British History For Dummies

Royally confused about kings and queens? Never sure what happened when? Or where -- England, Scotland, Ireland, or Wales? Learn the people and events that shaped British history

British History For Dummies, 3rd Edition is full of rip-roaring stories of power-mad kings, executions, invasions, high treason, global empire building, and forbidden love -- not bad for a nation of stiff upper lips. Engaged travelers, lifelong learners, history buffs, and students will all enjoy this friendly and accessible guide written in, well, plain English. This book is for you if you studied British History in school (perhaps a while ago) or learned only a bit about Wales or Scotland or Ireland and want to know more. And if you've ever asked yourself, "What kingdoms are part of the United Kingdom?" or "Exactly how was the UK formed?" or "Which people make up the UK?" -- you've come to the right place, to get those answers and so much more.

With an 8-page color insert so you can see who, what, and where the ensuing historical action takes place, you'll learn about the following people and events (and more):

• What led to the Roman invasion and about the Britons who resisted it

• How Britain was divided into Saxon and Celtic kingdoms

• How the Roman Church converted Celtic and British Christians

• When the Vikings arrived, and what other invaders followed

• The many battles of Henry II

• The forming of England's parliament

• How the Black Death affected Britain

• The Tudors vs. The Stuarts

• How the Industrial Revolution helped push advancements in farming and infrastructure

• All about the Victorians -- everyone's favorite

• Britain's involvement in the Great War and World War II

Additionally, this edition is revised and expanded to include the historical parliamentary elections of 2010 and the British mission in Afghanistan, and you don't want to miss out. Pick up your copy of British History For Dummies, 3rd Edition today.

Auteur
Seán Lang, PhD is the author of the best-selling European History For Dummies. He is a senior university lecturer in history and has been teaching history to school, college, and university students for more than two decades.

Contenu

Introduction 1

Part I: The British Are Coming! 9

Chapter 1: So Much History, So Little Time 11

Chapter 2: Sticks and Stone Age Stuff 23

Chapter 3: Woad Rage and Chariots: The Iron Age in Britain 35

Part II: Everyone Else Is Coming! The Invaders 49

Chapter 4: Ruled Britannia 51

Chapter 5: Saxon, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll 65

Chapter 6: Have Axe, Will Travel: The Vikings 81

Chapter 7: 1066 and All That Followed 97

Part III: Who's in Charge Around Here? The Middle Ages 113

Chapter 8: England Gets an Empire 115

Chapter 9: A Right Royal Time the Medieval Realms of Britain 129

Chapter 10: Plague, Pox, Poll Tax, and Ploughing and Then You Die 147

Part IV: Rights or Royals? The Tudors and Stuarts 161

Chapter 11: Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown 163

Chapter 12: A Burning Issue: The Reformation 181

Chapter 13: Crown or Commons? 199

Chapter 14: Old Problems, New Ideas 217

Part V: On the Up: The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries 231

Chapter 15: Let's Make a Country 233

Chapter 16: Survival of the Richest: The Industrial Revolution 253

Chapter 17: Children of the Revolutions 267

Chapter 18: Putting On My Top Hat The Victorians 285

Chapter 19: The Sun Never Sets But It Don't Shine Either 299

Part VI: Don't Look Down: The Twentieth Century 315

Chapter 20: The Great War: The End of Innocence and Everything Else? 317

Chapter 21: Radio Times 329

Chapter 22: TV Times 345

Chapter 23: Interesting Times 359

Part VII: The Part of Tens 377

Chapter 24: Ten Top Turning Points 379

Chapter 25: Ten Major Documents 383

Chapter 26: Ten Things the British Have Given the World (Whether the World Wanted Them or Not) 387

Chapter 27: Ten Great British Places to Visit 391

Chapter 28: Ten Britons Who Should Be Better Known 395

Index 401