UK Culture & history
Most important definitions & dates
Defs & dates Explanation
Prehistory The British Isles and Ireland were originally part of the European
landmass; warmer conditions alternated with long Ice Ages.
850.000 BC Human footprints found on the beach at Happisburgh, Norfolk, are
the oldest discovered outside Africa.
Old Stone Age The Old Stone Age, or Paleolithic Period, is the earliest part of the Stone
Age, spanning from around 3.3 million years ago to about 11,700 years
ago. This period is characterized by the use of stone tools by early
hominins.
250.000 BC Nomadic Old Stone Age (Palaeolithic) peoples arrived.
50.000 BC Warmer climate encouraged the arrival of ancestors of modern
populations.
10.000 BC End of Ice Ages; population consisted of Middle Stone Age
(Mesolithic) hunters and fishers.
5.000 BC Today's British islands gradually separated from continental Europe.
3.000 BC New Stone Age (Neolithic) peoples populated the western parts of
the islands; farming introduced; stone and earth monuments built.
Amesbury The first supposed oldest town (8820 BC) of Great Britain, with
Stonehenge.
Skara Brae The actual oldest town of Great Britain, which is a stone-built
Neolithic settlement in Scotland. It has been preserved remarkably
well.
Prydain Prydain is the medieval Welsh term for the island of Britain.
1.800 BC Bronze Age settlers (Beaker Folk) in south-east and eastern
England; traded in gold, copper, and tin.
600 BC Settlement of Celts (Iron Age) from western and central Europe
began.
200 BC Invasions by Belgic (allegedly Celtic) tribes; mainly in eastern
England.
Roman Conquest From 43-140AD the Romans invaded & settled in GB, under the
lead of Emperor Claudius (who wanted the terrain & the minerals).
This caused evolution in infrastructure, and a lot of Latin influence
in the British culture. The conquered territory became the Roman
province of Britannia.
Boudicca The Queen of the Iceni Tribe that led an uprising against the
Romans in 60 AD. She is an icon of resistance against oppression,
although her revolt was unsuccessful.
Impact of Roman - Roman & local cultures blended
rule - Christianity spread
,122-38 Hadrian’s Wall built between Scotland and England.
400 Celtic/Gaelic groups from Ireland colonized western Scotland.
Anglo-Saxon The Roman army withdrew from Britain; wars between the Celts.
invasions The Angles, Saxons & Jutes from NW Europe came to invade Britain
in 409 AD. This caused the Germanic language of Old English to
develop.
430 Existing Celtic Christianity in Ireland spread by St Patrick (from 432)
and other Irish missionaries to Scotland, Wales, and northern
England.
500-820 Seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (Heptarchy) evolved, which later
became England; mainly Celtic peoples populated Wales, Ireland,
Scotland, and Cornwall
597 St Augustine preached Christianity (Roman Catholic Church model)
to Anglo-Saxons of southern England; creation of ecclesiastical
capital in Canterbury, Kent.
Viking invasions From 8-11C, Vikings from Scandinavia began raiding coastal areas &
settled there, causing intermarriages & cultural influence. Kings like
Alfred the Great resisted Vikings & defeated them in 787 (+unified
a lot of England).
832-60 Union of most Scots and Picts in Scotland under Kenneth MacAlpin
to form the eventual kingdom of Scotland.
878 Alfred the Great defeats the Vikings and they get confined to
Danelaw.
954-9 Anglo-Saxon kingdoms consolidated into the Kingdom of England;
recovery of the Danelaw.
1018 Scotland came under English rule.
EARLY
MIDDLE
AGES
1066 The Norman Conquest was the 11th-century invasion and conquest
of England by the Normans, primarily led by William the
Conqueror, Duke of Normandy.
It began in 1066 with the Battle of Hastings and resulted in
profound political, administrative, and social changes in England,
effectively ending Anglo-Saxon England.
1086 Domesday Book (tax and land records) compiled for England by
Normans.
