people in the world! Rowling is currently working on another book separate from Harry Potter called A Current Vacancy and her main character is Barry. Coincidence... I think not!

Although they were before my time, I think the Beatles were the best English musicians!  The band was made up of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison.  Not only was the band involved in music but art, literature, film and fashion as well.  Their songs about peace, love and help have changed the world of pop culture as we know it and "Yellow Submarine" gave us a good campfire song.  The Beatles have been recognized as "The Beatles" since 1960 but John Lennon and Paul McCartney were already playing together since 1957. George Harrison joined them in 1958. Unfortunately, the band split up on December 31, 1970.  The Beatles are undoubtedly the most successful band of all time and England is lucky to have such wonderful muscians originate from there. 

There are so many other celebrities from England like four out of the five members of One Direction and most of the cast from Harry Potter.  However, these people mentioned above are the ones who influenced different areas of my life.

 Websites Used:

 http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Spice_Girls/Biography/

http://www.biography.com/people/jk-rowling-40998

hhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm1397313/bio

England's Economy

England has one of the largest economies in the world!  England consists of a private sector and a government sector making it a mixed economy.  The popular industries in England include aerospace, arms and manufacturing software. Although the social welfare is imporatant to the English,  tourism also plays a major part of their economy since over a million tourists come to England annually.  Oil, gas and coal are also major industries of England.

The currency of England is called the pound sterling and they do not use the euro like many other European countries. However, euros are accepted in some stores in England but they are not comnmonly used.  The pound is split up into 100 pence like the dollar is split up into 100 pennies. Penny is actually the short form of pence! The pounds are split up into bills called Pound Notes except for the 1 pound and 2 pounds which are coins, like the pence. One Canadian dollar is equal to 0.64 pounds.

As of 2009, England was ranked 10th in the world for exporting goods to different countries.  England's main exports are fuels, chemicals, food, beverages and tobacco but they are especially well-known for their manufactured goods because they are a very industrilized country.  England's biggest exporting partner is the US followed by Germany and the Netherlands.

England mainly imports manufactured goods, machinery, fuels and food.   Most of their products are imported from Germany, United States and China.

Websites Used:

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/money.html

http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/england/

http://www.translatum.gr/converter/currency.htm

http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/england/export-import.html

Engalnd's Tourist Attractions

England  has many interesting tourist attractions. However, according to www.visitbritainshop.com,  the number one tourist attraction in England is the Tower of London located in London, England.  The Tower of  London was founded by William I, aka William the Conqueror, in 1066 to protect the people of  London. It was built around the River Thames and has also been used as a prison since 1100!  The Tower is the home of the crown jewels, the Traitors Gate and the ravens, which as legend has it, the birds won't leave until the tower falls down.  The Tower of London is also a famous example of art and horror.  There are many ghosts that still haunt the tower today!

Another famous attraction in England is Stonehenge. The English started creating the man-made landmark over 5000 years ago and, to make the marvellous attraction, the English dragged each rock into place!  The rocks are not the same type of rock. Bluestone, sarsen, and welsh sandstone make up the circle in Wiltshire.  Believe it or not, tourists are not allowed to walk among Stonehenge except on special occasions. Nobody knows the true reason why Stonehenge was built but it is truly one of the seven ancient wonders of the world.

One of the most famous tourist attractions in England is the White Cliffs of Dover.  These white cliffs have been welcoming sailors from their journeys for centuries.These beautiful cliffs are 351 feet tall and face France and the Strait of Dover.  They are made up of a soft, fine-grained chalk texture and flint and quartz is commonly found within the chalk siding.  The Cliffs are being eroded at least 1 cm every year and sometimes large amounts of rock crumble from the sides. In 2001, a piece of rock the size of a soccer field fell from the cliff!  Since then, tourists are advised to stay away from the sides of the cliffs.

One of the most popular landmarks in England is Buckingham Palace, the home of the British Royal family since 1837!  The palace has a garden around the perimeter that is 40 acres and inside, there is a total of 775 rooms! There are 19 state rooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms and 52 Royal and guest bedrooms! The building is 108 metres long across the front and is 24 metres high.  The palace owns some of the most priceless works of art but it is not an art gallery or a museum.  Tours are given on a regular basis and the Royal Family is sometimes present during these tours!

