Lucas Delmeiren
ELC UK
Table of contents
1. Geography..........................................................................................................................................5
1.1. Geography...................................................................................................................................5
1.1.1. Flag and geography...............................................................................................................5
1.1.2. Capital cities..........................................................................................................................5
1.1.3. Ten biggest cities...................................................................................................................6
1.2. Great Britain................................................................................................................................6
1.2.1. United Kingdom vs Great Britain...........................................................................................6
2. Demographics.....................................................................................................................................6
2.1. Population....................................................................................................................................6
2.1.1. Population.............................................................................................................................6
2.1.2. Population density................................................................................................................7
2.1.3. Ethnicity and migration.........................................................................................................7
2.1.4. Religion.................................................................................................................................7
2.2. Language......................................................................................................................................7
2.2.1. Language...............................................................................................................................7
2.2.2. Accents.................................................................................................................................8
2.3. North-South divide......................................................................................................................8
2.3.1. What is the North-South divide............................................................................................8
2.3.2. Historical reasons for the divide...........................................................................................8
2.4. Social classes..............................................................................................................................10
2.4.1. Gap between rich and poor................................................................................................10
3. History..............................................................................................................................................10
3.1. Britons and invaders (up to 1066)..............................................................................................10
3.1.1. Dinosaurs to first invasion...................................................................................................11
3.1.2. Roman occupation..............................................................................................................11
3.1.3. Arrival of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes..............................................................................11
3.1.4. Anglo-Saxon consolidation (6th-8th centuries)......................................................................11
3.1.5. Beowulf (8th – 11th centuries)..............................................................................................12
3.1.6. Birth of ‘England’................................................................................................................12
3.1.7. The coming of the Vikings (9th centuries)............................................................................12
3.2. Medieval Britain (1066 – 1485)..................................................................................................12
3.2.1. The feudal system...............................................................................................................12
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,Lucas Delmeiren
3.2.2. William the Conqueror (1028 – 1087).................................................................................13
3.2.3. From William’s legacy to the 14th century...........................................................................13
3.2.4. William’s successors............................................................................................................13
3.2.5. The Hundred Year’s War (1337 – 1453)..............................................................................14
3.2.6. The War of Roses (1455 – 1487).........................................................................................14
3.2.7. Literature in the 14th century..............................................................................................15
3.2.8. Richard III............................................................................................................................15
3.3. Tudors and Stuarts (1485 – 1688)..............................................................................................15
3.3.1. Henry VII (1475 – 1509)......................................................................................................15
3.3.2. Henry VIII............................................................................................................................16
3.3.3. Mary I (1553 – 1558)...........................................................................................................16
3.3.4. 1st part of Elizabeth’s reign: unstable..................................................................................17
3.3.5. 2nd part of Elizabeth’s reign: the Golden Age.......................................................................17
3.3.6. James I (1603 – 1642).........................................................................................................17
3.3.7. Oliver Cromwell..................................................................................................................17
3.3.8. Charles II (1660 – 1685) and James II (1685 – 1688)...........................................................18
3.3.9. Colonial expansion in the 17th century................................................................................18
3.4. Rise of Power (1688 – 1815)......................................................................................................18
3.4.1. Politics in the 18th century...................................................................................................18
3.4.2. British expansion.................................................................................................................19
3.4.3. Industrial revolution............................................................................................................19
3.4.4. The Napoleonic Wars..........................................................................................................20
3.5. Industry and Empire (1815 – 1914)............................................................................................20
3.5.1. Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901).............................................................................................20
3.5.2. The Industrial Age...............................................................................................................21
3.5.3. Working conditions in the Industrial Age............................................................................21
3.5.4. Electoral reform in the 19th century....................................................................................21
3.5.5. The Irish famine (1845 – 1850)...........................................................................................21
3.5.6. The British empire in the 19th century.................................................................................22
3.5.7. The Edwardian Age.............................................................................................................22
3.5.8. The road to WWI.................................................................................................................22
3.6. Modern Times (1914 – now)......................................................................................................23
3.6.1. The Great War (1914 – 1918)..............................................................................................23
3.6.2. The Battle of the Somme....................................................................................................24
3.6.3. Armistice.............................................................................................................................24
3.6.4. Legacy of WWI....................................................................................................................24
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3.6.5. The 20s and 30s in the UK...................................................................................................24
3.6.6. The road to WWII................................................................................................................25
3.6.7. Britain fights alone (1939 – 1941).......................................................................................25
3.6.8. Towards an allied victory (1943 – 1945)..............................................................................25
3.6.9. The post-war years (1945 – 1954).......................................................................................26
3.6.10. Britain in late 50s..............................................................................................................26
3.6.11. 60s, 70s and 80s................................................................................................................26
3.6.12. Margaret Thatcher (Conservative PM 1979 – 1990).........................................................27
3.6.13. Tony Blair..........................................................................................................................27
3.6.14. David Cameron.................................................................................................................27
3.6.15. Brexit.................................................................................................................................28
3.6.16. Death of Queen Elizabeth II..............................................................................................28
4. Political institutions..........................................................................................................................28
4.1. The basics..................................................................................................................................28
4.1.1. Distribution of power..........................................................................................................28
4.1.2. Constitution........................................................................................................................29
4.2. Parliament.................................................................................................................................29
4.2.1. Two Houses of Parliament..................................................................................................29
4.2.2. House of Commons.............................................................................................................29
4.2.3. House of Lords....................................................................................................................30
4.2.4. Parliamentary procedures...................................................................................................31
4.2.5. The Speaker........................................................................................................................31
4.2.6. Voting on Laws....................................................................................................................31
4.2.7. Devolution to Scotland, Wales & Northern-Ireland............................................................31
4.3. Three largest political parties in Britain (2022)..........................................................................32
4.3.1. Conservative party..............................................................................................................32
4.3.2. Labour party.......................................................................................................................32
4.3.3. Scottish National Party........................................................................................................33
4.3.4. Other political parties.........................................................................................................33
4.4. Government...............................................................................................................................33
4.4.1. The basics...........................................................................................................................33
4.4.2. Departments and their heads.............................................................................................33
4.4.3. Civil service.........................................................................................................................34
5. UK Education....................................................................................................................................34
5.1. Education...................................................................................................................................34
5.1.1. General information............................................................................................................34
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5.2. Secondary education.................................................................................................................34
5.2.1. General information............................................................................................................34
5.2.2. Private Schools....................................................................................................................35
5.3. Further education......................................................................................................................35
5.3.1. Further education...............................................................................................................35
5.4. Higher education.......................................................................................................................35
5.4.1. University............................................................................................................................35
5.4.2. Admission to universities....................................................................................................35
5.4.3. Tuition fees for UK students................................................................................................36
5.4.4. Distinctive features of British university life........................................................................36
5.4.5. Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge)......................................................................................36
5.4.6. Some typical UK university vocabulary...............................................................................36
5.5. Differences between UK and Belgium education.......................................................................37
5.5.1. Biggest differences..............................................................................................................37
6. UK Media..........................................................................................................................................37
6.1. The press....................................................................................................................................37
6.1.1. General facts.......................................................................................................................37
6.1.2. The Times............................................................................................................................37
6.1.3. The Guardian......................................................................................................................37
6.1.4. The Daily Telegraph.............................................................................................................38
6.2. Tabloids......................................................................................................................................38
6.2.1. What are tabloids?..............................................................................................................38
6.2.2. The Sun...............................................................................................................................38
6.2.3. Daily Mirror.........................................................................................................................38
6.2.4. Daily Mail............................................................................................................................38
6.3. BBC............................................................................................................................................39
6.3.1. What is the BBC?................................................................................................................39
6.3.2. BBC radio stations (national + local)....................................................................................39
6.3.3. BBC channels......................................................................................................................39
6.3.4. Other channels....................................................................................................................40
6.3.5. British comedy....................................................................................................................40
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ELC UK
