Module Civilization for First Year Students PDF

**Module Civilization for First Year Students** **Groups: 1-2-3-4-5** **Syllabus:** 1. **The United Kingdom Overview** 2. **The Earliest Settlers of Britain** 3. **Iberians- Celts- Romans** 4. **The Nordic Invasions** 5. **The Anglo Saxon and the Vikings** 6. **The Norman Conquest** 7...

**Module Civilization for First Year Students** **Groups: 1-2-3-4-5** **Syllabus:** 1. **The United Kingdom Overview** 2. **The Earliest Settlers of Britain** 3. **Iberians- Celts- Romans** 4. **The Nordic Invasions** 5. **The Anglo Saxon and the Vikings** 6. **The Norman Conquest** 7. **The Middle Ages** 8. **Tudors** 9. **Stuarts** -- -- **Online lectures on Thursday** **Contact the teacher via the following email** [[studycivgroup\@gmail.com]](mailto:[email protected]). Or [[meriemmeciad\@gmail.com]](mailto:[email protected]) 1. **Basic terminology** It is necessary to clarify basic terms with regard to the geography of Great Britain in order to avoid referring to it incorrectly as the United Kingdom or the British Isles. The following introduction aims at explaining these expressions1: ***Great Britain*** is a geographical expression. "The name "Britain" comes from the word 'Pretani', the Greco-Roman word for the inhabitants of Britain. The Romans mispronounced the word and called the island 'Britannia'" the island is made up of England, Scotland and Wales. In everyday speech, Britain refers to the UK. Great Britain is the biggest of the group of islands, which lie between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; it is the largest island in Europe and the eighth largest in the world. Great Britain is surrounded by over one thousand smaller islands and islets within the Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, and the English Channel."It is separated from France and continental Europe by a 34 km gap. However, they are physically connected to each other by the Channel Tunnel, the longest undersea tunnel in the world." Also, The North Channel, Irish Sea, St George's Channel and Celtic Sea separate the island from the island of Ireland to its west. **Figure 1 - The United Kingdom** **The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland** (often abbreviated to **UK**) is a political expression. The long name mirrors a complicated history. "Wales had become part of the English administrative system by the sixteenth century. Scotland was not completely united with England until 1707. **The United Kingdom** is a name which was introduced in **1801** when Great Britain became united with Ireland. When the Republic of Ireland became independent of London in 1922, the title was changed to its present form. **The British Isles** It comprises four countries: **England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland**. Several islands off the British coast are also part of the UK such as the **Isle of Wight**, The **Orkneys**, **Hebrides**, **Shetlands**, and the **Isles of Scilly**. Although the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not the part of the UK, they recognize the Queen. The British Isles consists of the island of Ireland and Great Britain. More specifically, the term refers to all the islands of the North West coast of the European continent: Great Britain, the whole of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. The **British Isles** are separated into two independent states: The Republic of Ireland/Eire (with its capital, **Dublin**) and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (with is capital, **London**). **England's three national symbols are:** **St. George\'s Cross** -- typically displayed as a **flag.** **The Red Rose** -- representing England, often used as a floral emblem. **The Three Lions Crest** -- commonly seen as a badge on sports jerseys and other emblems. **The Union Jack** The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three crosses. The upright Red Cross is the cross of St George, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross (with the arms going into the corners) is the cross of St Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red diagonal cross is the cross of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. St David is the patron saint of Wales. **Language** English developed from Anglo-Saxon and is a Germanic language. However, all the invading peoples, particularly the Norman French, influenced the English. Nowadays all Welsh, Scottish and Irish people speak English (even if they speak their own language as well), but they have their own special accents and dialects. **Religion** The UK's official religion is Christianity, and churches of all denominations can be found throughout the UK, such as Catholic, Protestant, Baptist and Methodist. The main other religions are Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism. **The political system** The United Kingdom is a **constitutional monarchy**. This means that it has a **monarch** (a king or a queen) as its Head of State. The monarch has very little power and can only reign with the support of **Parliament**. Parliament consists of two chambers known as the House of Commons and the House of Lords. **Westminster Abbey** From Norman times British monarchs have been crowned there and since The 13th century theY, have been buried there. **Climate**: The British Isles experience a temperate maritime climate, meaning winters are mild, and summers are not excessively hot. The region receives a significant amount of rain due to prevailing winds from the ocean, which bring moisture. Additionally, the north tends to be cooler than the south because it is situated at a higher latitude. **The population** density of the United Kingdom is 281 people per km² (727 per mi²), with a total land area of 241,930 km² (93,410 sq. miles). As of 2020, 83.2% of the population (56,495,180 people) lives in urban areas. The median age is 40.5 years. **The national anthem,** \"God Save the Queen\" (or \"God Save the King\" when a king reigns), serves as the royal anthem for several Commonwealth nations. The composer of the tune is unknown. **UK Major Cities:**The maps below highlight the major cities of the UK and illustrate how the country is divided into England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Each of these nations is further subdivided into counties. **London:** the capital of the UK and England, is situated on the tidal River Thames in south-eastern England. **Refrences:** Spotlight On Britain Second Edition. Oxford University Press