1169 Henry II invaded and controlled the east coast of Ireland.
Civil War of 12C/The The Anarchy was a civil war in England and Normandy between
Anarchy 1138 and 1153, which resulted in a widespread breakdown in law
and order. The conflict was a war of succession precipitated by the
accidental death of William Adelin.
,Treaty of Wallingford The Treaty of Wallingford was an agreement reached in England in
the summer of 1153. It effectively ended a civil war known as the
Anarchy.
1215 In 1215, rebel English barons forced King John to sign the Magna
Carta/Great Charter, a document that limited his power and
protected their rights. This landmark agreement, originally a peace
treaty, became a foundational document for the rule of law and
individual liberties in England and beyond.
1265 Simon de Montfort organized a short-lived English proto-
parliament.
1295 Model Parliament (first regular English Parliament) created by
Edward I.
1314 Scottish victory at the Battle of Bannockburn regained Scottish
independence.
LATE MIDDLE
AGES
Hundred Years’ War The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) was a conflict between the
kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It
emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy of Aquitaine and was
triggered by a claim to the French throne made by Edward III of
England.
1362 English replaced French as the official language
+-1390 Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales.
Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses, known at the time and in following
centuries as the Civil Wars, were a series of armed confrontations,
machinations, battles and campaigns fought over control of the
English throne from 1455 to 1487.
The conflict was fought between supporters of the House of
Lancaster and House of York, two rival cadet branches of the royal
House of Plantagenet. The conflict resulted in the end of
Lancaster's male line in 1471, leaving the Tudor family to inherit
their claim to the throne through the female line.
Conflict was largely brought to an end upon the union of the two
houses through marriage, creating the Tudor dynasty that would
subsequently rule England.
First Battle of St First major battle of the Wars of the Roses in 1455. Resulted in a
Albans win for York and the capture of Henry VI.
1477 First book printed in England, by William Caxton.
Battle of Bosworth Second and last major battle of the Wars of the Roses in 1485.
Field Resulted in Henry VII defeating Richard III, effectively ending the
war and beginning the Tudor dynasty.
Tudor period The Tudor period is the period between 1485 and 1603. This was
, when the Tudors were the ruling family in England. 2. The first
Tudor monarch was King Henry VII who claimed the throne when
his forces defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in
1485.
1509 Accession of Henry VIII.
English Reformation The English Reformation took place in 16th-century England when
the Church of England broke away first from the authority of the
Pope and bishops over the King and then from some doctrines and
practices of the Catholic Church. These events were part of the
wider European Reformation: various religious and political
movements that affected both the practice of Christianity in
Western and Central Europe and relations between church and
state.
The English Reformation began as more of a political affair than a
theological dispute. In 1527, Henry VIII requested an annulment of
his marriage, but Pope Clement VII refused. In response, the
Reformation Parliament (1529–1536) passed laws abolishing papal
authority in England and declared Henry to be head of the Church
of England. Final authority in doctrinal disputes now rested with
the monarch. Though a religious traditionalist himself, Henry relied
on Protestants to support and implement his religious agenda.
Laws in Wales Acts The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 or the Acts of Union, were
acts of the Parliament of England under King Henry VIII of England,
causing Wales to be incorporated into the realm of the Kingdom of
England.
1553-58 Catholic reaction under ‘Bloody’ Mary I. Roman Catholicism
restored.
1558 Elizabeth I, start of the Elizabethan Era. Protestantism reconfirmed.
Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603)[b] was Queen of
England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in
1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House
of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history and culture,
gave name to the Elizabethan era.
Elizabeth was the only surviving child of Henry VIII and his second
wife, Anne Boleyn. When Elizabeth was two years old, her parents'
marriage was annulled, her mother was executed, and Elizabeth
was declared illegitimate. Henry restored her to the line of
succession when she was 10. After Henry's death in 1547,
Elizabeth's younger half-brother Edward VI ruled until his own
death in 1553, bequeathing the crown to a Protestant cousin, Lady
Jane Grey, and ignoring the claims of his two half-sisters, the
Catholic Mary and the younger Elizabeth, despite statutes to the
contrary. Edward's will was quickly set aside and Mary became
queen, deposing Jane. During Mary's reign, Elizabeth was
Most important definitions & dates
Defs & dates Explanation
Prehistory The British Isles and Ireland were originally part of the European
landmass; warmer conditions alternated with long Ice Ages.
