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THE BRITISH ISLES - Coggle Diagram

- - - - WALES
        
        Coeso i Cymru = welcome to Wales
        
        it is a very small country, famous for its wonderful mountains and coast scenery and impressive medieval castles. North Wales is very popular with tourists. 2/3 of the population (about 2 million) live in the South, in the 3 largest industrialciies Cardiff the capital, Swansea and Newport. 80% of the surface is given to agricultural use, but owing to poor soil and high rainfall, the vast majority consists of permanent grass and grazing for animals, particularly sheep. Coal mining used to be the most important industry, but most of the mines have now been closed. The valleys of South Wales became then world's biggest producer of iron and steel. Metal processing is still the main manufacturing industry of the country. Wales has been politically United with England since 1536. However the Welsh have always been concerned about their cultural and political identity. They are very proud of their language and customs and there is a Welsh Nationalist Party Plaid Cymru whichnwants independence from the UK. In 1998 it obtained its own Parliament, the Welsh Assembly after a referendum. It is based in Cardiff and it is composed of 60 MPs led by a First Secretary
        
        Symbol : leek or daffodil (introduced by the Romans, the words are the same)
        Patron Saint : St David on 1st March national holiday and many people wear a daffodil to celebrate
        Welsh language = Cymraeg now it's compulsory subject but in 19th century it was forbidden.
        Welsh Language Act 1993 Welsh has an equal status with English in the public sector and justice
        
        Caernarfon = ancient capital of Wales, in its castle the monarch's eldest son is crowned Prince of Wales
        
        Snowdonia, area around Mount Snowdon is the second large national park in Britain
        
        Doctor Who, Torchwood, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Sheen
        
        Festival that is called eisteddfod= literally means "the sitting" because originally the judges were sitting in circle is a festival of poetry, folk music and dance held in several towns . The Welsh National Eisteddfod is the most important cultural event in Wales. It was started in 1176 as a Welsh poetry competition and takes place every year in a different town. Also the International Musical Eisteddfod isna folk festival conducted along the lines of the previous one and open to people from all over the world.
      - Scotland
      - ENGLAND
        
        4 main regions
        
        The North
        
        Economically it has always been less developed and poorer than the South. Thanks to large deposits of coal and iron, during the 19th century it became the leader in heavy industries, such as iron and steel, engineering and industrial machinery. The decline of heavy industry the 2nd half of the 20th century produced a high level of unemployment and poverty in the North.
        
        The Northwest
        
        Famous for its cotton industry and coal mines. Liverpool and Manchester are the main cities also famous for their football clubs. Liverpool is the home town of the Beatles. The towns ofnLancaster and Chester are 2 important Roman strongholds.
        
        The Lake District a region of lakes and mountains. Its beauty and literary associations with the English Romantic poets make it one of the most famous tourist areas. It includes 12 of the largest lakes in England and the highest mountain Scafell Pike
        
        Albert Dock in Liverpool on the Mersey estuary. The city is the 2nd largest port in Britain. It was a major port for slave trade and it developed in the 17th and 18th centuries with the industrialisation of the region, when it became an outlet for the manufactured goods of the Midlands. In the 60s and 70s it became one of the most depressed areas in Europe and the symbol of the decline of a whole nation. In the 80s renovation of abandoned docks was initiated. The dogs have become one of the main attraction with museums, art galleries, trendy discos, restaurants, cafés and shops
        
        Blackpool
        On the north-west coast, it is one of the UK's most popular tourist destinations. It was founded as a 18th century spa, where wealthy people drank the curative sea water, which was black from run-off of peat bogs (fuoriuscite di torba). Since the railway arrived in 1846, the city blossomed as a working-class resort. 3 piers were built as well as a copy of thenEiffel Tower. The Pleasure Beach, today a world-class rollercoaster park, opened in 1896. After then1970s the town started to decline but now there isna biggest to restore its former glory and make it 'the Las Vegas' of Britain.
        
        The Lowry arts centre in Manchester opened in 2000. Rising from regenerated docklands, it is designed to reflect the surrounding waterways in its glass and metallic surfaces. Manchester developed as an industrial town and became the commercial centre of the cotton and textile industry. After a period of industrial decline in the mid-seventies, it is now the capital of the North. It has an important museum of science and industry, three universities and a colourful Chinatown
        
        Chester's Rows are covered walkways and shops on 2 levels which date from the 15th and 16th centuries. It is famous for its old black and white half-timbered houses and well preserved city walls.
        
        Northeast
        
        Traditionally a sheep-rearing region. Wool = its main source of wealth. Yorkshire was the centre of the wool industry. Wensleydale is the best known cheese. The country is characterised by miles of moorland and beautiful dales (valleys). Leeds and Bradford have been important centres for the wool trade and for textile production
        
        Hadrian's wall stone and turf fortification built by Emperor Hadrian to protect Britannia from Picts from Caledonia (Scotland)
        
        Newcastle-upon-Tyne is an important industrial, commercial and cultural city considered thencapital of the Northeast.
        
        York is a beautiful walled town with ancient narrow streets and old houses. Its magnificent Minster is the largest Gothic Cathedral in Northern Europe andi is famous for its fine medieval stained glass windows. It was a Roman town, then then capital of the Viking kingdom called Jorvik and an important medieval town
        
        Castle Howard a stately home in North Yorkshire, built in the early 18th century. Designed in English Baroque style by Sir John Vanbrugh
        
        Durham is famous for its medieval Cathedral which hasnthe highest spire in Britain. It contains a copy of the Magna Carta
        
        The Midlands
        
        The heart of England and mostly low-lying region. Important industrial area during the Industrial Revolution later attracted many immigrants from Asia and the West Indies. After a long decline, today revitalisation.
        The area to the north-west of Birmingham was known as the Black Country, owing to its coal mines and the black smoke of its coal-fed factories. The canal network enabled coal and other raw materials to be transported. Anyway there are also areas of beautiful countryside like the Costwolds in the south of the region and Peak District National Park in the north with hills, valleys and moors of outstanding beauty which attract walkers and climbers.
        
        Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, the first baroque country house and one of the finest houses. It appeared in Pride and Prejudice
        
        Stoke-on-Trent potteries tradition of fine pottery-making going back over 300 years. Museums with collections of ceramics and restored Victorian potteries portray the economic life and material culture of the area Royal Doulton, Spode, Wedgewood ecc
        
        Birmingham is the most important city in the Midlands and the second largest city in the UK. It is the biggest manufacturing town and has recently become a centre for the arts, with important galleries, museums and a famous Symphony Hall
        
        Rugby School founded in 1567 is one of the oldest public schools in England. According to the legend the game of rugby was invented there in the 19th century.
        
        Stratford-upon-Avon and the famous Tudor houses. Birthplace of Shakespeare
        
        Burghley House the largest and grandest house of Elizabethan age completed in 1587. Its landscaped gardens were designed by Capability Brown in the 18th century. In several films
        
        Robin Hood is Nothingham most famous folk hero, he was an outlaw and he lived in the Sherwood forest with his merry men. He robbed rich travellers, fought corrupt officials and shared the spoils with the poor
        
        The South
        
        South-west
        
        It's the largest of England's regions. It extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The area is mostly rural. Tourism and agriculture are the main economic activities. Dairy products such as milk, butter and cream are typical of this area.
        Cheddar and Gloucester are among the best English cheeses. Along the coast you can find glorious, sandy beaches and colourful cliffs, grand houses and magnificent sub-tropical gardens. The beauty of the landscape and the best climate in England have made the West Country including Cornwall and Devon, famous for its holiday resorts which attract many tourists.
        
        Somerset and Wiltshire
        
        Bath's Royal Crescent is a perfect example of Georgian architecture and grandeur. In the 18th century it was one of the finest cities and centre of fashionable society which attracted wealthy people
        
        Bristol is the largest city in the Southwest. It used to be a crowded port for the colonies and the Americas slave trade. Its economy has historically been built on maritime trade.
        