There are lots of exciting tourist attractions in England.  The ones I mentioned are just a few of what England has to offer. Tourists should not forget to visit the London Eye (which is a giant Ferris-wheel) Big Ben, Kings College, The Palace of Westminster, and St. Paul's Cathedral just to name a few.  Who knows, maybe one day you'll see me having afternoon tea with the Queen herself inside Buckingham Palace!

 Websites Used:

http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/culture/top-ten-attractions

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/488

http://www.topstravel.net/the-white-cliffs-of-dover/

http://www.royal.gov.uk/theroyalresidences/buckinghampalace/buckinghampalace.aspx

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/landmarks.htm

http://www.stonehenge.co.uk/

England's Climate

England has a diverse climate. The western side of the country near, the Atlantic Ocean, receives the mildest temperatures but also receives lots of precipitaion and experiences lots of wind. On the eastern side of England, the climate is cooler but also drier and less windy.  England is also very hot during the summer.  On average, the sun shines 1340 hours in England with the southern part of the country receiving the most sun because of the prevailing winds that prevent the clouds from covering the sky.  The northern, western and the mountain ranges of England receive the most cloud cover.

In the spring, the climate is cool and dry and ranges from 0-10 degrees Celsius. However, there is a significant chance that it will reach a fairly warm temperature at noon.  In the spring, snow is still possible until the middle of April. (YUCK!)

From June until August is the summer time in England.  It is during these months that the climate is at its driest but in the southern,eastern and central parts of the country, thunderstorms allow the gardens to remain perfectly watered. The summer is in fact the warmest in England in comparison to the other counties in the United Kingdom. July is also England's driest month.  In the Southeastern regions, the temperatures can reach around 30 degrees Celsius by noon while the rest of the country's temperatures range from 17-20 degrees Celsius.

During the autumn season the climate fluctuates. The different pressure systems and the cool air produce mass amounts of precipitation.  The temperature ranges from 1-13 degrees Celsius.

The winter season is wet and windy and it is normal to see snow throughout the country of England.  The temperature can be from 0 degrees to 10 degrees with very cold winds.  Since the Atlantic Ocean borders England and it has cooled down, the coastal region's climate is more stable than it is during the autumn months.

 

Websites Used:

http://www.england.org.za/englands-climate.php

England's Flag

Contrary to popular belief, England's flag is not the Union Jack.  The Union Jack is the flag for the entire country of the United Kingdom.  England's flag is actually the Cross of St. George.  This flag has a white background with a red cross in the middle.  

The Cross of St. George is the most obvious flag in many provincial and territorial coat of arms.  This flag traces back to 

 the time of the legend of St. George, making it one of the earliest emblems of England.  St. George was a patron saint in the time of the crusades in England and was one of the most famous Christian figures in England.  However, St. George was beheaded for protesting against the Roman emperor because of the persecutions against Christians.  Through his protests, he became very popular with Christians for his bravery by standing up for the defenceless Christian faith.  The red cross was then associated with St. George and became known as an emblem, not a flag, across the country during the reign of Edward I in 1274. Soldiers also wore this cross during the reign of Richard I and the banner also became a symbol for the Royal Navy.  The cross was given the honour as the national flag in the 16th century and, in 1545, the flag made it's debut at sea.

Websites used:

http://www.pch.gc.ca/special/jdn-nfd/hist/hist-eng.cfm

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb-eng.html#hist

http://www.britannia.com/history/stgeorge.html

http://englishpassport.org/2011/05/20/flag-of-england-the-cross-of-st-george/

England's Culture

England's culture is very unique. From their religion to their taste in food and choice of clothing, we can learn a lot about the English. 

England's main religion is Christianity. Christianity then branches off into six main individual religions. Their names are Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism, Methodism, Pentecostal, Eastern Orthodox Churches, like the Greek and Russian Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodoxy.  The Christianity in England started when the Romans first came to England in the 200's and 300's.  When the Romans left, the Christian culture stayed with the English and Roman Catholicism became the only religion in 664. Over the next few centuries more cathedrals and churches were built and some are still standing to this day!  The Canterbury Cathedral (see picture) ,Wells Cathedral and the Bath Abbey are some of the main cathedrals in England.