850.000 BC Human footprints found on the beach at Happisburgh, Norfolk, are
the oldest discovered outside Africa.
Old Stone Age The Old Stone Age, or Paleolithic Period, is the earliest part of the Stone
Age, spanning from around 3.3 million years ago to about 11,700 years
ago. This period is characterized by the use of stone tools by early
hominins.
250.000 BC Nomadic Old Stone Age (Palaeolithic) peoples arrived.
50.000 BC Warmer climate encouraged the arrival of ancestors of modern
populations.
10.000 BC End of Ice Ages; population consisted of Middle Stone Age
(Mesolithic) hunters and fishers.
5.000 BC Today's British islands gradually separated from continental Europe.
3.000 BC New Stone Age (Neolithic) peoples populated the western parts of
the islands; farming introduced; stone and earth monuments built.
Amesbury The first supposed oldest town (8820 BC) of Great Britain, with
Stonehenge.
Skara Brae The actual oldest town of Great Britain, which is a stone-built
Neolithic settlement in Scotland. It has been preserved remarkably
well.
Prydain Prydain is the medieval Welsh term for the island of Britain.
1.800 BC Bronze Age settlers (Beaker Folk) in south-east and eastern
England; traded in gold, copper, and tin.
600 BC Settlement of Celts (Iron Age) from western and central Europe
began.
200 BC Invasions by Belgic (allegedly Celtic) tribes; mainly in eastern
England.
Roman Conquest From 43-140AD the Romans invaded & settled in GB, under the
lead of Emperor Claudius (who wanted the terrain & the minerals).
This caused evolution in infrastructure, and a lot of Latin influence
in the British culture. The conquered territory became the Roman
province of Britannia.
Boudicca The Queen of the Iceni Tribe that led an uprising against the
Romans in 60 AD. She is an icon of resistance against oppression,
although her revolt was unsuccessful.
Impact of Roman - Roman & local cultures blended
rule - Christianity spread
,122-38 Hadrian’s Wall built between Scotland and England.
400 Celtic/Gaelic groups from Ireland colonized western Scotland.
Anglo-Saxon The Roman army withdrew from Britain; wars between the Celts.
invasions The Angles, Saxons & Jutes from NW Europe came to invade Britain
in 409 AD. This caused the Germanic language of Old English to
develop.
430 Existing Celtic Christianity in Ireland spread by St Patrick (from 432)
and other Irish missionaries to Scotland, Wales, and northern
England.
500-820 Seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (Heptarchy) evolved, which later
became England; mainly Celtic peoples populated Wales, Ireland,
Scotland, and Cornwall
597 St Augustine preached Christianity (Roman Catholic Church model)
to Anglo-Saxons of southern England; creation of ecclesiastical
capital in Canterbury, Kent.
Viking invasions From 8-11C, Vikings from Scandinavia began raiding coastal areas &
settled there, causing intermarriages & cultural influence. Kings like
Alfred the Great resisted Vikings & defeated them in 787 (+unified
a lot of England).
832-60 Union of most Scots and Picts in Scotland under Kenneth MacAlpin
to form the eventual kingdom of Scotland.
878 Alfred the Great defeats the Vikings and they get confined to
Danelaw.
954-9 Anglo-Saxon kingdoms consolidated into the Kingdom of England;
recovery of the Danelaw.
1018 Scotland came under English rule.
EARLY
MIDDLE
AGES
1066 The Norman Conquest was the 11th-century invasion and conquest
of England by the Normans, primarily led by William the
Conqueror, Duke of Normandy.
It began in 1066 with the Battle of Hastings and resulted in
profound political, administrative, and social changes in England,
effectively ending Anglo-Saxon England.
1086 Domesday Book (tax and land records) compiled for England by
Normans.
1169 Henry II invaded and controlled the east coast of Ireland.
Civil War of 12C/The The Anarchy was a civil war in England and Normandy between
Anarchy 1138 and 1153, which resulted in a widespread breakdown in law
and order. The conflict was a war of succession precipitated by the
accidental death of William Adelin.