        Stonehenge is the most famous ancient site in Britain. Mysterious prehistoric monument which was built in several stages between 3000 and 1500 BC probably for religious and astronomical purposes. It was a large circle of 30 enormous standing stones with a secon U-shaped of ten even larger stones inside the circle. In recent years it has become a gathering point for some New Age groups, particularly on Midsummer's Day
        
        Salisbury Cathedral has the tallest Church spire in the UK 123m. It contains the world's oldest working clock and one of the 4 surviving copies of the Magna Carta
        
        Tomas Hardy = Dorset
        Agatha Christie =Devon
        
        Costwolds in the North of the region, a range of hills famous for their beautiful scenery and pretty stone cottages
        
        Cornwall and Dorset
        
        Cornwall is famous for its spectacular coastline and picturesque villages, once inhabited by fishermen, smugglers (contrabbandieri) and pirates. In the past it was an important tin-producing area (tin = stagno) but there are very few mines left. Its most westerly tip is called Land's End
        
        Tintagel Castle Best known as the legendary birthplace of King Arthur and home to Merlin the Magician
        
        Bournemouth largest town on the South Coast, one of England's most popular resorts. 7 miles of golden beaches. Tomb of Mary Shelley
        
        South-east
        
        Most densely populated region and includes the home counties around London: Surrey, Sussex with their beautiful gardens, Kent renowned for its vineyards, known as 'the garden of England' and one of the main producers of fruit and vegetables. Hampshire place of birth of Jane Austen and Berkshire
        
        South Downs = chalk range which runs parallel to the coast and towards its end it dramatically drops into the sea. Beachy Heads is the highest point along the Channel Coast, one of Britain's most striking natural features
        
        Canterbury is dominated by the magnificent 11th century Norman Cathedral which was the first Catholic Church to be built in England 602 AD and it was later rebuilt in Norman style 1070-1077 and attracted pilgrims from all over Europe because St Augustine landed here in 597 to convert the English and the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual head of the Anglican Church
        
        Hastings important historical place on the south coast. There in 1066 William Duke of Normandy won against King Harold
        
        Dover England's busiest port and famous for its cliffs
        
        Brighton the most popular seaside resort for people of quality in the 18th century famous for its Royal Pavillion designed by John Nash in Indian style
        
        Winchester was the capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex. Its Cathedral is one of the largest in England. Begun in 1079 in the Romanesque style then remodelled. It is the longest nave of any Gothic Cathedral in Europe
        
        Southamptonmajor passenger and cargo port on the Channel. In 1912 the Titanic set out from here on its ill-fated voyage
        
        Kent a typical crop grown is hops (luppolo), used for making beer. A distinctive feature of the landscape is hop kilns once used for hop-drying. Some have been converted into holiday homes.
        
        The Thames Valley
        
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        East Anglia
        
        The east of England is mainly an agricultural region. Here theland is very rich, in particular the Fens(regione paludosa) where the fields are covered with water. Most of the area was once covered by the sea. It consisted of marshland (palude) until the end of the 17th century when it was completely drained. Wildfowl sanctuary: thousands of ducks, geese and swans spend their winter there. The region's main income comes from farming, horticulture and tourism. Colchester was the first capital of Roman Britain and one of the richest towns.
        
        Norfolk and Cambridgeshire
        
        Cambridge is a small town on the river Cam famous all over the world for its University which dates back to the 13th century. It has now 31 colleges with students from all over the world.
        
        Ely Cathedral and Norwhich Cathedral most medieval city
        
        The Edwardian Sandringham House is now the Queen's country retreat, where the royal family spend their Christmas holiday
        
        Hunsett Mill in the Norfolk Broads a network of navigable rivers and lakes between Norwhich and the coast. It's a water paradise for fishing and birdwatching.
        
        Constable and Thomas Gainsborough famous painters
        
        National emblem : the rose since the war of the Roses
        
        capital: LONDON
        
        the city was originally built by the Romans as Londinium. It became the capital of the Norman after 1066. In 1666 a big fire swept away many medieval wooden buildings in the old part of the town. It lasted 5 days and destroyed 4/5 of the area. After the Great Fire the town was rebuilt. During World War Ii it was destroyed again (bombed) and rebuilt. The surrounding villages became part of Greater London. About 7,5 million of people (12%) live in Greater London. It is a very large area of about 1,600 km2 and it includes Inner London and all the suburbs (32 boroughs). Araound there is a green belt, strip of countryside where building is forbidden or strictly controlled.
        The majority of Londoners live in the suburbs, far from the centre. More than 2,5 million people commute tomwork by car, bus, underground or train. This creates a congestion and therefore traffic is one of London's big problems. Congestion charge introduced in 2003 to discourage the use of private vehicles.
        