The English has some interesting customs and traditions. For example,  Queen Elizabeth II  has TWO birthdays. Yes, you read that correctly, two birthdays.  She has a formal birthday on April 21 and a public birthday on a day in June with preferable weather. Her birthday is marked by a gun is shot by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Hyde Park at 12:00.  Gun shots are customary as they show respect or welcome. Guns are also fired on February 6 for Accession Day, April 21 for the Queen's actuall birthday, June 2 for Coronation Day, June 10 for The Duke of Edinburgh's birthday, November 14 for the Prince of Wales' birthday and The State Opening of Parliament that is normally in November or December.  Another tradition in England is celebrating a holiday called May Day.  This holiday is on May 1st and is celebrated because it is the time of year that the earth starts to warm up and flowers began to blossom. It is also believed that in May,  romance is in the air once again.  During the May Day ceremony, there is dancing around a Maypole, crowning a May queen and Morris Dancing.

England's food is not very different than ours here in Canada.  The English love to eat roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, Yorkshire pudding, fish and chips, and black pudding.  Black pudding looks like a black sausage and is eaten sometimes at breakfast.  The recipe can also vary from different regions.  For example, in some places, it may be more peppery or fatty than black pudding from different regions. Yorkshire pudding is not eaten at desert like any other type of pudding.  Instead, it is eaten as a main course. Yorkshire pudding is made out of flour, eggs, milk and is like a batter in the oven.To moisten the pudding, the English tops it with lots of gravy.

England's fashion is not that different than Canada's.  As you can see in the picture on the left, lots of English people wear jeans, t-shirts, jackets, running shoes and scarfs. They also wear their formal suits for jobs,if required, and their best outfits for weddings.  They also dress accordingly to the climate. They have overcoats, rain jackets and umbrellas for rainy weather, and anoraks (winter jacket) for the cold winter months. In Bradford, you will find lots of multicoloured silk.  The English are also known for their choice in hats as you can see in the picture on the right. Popular stores for teenagers to shop at include TopShop, Miss Sixty, Kooaki, 

and Warehouse

More fun English facts are coming your way. Be sure to check out my blog for more English fun!

Websites used:

http://www.england.org.za/england-religion.php

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/english-cathedrals

http://www.projectbritain.com/royal/birthday.htm

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/mayday.htm

http://www.projectbritain.com/food/dishes.htm

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/clothes.htm

Hello fellow grade nines! For this semester I will be blogging about the country England.  England is located in the North-Western part of Europe and is 35 km off the coast of France, Belgium and the Netherlands. England is commonly referred to as the entire island of the United Kingdom but, in actuality, England is a country inside of the UK. Other countries in the UK include Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.  It is common knowledge that the citizens of these countries become quite offended when referred to as citizens of England instead of their own countries. England is divided into regions. Their names are North East, North West Yorkshire and Humbershire, West Midlands East Midlands, East Anglia, London, South West and South East. The capital city of England is London which is located in the South-Eastern part of England and as of 2005, London has a population of 7,421,328 people.  London is also home to many tourist attractions such as London Bridge, Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower of London and much more!  Some major cities of England are London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Manchestor, and York.  England is the largest country in the United Kingdom with an area of 129, 720 square kilometres. Even though England is the largest country in the UK, by comparison, the United States has an area 74 times bigger than England, Australia has an area 54 times bigger than England and Japan's area is 3 times bigger than England.  England has a population of 63,047,162 people. The population density of England 395 people per square kilometre! That's a lot of people! More facts about England are coming your way! Check my blog next week for some more fascinating facts about England.

Websites used:
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/britain/england_facts.htm
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html 
 http://wwp.united-kingdom-uk.com/england/london/
http:http://www.trueknowledge.com/q/england's_population_density_2011//
http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/culture/top-ten-attractions
http://www.epictrip.com/Cities-in-England-places-l307.html
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/geography.html
http://www.picturesofengland.com/mapofengland/regions.html