,Treaty of Wallingford The Treaty of Wallingford was an agreement reached in England in
the summer of 1153. It effectively ended a civil war known as the
Anarchy.
1215 In 1215, rebel English barons forced King John to sign the Magna
Carta/Great Charter, a document that limited his power and
protected their rights. This landmark agreement, originally a peace
treaty, became a foundational document for the rule of law and
individual liberties in England and beyond.
1265 Simon de Montfort organized a short-lived English proto-
parliament.
1295 Model Parliament (first regular English Parliament) created by
Edward I.
1314 Scottish victory at the Battle of Bannockburn regained Scottish
independence.
LATE MIDDLE
AGES
Hundred Years’ War The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) was a conflict between the
kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It
emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy of Aquitaine and was
triggered by a claim to the French throne made by Edward III of
England.
1362 English replaced French as the official language
+-1390 Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales.
Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses, known at the time and in following
centuries as the Civil Wars, were a series of armed confrontations,
machinations, battles and campaigns fought over control of the
English throne from 1455 to 1487.
The conflict was fought between supporters of the House of
Lancaster and House of York, two rival cadet branches of the royal
House of Plantagenet. The conflict resulted in the end of
Lancaster's male line in 1471, leaving the Tudor family to inherit
their claim to the throne through the female line.
Conflict was largely brought to an end upon the union of the two
houses through marriage, creating the Tudor dynasty that would
subsequently rule England.
First Battle of St First major battle of the Wars of the Roses in 1455. Resulted in a
Albans win for York and the capture of Henry VI.
1477 First book printed in England, by William Caxton.
Battle of Bosworth Second and last major battle of the Wars of the Roses in 1485.
Field Resulted in Henry VII defeating Richard III, effectively ending the
war and beginning the Tudor dynasty.
Tudor period The Tudor period is the period between 1485 and 1603. This was
, when the Tudors were the ruling family in England. 2. The first
Tudor monarch was King Henry VII who claimed the throne when
his forces defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in
1485.
1509 Accession of Henry VIII.
English Reformation The English Reformation took place in 16th-century England when
the Church of England broke away first from the authority of the
Pope and bishops over the King and then from some doctrines and
practices of the Catholic Church. These events were part of the
wider European Reformation: various religious and political
movements that affected both the practice of Christianity in
Western and Central Europe and relations between church and
state.
The English Reformation began as more of a political affair than a
theological dispute. In 1527, Henry VIII requested an annulment of
his marriage, but Pope Clement VII refused. In response, the
Reformation Parliament (1529–1536) passed laws abolishing papal
authority in England and declared Henry to be head of the Church
of England. Final authority in doctrinal disputes now rested with
the monarch. Though a religious traditionalist himself, Henry relied
on Protestants to support and implement his religious agenda.
Laws in Wales Acts The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 or the Acts of Union, were
acts of the Parliament of England under King Henry VIII of England,
causing Wales to be incorporated into the realm of the Kingdom of
England.
1553-58 Catholic reaction under ‘Bloody’ Mary I. Roman Catholicism
restored.
1558 Elizabeth I, start of the Elizabethan Era. Protestantism reconfirmed.
Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603)[b] was Queen of
England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in
1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House
of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history and culture,
gave name to the Elizabethan era.
Elizabeth was the only surviving child of Henry VIII and his second
wife, Anne Boleyn. When Elizabeth was two years old, her parents'
marriage was annulled, her mother was executed, and Elizabeth
was declared illegitimate. Henry restored her to the line of
succession when she was 10. After Henry's death in 1547,
Elizabeth's younger half-brother Edward VI ruled until his own
death in 1553, bequeathing the crown to a Protestant cousin, Lady
Jane Grey, and ignoring the claims of his two half-sisters, the
Catholic Mary and the younger Elizabeth, despite statutes to the
contrary. Edward's will was quickly set aside and Mary became
queen, deposing Jane. During Mary's reign, Elizabeth was
