Udine University, Foreign Languages Faculty, 2nd semester, academic year 2011-12

BRITISH HISTORY (Michael Knapton) CHECKLIST OF DATES

N.B.: history is much more than dates, especially because they so often relate to political history. This makes us undervalue the importance of social, economic, cultural and religious history, where long-term characteristics and trends are generally more important than events. I will NOT ask you questions directly about these dates in the exam, but whats here should help you to understand things in general . The dates here overemphasize English history, more familiar to you, but reading the book will correct the balance.

EARLY HISTORY TO 1066 A.D.

c. 6-5000 B.C. c. 600 B.C. 55-54 B.C. 43 A.D. Early 5th cent. c. 430 By c. 600 597-664 Late 8th cent. By mid/late 9th cent. Mid 10th cent. Till 1066 British Isles separate geographically from European continent. Start of settlement by Celts (Iron Age). Julius Caesars exploratory expeditions. Start of Roman conquests (England, Wales, and temporarily lowland Scotland). Roman armies withdraw, Germanic invasions begin. Start of Celtic Christian missions action (in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, N. England). Formation of eight Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England; mainly Celtic peoples in Ireland, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland. Christian missions from Rome to S. England, their predominance over the Celtic church. Start of Scandinavian (Viking) raids on east and north coastal areas. Wessex (S.W. England) dominates and unites the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms; Scandinavian control of much of E. and N. England (Danelaw); Scots and Picts unite in most of future Scotland. Formation of kingdom of England, including Danelaw. Continuing but alternate Scandinavian presence and ambitions in the British Isles; early English influence in Scotland.

1066 1680s
1066 Harold of England defeats the Norwegians, but is defeated by William the Conqueror (battle of Hastings): Norman conquest of England, introduction of feudalism. 1169 and following English invasion and control of parts of E. Ireland. 1215 Magna Carta: royal guarantees to English feudal nobility against abuse of power. Mid 13th cent. First English Parliamentary structures (the same in Ireland and Scotland: 1297; 1326). 1276 and following Progressive English conquest of Wales. 1294-1314 War between England and Scotland: English victory, then defeat. 1337-1450s Hundred Years War: the king of England as French feudal lord first dominates the French political situation, then loses almost all rights in France. 1348 and following Major plague epidemics everywhere, social unrest especially in England. 2nd half 14th cent. English language replaces French in official use and among the social lite in England. 1455-85 Civil war in England (Lancaster vs. York); the throne goes to the Tudor dynasty. 1477 Caxton prints the first book in England 1534-40 Henry VIII of England breaks with the Papacy. 1536-42 England absorbs Wales legally and administratively. 1558 and following After a Protestant and a Catholic predecessor, Elizabeth I makes England Anglican; Scotland becomes Presbyterian (Calvinist); Ireland stays basically Catholic. 1588 England defeats the Spanish Armada. c. 1590- c.1613 Shakespeare writes plays. Late 16th cent. and after First English colonies in N. America (Virginia, 1585; Pilgrim Fathers 1620 etc.), and crown-licensed trading companies (East India Company, 1600). 1603 and following James VI of Scotland, Stuart, becomes king James I of England: dynastic union. 1607 and following Scots and English settlers in plantation of Ulster (N. Ireland). 1641-60 Political crisis after failure of Charles Is government without Parliament: civil war in England, war in/with Ireland and Scotland, republic 1649-60, then monarchy restored.

1680s TODAY
1688-90 James II Stuart, Catholic, is replaced by his Protestant daughter Mary and her Dutch husband William of Orange; the Declaration of Rights (pro Parliament etc.); defeat of proStuart Irish (battle of the Boyne).

1707 Act of Union unites Scotland to England and Wales, creating Great Britain. 1714 Hanoverian dynasty (George I etc.) succeeds James IIs daughter Queen Anne. 1715, 1745 and after Unsuccessful Scottish Jacobite (pro-Stuart) rebellions; Highland clearances. 1721-42 Robert Walpole becomes first Prime Minister in modern terms; background of late 17 th century-onwards Whig and Tory party division, and patronage politics. 1730s and after Development of Methodism (John Wesley and others). From mid 18th cent. Industrial Revolution, firstly and most importantly in N. and central England. 1763 British victory over France in Seven Years War greatly extends colonies in N. America and W. Indies. (In these decades, growing British power in India, tho governed directly by the Crown only from 1858). 1776-83 American Declaration of Independence and defeat of Britain. 1791; 1792 Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man; Mary Wollstonecraft, Vindication of the Rights of Women. 1793-1815 Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. 1800 Act of Union unites Ireland to Britain. 1825 First railway. 1829 Catholic Emancipation (rights concerning property, office, worship etc.). 1832 First Parliamentary Reform Act, about constituencies and franchise, after years of tension. 1833; 1834 Factory Act, about child labour; slavery abolished in the Empire. 1838 and after Development of trade unions (1868 Trades Union Congress; 1871 legal recognition). 1840s Crop failures and famine in Ireland. 1880 Act for compulsory education ages 5-13 (free and compulsory, ages 5-16, in 1944). Later 19th cent. British control over extensive African colonies. The white colonies of the Empire become dominions. Later 19th century The Irish Question; failure of concessions (Home Rule etc.) to pass Parliament. 1906 Labour Party formed (first government 1924). 1911 House of Lords power limited. 1911 National Insurance Act (covering workers sickness and unemployment). 1914-18 World War I. 1918 1921 Franchise extended to all men over 21, and women over 30 (in 1928 to those over 21). After 1916 revolt (Easter Rising), partition of Ireland between what becomes the Republic of Ireland (1949) and the six counties of the British north. 1930s The Great Depression. 1939-45 World War II. 1947 and after Independence of India; other colonies follow in 1950s and 60s, most entering the Commonwealth (created 1931). 1948 The Labour government creates the U.K. National Health Service: free, for all. 1968 Restriction of Commonwealth immigration (considerable in the 1950s-60s). 1968 and after Troubles in N. Ireland, permanent British military presence, internment from 1971. 1973 The U.K. and Ireland enter the European Community. 1979 Conservative Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister, after years of social tension, esp. with trade unions, and political stagnation; Labour only regains power with Blair in 1997. 1984-85 Coal miners strike, defeated by the government. 1994 and after More convinced political action to break the deadlock in N. Ireland: negotiations, ceasefires, agreements, referendums, revival of local assembly/Parliament (suspended 1972). 1997; 1999 Referendum on devolution in Scotland and Wales; creation of Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly.