（完整版）英语国家概况重要知识点

What are the differences between Britain and the British Isles, Great Britain, England, the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth?

~The British Isles, Great Britain and England are geographical names, not the official names of the country, while the official name is the United Kingdom, but the full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The British Commonwealth is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain.

Describe the geographical position of Britain.

~Britain is an island country. It lies in the north Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of Europe. It is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel in the south and the North Sea in the east.

Whereabouts in Great Britain are mostly highland and lowland?

~The north and west of Britain are mainly highland, while the east and southeast are mostly lowlands.

Does Britain have a favourable climate? Why?

Yes, it bas a favourable climate. Because it has a maritime type of climate— winter is mild, not too cold, and summer is cool, not too hot. It has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. It has a small range of temperature, too.

What are the factors which influence the climate in Britain? Which part of Britain has the most rainfall and which part is the driest?

~The factors which influence the climate in Britain are the following three: (1) The surrounding waters balance the seasonal differences by heating up the land in winter and cooling it off in summer; (2) The prevailing southwest winds bring warm and wet air in winter and keep the temperatures moderate; (3) The North Atlantic Drift, a warm current, passes the western coast of the British Isles and warms them.

The northwestern part has the most rainfall, while the southeastern corner is the driest.

Describe the distribution of Britain’s population.

~Britain has a population of about 57 million. It is densely populated, with an average of 237 people per square kilometer. It is also very unevenly distributed, with 90% of the population in urban areas, 10% in rural areas. Geographically, most British people live in England. Of the total of 57 million people, 47 million live in England, 14million live in London and southeastern England.

What are the three natural zones in Scotland?

~The three natural zones in Scotland are: the Highlands in the north, the central Lowlands and the southern uplands.

What is the difference between the ancestors of the English and Scots, Welsh and Irish?

~The ancestors of the English are Anglo-Saxons, while the Scots, Welsh and Irish are Celts.

What are the differences in character and wpeech between southern England and northern England? How do the Welsh keep their language and culture alive?

~The English have many differences in regional speech. The chief division is between southern England and northern England. Generally speaking southerners speak the type of English closer to BBC English. They do not have a special accent except the Cockneys from the East End of London. However, the northerner speak broader English than southerners, and often leave out the article “the” and the possessive adjectives “my”, “your”, “their”, etc.

The Welsh are emotional and cheerful people, They are music lovers and are proud of their past. Throughout the year thy hold competitions in Welsh poetry, music, singing and art, and in this way they keep the Welsh Language and Welsh culture alive.

What is the main problem in Northern Ireland?

~Hundreds of years ago Scots and English Protestants were sent to live in Northern Ireland. Since then there has been bitter fighting between the Protestants and the Roman Catholics. The former are the dominant group, while the latter are seeking more social, political and economic opportunities. The British Government and Government of Ireland are now working together to bring peace to Northern Ireland.

What do you know about the Roman invasion of Britain?

~In 55BC and 54BC, Julius Caesar, a Roman general, invaded Britain twice. In AD 43, the Emperor Claudius invaded Britain successfully. For nearly 400 years Britain was under the Roman occupation, though it was never a total occupation. British recorded history begins with the Roman invasion.

Why was the Roman influence on Britain so limited?

~Britain was under the Roman occupation for nearly 400 years. The Roman built many towns, roads, temples and buildings. They also brought the new religion, Christianity to Britain. However， although Britain became part of the Roman Empire, Roman influence upon Britons was very limited. The Roman treated the Britons as a subject people of slave class. They never intermarried. The Romans had no influence on the language or culture of ordinary Britons.

Who were the Anglo-Saxons and how did the heptarchy come into being?

~The Anglo-Saxons referred to the three Teutonic tribes who invaded Britain in the mid-5th century. They were Jutes, Saxons and Angles.

In the 7th century, the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain and three tribes settled in different parts of Britain which was divided in many small kingdoms. Among them, there were seven principal kingdoms of Kent, Essex, Sussex, Wessex, East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria have been given the name of Heptachy.

How were the early Anglo-saxons converted to Christianity?

~The Anglo-Saxons brought their own Teutonic religion to Britain when they invaded Britain, and Christianity was only a fringe belief. So, in 579, Pope Gregory I sent St Augustine to England to convert the heathen English to Christianity. Augustine was very successful in converting the king and the nobility, and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. But the conversion of the common people was largely due to the missionary activities of the monks in the north. Many small monasteries sprang up throughout the country.

What contributions did the early Anglo-Saxons make to the English state?

