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Great Britain: Island, UK Nations & History in 40 Characters
1.
2.
3. In geography, Great
Britain is the largest
island in Europe. It is
the main part of
the United Kingdom.
It contains England,
Scotland and Wales.
England is the
biggest part of the
island. England is in
the southeast. Wales
is to the west of
England. Scotland is
to the north of
England. Northern
Ireland is not a part
of the island of
Great Britain, but it
is part of the United
Kingdom.
4.
5. The United Kingdom Royal Coat of Arms
consists of a shield divided into four
quadrants.
Supporting the shield are a crowned lion and a
unicorn. The crowned lion represents England
and the unicorn represents Scotland. The
crowned lion also crowns the Coat of Arms.
The Coat of Arms also contains Latin phrases
meaning "God and my right" and "Shamed be
he who thinks ill of it".
These arms are used by the Queen or King in
their official capacity as monarch, and are
officially known as the Arms of Dominion.
6. The United Kingdom flag was officially adopted on January 1,
1801, and it's arguably the world's best known flag.
This striking flag is actually a composite of England's St.
George's Cross (the centered red cross bordered in white), St.
Andrew's Cross of Scotland (the diagonal white cross on the
blue field), and the Patron Saint of Ireland (diagonal x-shaped
red saltire).
7. "God Save the Queen," is
most commonly credited
to a keyboard piece
written in 1619, by John
Bull. When a male
monarch is on the throne
of England, it's referred to
as "God Save the King."
8. St. Edward’s Crown was one of the English Crown
Jewels and remains one of the senior Crown Jewels of
the UK, often being used as the coronation crown. Since
1952, two-dimensional representations of the crown
have been used in coats of arms, badges, and various
other insignia to indicate the authority of the monarch
throughout the Commonwealth realms.
9. The Tudor Rose, which takes its name from
the Tudor dynasty, was adopted as a national
emblem of England around the time of the
Wars of Roses as a symbol of peace. It is also
known as the Rose of England.
10. Tea is symbolic of England.
In 2006, a government
sponsored survey
confirmed that a cup of tea
constituted a national
symbol of England.
It may also be considered
to be symbolic of Britain
rather than merely just
England as it epitomizes
the British connection with
Empire and India. It is also
drunk widely and equally
in England, Scotland and
Wales.
11.
12. The Houses of
Parliament’s most
famous clock tower is
one of London’s iconic
landmarks.
More than 40,000
people cross the
suspension bridge
across the Thames
built in 1886.
Famous for its
lakes, forests and
mountains, this
national park
provided
inspiration for
William
Wordsworth’s
sonnets.
The castle is built
on a 700 million-year-
old extinct
volcano called
Castle Rock and has
been used
as a Royal
residence through
the ages.
13. Believed to be 5,000 years
old and listed as a World
Heritage Site, many druids
celebrate the summer
solstice there.
The 775 room official
home of the Queen. The
Changing of the Guard
takes place outside at
11.30am each day.
Created as a royal hunting
ground by William the
Conqueror in 1079, it’s
now a haven for cyclists
and walkers.
14. Built in 1560, and venue for the
wedding of Prince William and
Kate Middleton, it’s full name is
the Collegiate Church of St Peter
at Westminster.
Inspired by Paris’ Eiffel Tower,
the Grade I listed building is
518ft tall and is home to the
Tower Ballroom and circus.
15.
16. William Shakespeare
(1564-1616) is the foremost writer and
poet of the English language. His plays,
such as Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and
Hamlet have had a huge impact on
culture, language and literature around
the world.
17. Jane Austen
(1775 – 1817) an English
novelist from Hampshire. Jane
Austen’s novels included Pride
and Prejudice, Mansfield Park
and Emma. She is one of the
most widely read novelists in
the English language.
18. Queen Victoria
(1819 – 1901) was Queen of
England from 1837 to her death
in 1901. During her reign the
British Empire spread across the
globe. Victoria herself was made
Empress of India. She came to
epitomise a century.
19. Thomas Gainsborough
Though famous painters like
Hogarth and van Dyck were
influences, he favored
landscapes, becoming a master
of light and brushwork, but
when Gainsborough shifted to
portraiture for income, his
talent attracted the likes of King
George III and other nobles, and
made him a contender for the
position of royal painter.
20. Charles Dickens
(1812-1870) was a Victorian novelist
who created some of the most
memorable characters in English
Literature. Dickens criticised the worst
excesses of Victorian society, through
novels like Oliver Twist and David
Copperfield.
21. Princess Diana
(1961-1997) married Prince Charles
and gained a high profile for her
humanitarian work and the support
she gave to various charities. After
her marriage broke down, she
continued to remain in the public
limelight until her untimely death,
whilst chased by the paparazzi.
22. The Beatles were a legendary rock group that formed in
Liverpool, England, in 1960, and went on to transform
popular music as a creative, highly commercial art form over
the next decade. The Beatles were one of the most popular
bands of all time, producing songs like "Yesterday, "Hey
Jude," "Penny Lane, "With A Little Help From My Friends,"
"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," "Day Tripper" and
"Come Together“, “Let it be”.