Table of contents
1. Geography..........................................................................................................................................5
1.1. Geography...................................................................................................................................5
1.1.1. Flag and geography...............................................................................................................5
1.1.2. Capital cities..........................................................................................................................5
1.1.3. Ten biggest cities...................................................................................................................6
1.2. Great Britain................................................................................................................................6
1.2.1. United Kingdom vs Great Britain...........................................................................................6
2. Demographics.....................................................................................................................................6
2.1. Population....................................................................................................................................6
2.1.1. Population.............................................................................................................................6
2.1.2. Population density................................................................................................................7
2.1.3. Ethnicity and migration.........................................................................................................7
2.1.4. Religion.................................................................................................................................7
2.2. Language......................................................................................................................................7
2.2.1. Language...............................................................................................................................7
2.2.2. Accents.................................................................................................................................8
2.3. North-South divide......................................................................................................................8
2.3.1. What is the North-South divide............................................................................................8
2.3.2. Historical reasons for the divide...........................................................................................8
2.4. Social classes..............................................................................................................................10
2.4.1. Gap between rich and poor................................................................................................10
3. History..............................................................................................................................................10
3.1. Britons and invaders (up to 1066)..............................................................................................10
3.1.1. Dinosaurs to first invasion...................................................................................................11
3.1.2. Roman occupation..............................................................................................................11
3.1.3. Arrival of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes..............................................................................11
3.1.4. Anglo-Saxon consolidation (6th-8th centuries)......................................................................11
3.1.5. Beowulf (8th – 11th centuries)..............................................................................................12
3.1.6. Birth of ‘England’................................................................................................................12
3.1.7. The coming of the Vikings (9th centuries)............................................................................12
3.2. Medieval Britain (1066 – 1485)..................................................................................................12
3.2.1. The feudal system...............................................................................................................12
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,Lucas Delmeiren
3.2.2. William the Conqueror (1028 – 1087).................................................................................13
3.2.3. From William’s legacy to the 14th century...........................................................................13
3.2.4. William’s successors............................................................................................................13
3.2.5. The Hundred Year’s War (1337 – 1453)..............................................................................14
3.2.6. The War of Roses (1455 – 1487).........................................................................................14
3.2.7. Literature in the 14th century..............................................................................................15
3.2.8. Richard III............................................................................................................................15
3.3. Tudors and Stuarts (1485 – 1688)..............................................................................................15
3.3.1. Henry VII (1475 – 1509)......................................................................................................15
3.3.2. Henry VIII............................................................................................................................16
3.3.3. Mary I (1553 – 1558)...........................................................................................................16
3.3.4. 1st part of Elizabeth’s reign: unstable..................................................................................17
3.3.5. 2nd part of Elizabeth’s reign: the Golden Age.......................................................................17
3.3.6. James I (1603 – 1642).........................................................................................................17
3.3.7. Oliver Cromwell..................................................................................................................17
3.3.8. Charles II (1660 – 1685) and James II (1685 – 1688)...........................................................18
3.3.9. Colonial expansion in the 17th century................................................................................18
3.4. Rise of Power (1688 – 1815)......................................................................................................18
3.4.1. Politics in the 18th century...................................................................................................18
3.4.2. British expansion.................................................................................................................19
3.4.3. Industrial revolution............................................................................................................19
3.4.4. The Napoleonic Wars..........................................................................................................20
3.5. Industry and Empire (1815 – 1914)............................................................................................20
3.5.1. Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901).............................................................................................20
3.5.2. The Industrial Age...............................................................................................................21
3.5.3. Working conditions in the Industrial Age............................................................................21
3.5.4. Electoral reform in the 19th century....................................................................................21
3.5.5. The Irish famine (1845 – 1850)...........................................................................................21
3.5.6. The British empire in the 19th century.................................................................................22
3.5.7. The Edwardian Age.............................................................................................................22
3.5.8. The road to WWI.................................................................................................................22
3.6. Modern Times (1914 – now)......................................................................................................23
3.6.1. The Great War (1914 – 1918)..............................................................................................23
3.6.2. The Battle of the Somme....................................................................................................24
3.6.3. Armistice.............................................................................................................................24
3.6.4. Legacy of WWI....................................................................................................................24
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,Lucas Delmeiren
3.6.5. The 20s and 30s in the UK...................................................................................................24
3.6.6. The road to WWII................................................................................................................25
3.6.7. Britain fights alone (1939 – 1941).......................................................................................25
3.6.8. Towards an allied victory (1943 – 1945)..............................................................................25
3.6.9. The post-war years (1945 – 1954).......................................................................................26
3.6.10. Britain in late 50s..............................................................................................................26
3.6.11. 60s, 70s and 80s................................................................................................................26
3.6.12. Margaret Thatcher (Conservative PM 1979 – 1990).........................................................27
3.6.13. Tony Blair..........................................................................................................................27
3.6.14. David Cameron.................................................................................................................27
3.6.15. Brexit.................................................................................................................................28
3.6.16. Death of Queen Elizabeth II..............................................................................................28
4. Political institutions..........................................................................................................................28
4.1. The basics..................................................................................................................................28
4.1.1. Distribution of power..........................................................................................................28
4.1.2. Constitution........................................................................................................................29
4.2. Parliament.................................................................................................................................29
4.2.1. Two Houses of Parliament..................................................................................................29
4.2.2. House of Commons.............................................................................................................29
4.2.3. House of Lords....................................................................................................................30
4.2.4. Parliamentary procedures...................................................................................................31
4.2.5. The Speaker........................................................................................................................31
4.2.6. Voting on Laws....................................................................................................................31
4.2.7. Devolution to Scotland, Wales & Northern-Ireland............................................................31
4.3. Three largest political parties in Britain (2022)..........................................................................32
4.3.1. Conservative party..............................................................................................................32
4.3.2. Labour party.......................................................................................................................32
4.3.3. Scottish National Party........................................................................................................33
4.3.4. Other political parties.........................................................................................................33
4.4. Government...............................................................................................................................33
4.4.1. The basics...........................................................................................................................33
4.4.2. Departments and their heads.............................................................................................33
4.4.3. Civil service.........................................................................................................................34
5. UK Education....................................................................................................................................34
5.1. Education...................................................................................................................................34
5.1.1. General information............................................................................................................34
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, Lucas Delmeiren
5.2. Secondary education.................................................................................................................34
5.2.1. General information............................................................................................................34
5.2.2. Private Schools....................................................................................................................35
5.3. Further education......................................................................................................................35
5.3.1. Further education...............................................................................................................35
5.4. Higher education.......................................................................................................................35
5.4.1. University............................................................................................................................35
5.4.2. Admission to universities....................................................................................................35
5.4.3. Tuition fees for UK students................................................................................................36
5.4.4. Distinctive features of British university life........................................................................36
5.4.5. Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge)......................................................................................36
5.4.6. Some typical UK university vocabulary...............................................................................36
5.5. Differences between UK and Belgium education.......................................................................37
5.5.1. Biggest differences..............................................................................................................37
6. UK Media..........................................................................................................................................37
6.1. The press....................................................................................................................................37
6.1.1. General facts.......................................................................................................................37
6.1.2. The Times............................................................................................................................37
6.1.3. The Guardian......................................................................................................................37
6.1.4. The Daily Telegraph.............................................................................................................38
6.2. Tabloids......................................................................................................................................38
6.2.1. What are tabloids?..............................................................................................................38
6.2.2. The Sun...............................................................................................................................38
6.2.3. Daily Mirror.........................................................................................................................38
6.2.4. Daily Mail............................................................................................................................38
6.3. BBC............................................................................................................................................39
6.3.1. What is the BBC?................................................................................................................39
6.3.2. BBC radio stations (national + local)....................................................................................39
6.3.3. BBC channels......................................................................................................................39
6.3.4. Other channels....................................................................................................................40
6.3.5. British comedy....................................................................................................................40
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