England history

The arrival of the Celtic people

England history starts with the arrival of the Celtic people from central Europe, who were farmers and lived in small village groups in the center of the arable fields. The Celts fought against the people of Britain and other Celtic tribes, and established Bryt Island or Prydain, which came from the Latin “Britannia” and the English “Britain”.

The Romans and their invasion

The Romans were the first to invade England and establish in the island, soon tribes became familiar with many of the characteristic elements of Roma, including its architecture, engineering and its legal and political systems. The Roman Empire made its mark on Britain, and even today, the ruins of Roman buildings, forts, roads, and baths can be found all over Britain. Many English words are derived from the Latin language of the Romans. 

After the withdrawal of the Roman Empire after almost 400 years, Britain was susceptible to the invasion of pagan, marine warriors such as the Saxons, the Angle and Jutes, who won the control in some areas and Britain was divided up into the Seven Kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex , East Anglia, Essex, Sussex and Kent.

The introduction of Christianity

Augustine from Rome started to introduce the Christianity in the south of England, and Aidan from Ireland in the north of the country; those were the first to reintroduce the Christianity that was lost after the founding of the Heptarchy.

The Middle Ages

The Middle Ages in Britain cover a huge period. England was conquered in 1066 by an army led by William the Conqueror from the Duchy of Normandy, a fief of the Kingdom of France .The Normans built impressive castles, imposed a feudal system and carried out a census of the country. This conquest replaced the English elite by a new French-speaking aristocracy, whose speech had a profound and permanent effect on the English language.

During the Tudor period, the Renaissance reached England through Italian courtiers, who reintroduced artistic, educational and scholarly debate from classical antiquity. The Victorians lived over one hundred and fifty years ago during the reign of Queen Victoria. It was a time of enormous change for England. In 1837 most people lived in villages and worked on the land; by 1901, most lived in towns and worked in offices, shops and factories.

The establishment of the British Empire

Under the newly formed Kingdom of Great Britain, the Royal Society and British initiatives combined with the Scottish Enlightenment led to the creation of important innovations in science and engineering. This was very important for the establishment of the British Empire, which covered almost a quarter of the earth’s surface. The Industrial Revolution, a period of strong changes in cultural and socio-economic conditions for England, meant the industrialization of agriculture, manufacturing, engineering and mining, as well as the development in transportation and water infrastructure. 

During the Industrial Revolution, many people moved from rural to industrial areas, such as to Manchester and Birmingham. England remained relatively stable throughout the French Revolution, with William Pitt, British Prime Minister during the reign of George III.