~Though the Anglo-Saxons were brutal people, they laid the foundations of the English state. Firstly, the modern names of “England” and “English” derived from the Angles. Secondly, they divided the country into shires, with shire courts and shire reeves, or sheriffs, responsible for administering law. Thirdly, they devised the narrow-strip, three-field farming system which continued to the 18th century. Fourthly, they also established the manorial system, whereby the lord of the manor collected taxes and organized the local army. Finally, they created the Witan to advise the king, the basis of the Privy Council which still exists today.

Who were Vikings and how did thry invade Britain?

~The Vikings were the Norwegians and the Danes from Denmark. They attacked various partsof England from the end of the 8th century. They became a serious problem in the 9th century, especially between 835 and 878. they even managed to capture York, an important center of Christianity in867. they gained control of the north and east of England(“the Danelaw”).

What do you know about King Alfred? What makes him worthy of the title of “Alfred the Great”?

~Alfred was the king of Wessex. He defeated the Danes who attacked England and reached an agreement with them in 879. The Danes gained control of the north and east, while Alfred ruled the rest. He also converted some leading Danes into Christians.

Alfred is known as “the father of the British navy” as he founded a strong fleet to beat the Danes at sea, to protect the coasts and to encourage trade. He reorganized the Saxon army to make it more efficient. He even translated Bede’s “Ecclesiastical History of the English People” from Latin to English. He also established schools and formulated a legal system. All this made him worthy of his title “Alfred the Great”.

Why did the William the Conqueror invade England after Edward’s death?

~It was said that King Edward had promised the English throne to William but the Witan chose Harold as king. So William led his army to invade England. In October 1066, during the important battle of Hastings, William defeated Harold and killed him. On Christmas Day, William was crowned king of England, thus beginning the Norman Conquest of England.

What were the consequences of the Norman Conquest?

~The Norman Conquest of 1066 is one of the best known events in English history. It brought about many consequences.

William confiscated almost all the land and gave it to his Norman followers. He replaced the weak Saxon rule with a strong Norman government. So the feudal system was completely established in England. Relations with the Continent were opened, and civilization and commerce were extended. Norman-French culture, language, manners, and architecture were been introduced. The church was brought into closer connection with Rome, and the church courts were separated from the civil courts.

Why do we say that the English nation is a mixture of nationalities of different origins?

~The population of Britain is made up of the English, the Scottish, the Welsh, the Irish, the Northern Irish and other peoples. The formation is complicated because England was invaded by different races at various times from Europe.

Besides the early settlers, the Iberians and the Celts, including Gaels and Britons, Roman occupied Britain for nearly 400 years after 55BC. Then the invasions of Anglo-Saxons helped to form English race and language and laid the foundation of the English state. After that, were the invasions of the Vikings and Danes. Finally, in 1066, William of Normandy invaded England and began the age of the Norman Conquest which resulted in great French influence.

Therefore, many different peoples of different origins are living in Britain. That’s the reason why we say English nation is a mixture of nationalities of different origins.

What was feudalism like in England under the rule of William the Conqueror？

~Under the rule of William, the Conqueror, the feudal system in England was completely established. According to this system, the king owned all the land personally. William gave his barons large estates in return for military services and a proportion of the land’s produce. These estates were scattered all over the country so that the barons could not easily combine to rebel the king. Then, the barons parceled out land to the lesser nobles, knights and freemen, also in return for goods and services. At the bottom of the feudal scale were the serfs. One peculiar feature of the feudal system of England was that all landowners must take the oath of allegiance not only to their immediate lord, but also to the king.

How did King Henry consolidate monarchy?

~Henry took some measures to consolidate the monarchy. He forced the Flemish mercenaries to leave England; recalled grants of Royal lands made by Stephen; demolished scores of castles built in Stephen’s time; strengthened and widened the powers of his sheriffs and relied for armed support upon a militia composed of English freemen.

How did King Henry reform the courts and the law?

~Henry greatly strengthened the king’s court and extended its judicial work. He divided the country into six circuits and appointed itinerant justices who apply the law impartially.

In Henry’s reign, a common law was established which overrode local law and private law and was common to the whole people.

The jury system replaced old English ordeals and old Norman trials. At that time, a jury was composed of 12 men and the jurors function was to act as witnesses, not to hear evidences and give verdict.

As part of his legal reforms, Henry I insisted that all clergymen charged with criminal offences be tried in the king’s court instead of in the Bishop’s courts.

What was the quarrel between King Henry and Thomas Becket?

~As part of his legal reforms, Henry wished to reform certain abuses in church government and insisted that all

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