A Concise History of Modern Britain
With books
Prelude: Stone, Iron, and Bronze
During the last ice age, Britain was connected to mainland Europe. The land under the English Channel was elevated above sea level. This allowed early peoples to easily make it across to the British lands in prehistorical times. The subsequent tribes who settled formed various distinct cultures that existed for possibly thousands of years in near isolation. Evidence for these peoples comes in the form of stone circles like Stone Henge and other structures as well as in the form of artifacts like jewellery and weapons.
Roman Conquest
Perhaps the first significant chapter in the history of Modern Britain, like many European lands, Britain was invaded and occupied by Roman forces.
Dark Age Britain
Once the Roman Empire had collapsed, Britain was left to the tribal forces of the time. Many cultures came to Britain to settle during this era. It was marked by periods of war and unrest as well as a blossoming of cultural heritage. It is in this early stage that the true soul of Britain began to appear.
Medieval Britain
The Norman conquest brought with it a new language and new construction techniques. The code of conduct for aristocracy became reknowned for chivalry and tradition. Over the next few hundred years, Britain enjoyed improved society and stable government. This was a period of international war on a scale never seen before, plagues, and the flourishing of theocracy.
House Of Tudor
Arguably the most iconic of all the Royal Houses of England, the Tudors brought with them sweeping religious reforms, globalisation, international trade, and more war with Europe.
House Of Stuart
The Stuarts had Scottish Royalty connections and were a key family in further unification of England and Scotland. Their reigns saw further expansion of British interests across the world and the origins of America. Parliament gained significantly more power due to civil war which temporarily overthrew the monarchy.
House Of Hanover
Invited to become the legal monarchy in the late seventeenth century, William of Orange and his Queen, Mary, ended the Stuart era. After their successor, Queen Anne, died there were several legitimate heirs to the throne despite Anne having no children of her own. The Hanover family won the legal challenge to adopt the British crown and also the many financial problems that had been so far unsettled.
The Victorian Era
Queen Victoria was the daughter of William IV. She became queen at the age of eighteen and reigned for over sixty years. During Victoria's reign, Britain underwent drastic social changes due to the rising wealth of industry leaders. Social reforms also brought in extra help for those in poverty mainly in the form of the workhouse and free school places for all children.
20th Century Britain
In the twentieth century, the British Empire was torn apart by politics and war. It was also a period of improving civil rights including votes for women. The First and Second world wars saw the deaths of millions of people from all over the world including Britain.
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Fantastic Britain is produced by Rowan Blair Colver as part of the Homunculus Media Group