        London transport
        Largest public transport network in the world
        
        double-decker buses a symbol of London. There are more than 5,000 in operation in the city. On the top deck you can enjoy some good views of London despite the traffic
        
        black taxi cab another symbol of London. Some are actually bright coloured with advertisements. They are not usually hired by phone. You can either find them at taxi ranks or catch one in the street when the FOR HIRE signs is lit up. Minicabs you can call them by phone.
        
        the quickest way to travel is using the Underground usually known as The Tube one of the oldest in the world. Thenfirst line was opened in 1863. The trains are packed in the 'peak hours' or rush hours 7.30-9.30 am + 4.30-6.30 pm. If you avoid them the ticket will cost you less. There are 12 tube lines which run from the centre to most parts of Greater London and cover about 250 miles with over 270 stations.
        
        Railways link London to thensuburbs and the rest of Britain. 12 main railway stations in London. The new terminal of the
        Eurostar opened at St Pancras Station in November 2007.
        
        WEST END AND BLOOMSBURY
        
        WEST END this is where many tourist attractions are located as well as most famous shops. Harrods, Liberty, Selfridges, some expensive residential areas (Kensington, Chelsea) and important museums and art galleries. Also Royal Parks. It is the heart of the night life. The area of Soho is known for its night clubs, strip shows and sex shops. Covent Garden is one of loveliest shopping areas in town with bars, open-air cafés and small restaurants. It dates from the 1630s for many years it was a main fruit and vegetable market.
        The Borough of Westminster is the seat of the government and Parliament buildings such as Houses of Parliament, Whitehall and Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street. Also Buckingham Palace bought by George III from the Duke of Buckingham and later rebuilt in the 1820s by the ar hitect John Nash. There are 600 rooms in the Palace on 3 floors. When the Queen is in residence, the flag flies over the Palace.
        BLOOMSBURY is the intellectual and scholastic heart of the city, dominated by the British Museum. It once contained the British Library, now moved to a building next to Euston Station. Famous writers, artists and intellectuals such as Dickens, Virginia Woolf, Keynes, E.M. Forster lived in Bloomsbury
        
        THE CITY
        
        It is the oldest part of the Roman town and once the heart of medieval London. Today it has completely changed into a modern part of the town. Also known as 'the Square Mile it is one of the world's greatest financial centres. Many people work there but only few live there. The skyline is dominated bynthe massive dome of Saint Paul's Cathedral, designed by Christopher Wren after the previous one was destroyed in the Great Fire in 1666. Guildhall the house of the Government of the City, isole of the few buildings that survived, also the Bank of England , the Royal Exchange and the Palladian-style Mansion House, the official residence of the City Lord Mayor. Also famous skyscrapers.
        
        THE SOUTH BANK
        
        beautiful stretch of Riverside London with spectacular views. In the 16th and 17th centuries it was a disreputable quarter of London. During the 1950s and 1960s it became London's main cultural centre because of its museums and concert halls. Today home of the Royal Festival Hall and Royal National Theatre and the National Film Theatre. Many peasants restaurants and cafés, green spaces, street performers and summer festivals make the area lively and attractive
        
        THE EAST END
        
        To the east of the City along the north bank of the Thames was once a neglected part of London. Many immigrants and poor people used to live there and work in the docks. The docks played a vital role in Britain's economy until the 1970s. When the docks hadnto be closed the whole area became derelict. Until then1950s it was the area of poverty, overcrowding and criminality. Today it has completely changed. Since the 1980s a large redevelopment project has transformed London Docklands into a mix of modern office blocks, homes, shopping and leisure facilities in an attractive environment. The London City Airport and thenDocklands Light Railway. Now it isa fashionable area full of lofts, galleries and artists' workshops. Brick Lane and Petticoat Lane are lively and crowded. 2012 Olympic games helped for further development
        
