Let's Learn About The UK!

Let's Learn About The UK!

L. Haquet (Ac. Rouen)

British Cities

A Little Bit of Geography

A Little Bit of History

British Symbols

What is Britishness?

A Little Bit of Economy

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L. Haquet (Ac. Rouen)

A Little Bit of Geography

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Did you know?

There are over 67 million inhabitants in the U.K.

British Cities

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Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and the third largest in the UK. During the Industrial Revolution, Glasgow became an important centre of chemicals, textiles and engineering.

George Square and the City Chambers

For a long time, Glasgow had a bad reputation. But, since the mid 1980s, the city has worked hard to change its image. In 1995, Glasgow was European Capital of Culture.

Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital and largest city of Wales, and the eleventh-largest city in the UK. It is famous for its castle. In the second half of the 18th century, Cardiff developed rapidly when it became the main port for exports of coal. In recent years Cardiff has become an attractive tourist destination.

Cardiff CastleCardiff City Hall

Brighton

Brighton is a seaside resort situated on the south coast of England. Its nickname is “London’s Beach”. Brighton is famous for its Palace Pier, the Royal Pavilion and the amazing shopping in the Lanes.

The Brighton Palace PierThe Royal Pavilion
The Lanes

Oxford

Oxford is situated in South East England. It is famous for its university, which is composed of 39 colleges. 28 prime ministers of the United Kingdom and 69 Nobel Prize winners studied at the University of Oxford.

OxfordChrist Church

The Bridge of Sighs

The Radcliffe Camera

Cambridge

Cambridge is located in the East of England. It is famous around the world for its University, which was founded in 1209. The different colleges are masterpieces of Medieval, Tudor and Jacobean architecture. The University of Cambridge has produced more Nobel Prize winners than any university in the world.

Corpus Christi College King's College Chapel

Birmingham

Birmingham is located near the geographic centre of England. It is the second most populous city in the UK.

The Bell Edison Telephone Building (17-19 Newhall Street)

Birmingham is regarded as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. For a long time, it was the heartland of the British motor industry.

It is now an international commercial centre.

Liverpool

Liverpool is a city and seaport located in northwestern England. It played an important role in the history of the slave trade, in emigration to the New World and in the development of trade and culture across the British Empire.

Liverpool Pier Head

The city is also famous for its pop and rock music scene, the most popular band being The Beatles. The docklands and several areas of the historic centre of the city became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004.

The Royal Albert Dock

In 2008 Liverpool was European Capital of Culture.

Manchester

Manchester is located in North West England. The city is famous for its museums, galleries, theatres, libraries, and architecture. During the Industrial Revolution, Manchester was the most productive centre of cotton processing. The city was even called “Cottonopolis”.

Manchester Town Hall The Midland Hotel

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. It is the seat of the Scottish Government, the Scottish Parliament and the supreme courts of Scotland. The city is dominated by Edinburgh Castle, which is over 1,000 years old.

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh is famous as an important educational centre, especially in the fields of medicine, literature, philosophy, the sciences and engineering.

Belfast

Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland.

Belfast City Hall

During the 19th century, it became a major port and the biggest linen-producer in the world.

Shipbuilding was another important industry. The Titanic was built in Birmingham.

Titanic Belfast

Bath

The City of Bath is located in South West England. It is known for its Roman baths and its Royal Crescent. The city was founded by the Romans as a thermal spa.

The Roman bathsDuring the Middle Ages, it became an important centre of the wool industry.

Bath became a World Heritage site in 1987.

The Royal Crescent

A Little Bit of History

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1603

The Normans

1485

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1714

1901

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The Tudors reigned from 1485 to 1603. The two most important Tudor monarchs were Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I.

In 1603, James VI of Scotland was crowned James I of England. The Stuarts reigned until 1714, except for the period between 1649 and 1660 when England became a Republic.

The Hanoverians ruled Great Britain from 1714 to 1901. The most important monarch of the period was Queen Victoria.

The reign of Queen Victoria was marked by important industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military changes. Britain became the world’s first industrial power. One of the most important industries was the textile industry.

During that period, the British Empire developed considerably.

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British Symbols

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The daffodil is the national flower of Wales.

The rose is the national flower of England.

The leek is another symbol of Wales.

The shamrock is the national flower of Northern Ireland.

The thistle is the national flower of Scotland.

Tea was introduced to England in 1652.

Scones are small round cakes which are often served with butter, jam and cream. People do not agree on the pronunciation of the word 'scone': some rhyme it with 'gone', others with 'bone'. But they all agree on one point: scones are delicious!

Marmite is a dark spread made from yeast extract (a by-product of beer brewing). It is very salty.

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish. It looks like a large round sausage made from the heart, lungs and liver of a sheep that are finely chopped, mixed with oats, herbs, and spices, and boiled in a bag that is traditionally made from part of a sheep's stomach. It is usually served with neeps (= turnips) and tatties (= mashed potatoes).

Nessie is a creature that is said to live in Loch Ness in Scotland.

A kilt is a skirt made of tartan cloth. It is traditionally worn by Scottish men.

The bowler hat was invented in 1849. It was first popular with the British working class during the second half of the 19th century, and then the middle and upper classes.

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A Little Bit of Economy

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What is Britishness?

L. Haquet (Ac. Rouen)