        Cockney this is what a true East Ender is called. They are creative, lively people with a special sense of humour. They use a peculiar slang and a distinctive accent which make them difficult to understand. It's a rhyming slang which was invented in the 19th century by dock workers and Street sellers
      - Northern Ireland
    - - the terms England and Great Britain are often mistakenly used for the UK and this may offend people
- - - - includes England, Wales, Scotland
- - - - not constitution but Common law and Acts of Parliamentstraditions and unwritten rules built up over the centuries
    - - PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
        
        the government is controlled by a Parliament elected by the people
        
        country is officially governed by Her Majesty's Government in the name of the Queen
        
        present Queen Elizabeth II
  - - - majority system of voting commonly called first past the post
        
        it favours large parties over the small ones
    - - areas with more or less the same populations in each of them the candidate that gets the highest number of votes wins a seat in the House of Commons
  - - - he/she is the Head of Government
      - He/she appoints the Cabinet, a committee of 20 ministers
    - - Checks what the government does and opposes its policy when necessary
      - They form a Shadow cabinet
  - - - Major right-wing Party which developed from the former Tory party. Supporters belong to richer sections of society, landowners and business people
    - - established in 1900 and originally supported by the working classes, socialist groups and Trade Unions. In the last years it has moved towards the centre and found support among well-educated and professional people
    - - third largest party successful in local elections but few representatives in Parliament (first past the post system). It was formed in 1988 from the Union of the old Liberal Party (developed from the Wighs in 1832 and was the party of social and political reform) and the Social Democratic Party
  - - - The Monarch
        
        Official Head of State, Head of the Church of England, of the Army, and of 16 Commonwealth states
        
        in reality power belongs to Parliament. In Britain they say 'the monar h reigns but does not rule'
        
        The Queen opens and dissolves Parliament. Every autumn, at the State Opening of Parliament there is a traditional ceremony: the Queen's 'servant' knocks at the door of the House of Commons asking permission for her to enter and tell them what her Government is planning to do in the coming year. But the Commons don't let herself, as a symbol of their independence. The Queen then gives her speech in the House of Lords and the MPs go there to hear it. Actually it is written for her by the Government.
        
        the Queen appoints the Prime Minister There is no law preventing her from choosing anybody she likes, but in practice she has to choose the leader of the strongest party in the House of Commons, because otherwise the Commons wouldn't support the Government
        
        She also declares war and makes peace but only after a decision taken by Parliament.
        
        She has the final say on whether a bill becomes law, but no monarch has refused the Royal Assent since 1708
        
        The Royal family perform many representational duties, while the Government actually runs the country.
        State Opening of Parliament, Queen's official birthday, royal weddings, ceremonies like the Changing of the Guard attract tourists and foreign money.
        
        Although the British Queen no longer has a political or executive role, she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation. Monarchy is quite popular with the majority of British people: it is the symbol of the country and represents stability and continuity
      - 2 chambers
        
        The House of Lords
        (or Upper Chamber)
        
        2 types of members
        
        Lords Spiritual = the senior bishops of the Church of England
        
        Lords Temporal = members of aristocracy who had inherited their right to sit in the Lords. This automatic right removed in 1999
        
        They are not elected by the population but appointed by the government
        
        724 Lords, 629 Life Peers appointed by the Queen but nominated by the Prime Minister, 92 Hereditary Peers and 26 Bishops Women were admitted only in 1958, now there are 143 of them
        
        Until 2006 presided over by the Lord Chancellor then the position was undertaken by theLord Speaker who is appointed by themembers of the House of Lords. Baroness Hayman won the 1st election. Lord Speaker sits on a special seat called the Woolsack because it is filled with British wool, which symbolises the wealth of the country. The main task of the Lords is to debate bills and suggest amendments. They are allowed to delay a bill for a maximum of 2 sessions, after which it can become law in spite of their objections. It is also the highestCourt of Appeal
        
        The House of Commons
        ( or Lower Chamber)
        
        646 members (MPs) elected in the general election. 520 men and 126 women, each coming from specifi areas (constituencies)
        
        presided by a Speaker elected by MPs
        
        It's small, only 437 seats, someone has to stand or sits on the steps. Rows of seats facing each other and red lines running along each side of the Chamber, to hold back deputies on 'hot' debates.
        
        The government and its supporters sit on one side of the Speaker's chair, the Opposition and smaller parties on the other side. Ministers and shadow ministers sit on the front benches. Those who sit behind are called backbenchers
        
        meet together on special occasions such as the
        State Opening of Parliament