England:
- flag: red cross on the white ground,
- capital: London,
- the people: The English,
- symbol: the red rose,
- Patron Saint: St. George,
- Saint’s day: April 23rd.
Scotland:
- flag: white diagonal cross on the blue ground,
- capital: Edingburgh,
- the people: The Scots,
- symbol: the thistle,
- Patron Saint: St. Andrew,
- Saint’s day: November 30th.
Wales:
- flag: red dragon on the white-green ground,
- capital: Cardiff,
- the people: The Welsh,
- symbol: the leek and the daffodil,
- Patron Saint: St. David,
- Saint’s day: March 1st.
Northern Ireland:
- flag: red diagonal cross on the white ground,
- capital: Belfast,
- the people: The Irish,
- symbol: the shamrock and the harp,
- Patron Saint: St. Patrick,
- Saint’s day: March 17th.
o Area: 240 000 square kilometers
o under 1000 km from south coast to the extreme north
o about 500 km across the widest part
o “0” longitude Greenwich
Shetland Islands --> 80 km the north-east of Orkneys
Orkneys Islands --> the north of Scotland
Hebrides Islands --> the west coast of Scotland
Isle Of Man --> between England and Scotland
John O’Groat’s --> the northest point in Great Britain
Land’s End --> the southest point in Great Britain
Edinburgh --> the south-east of Scotland
Glasgow --> the west of Edingburgh
Dundee --> the east of Scotland
Aberdeen --> the north of Dundee
Loch Lomond --> the north of Glasgow
Ben Nevis -->the west of Scotland
LOCH LOMOND – the largest lake in Scotland
BEN NEVIS – the highest mountain in Scotland and also in Britain
LOCH NESS – also Scottish lake
CLAN – type of Scottish family group (each clan has different pattern of kilt)
Mc/Mac – it means “son of…”; Scots names begin in this way.
HADRIAN’S WALL – Roman building across a whole country – it means Scotland; border between England and Scotland.
Highland Games:
- it lasts May to September,
- it is like Scottish Olympics,
- there are hundred games,
- the most important game is Braemar Gathering, because the royal family watches this kind of game,
- the place where the queen stays to watch this kind of game is Balmoral Castle,
- another games: tug of war, highland fling and sword dance which are dance competition.
The Scotland is famous for:
- kilt made of tartan,
- bagpipe (musical, Scottish intrument),
- Mc/Mac.
The Union Flag – or Union Jack – the emblems that appear on this flag are the crosses of three patron saints:
- the red cross of St George, for England, on a white ground,
- the white diagonal cross of St Andrew, for Scotland, on a blue ground,
- the red diagonal cross attributed to St Patrick, for Ireland, on a white ground.
Regions of Scotland:
- Northern Highlands,
- Central Lowlands,
- Southern Uplands.
The Highlands:
- clan,
- Mac/Mc,
- Ben Nevis,
- Loch Lomond,
- Loch Ness,
- tourism, fishing as main activities,
- Highland Games,
- Balmoral Castle.
Southern Uplands:
- Hadrian’s Wall.
Central Lowlands:
- Edinburgh --> governmental, cultural, commercial, financial city:
o Royal Mile (very historical street between the Palace of Holyrood House and Endiburgh Castle),
o the Palace of Holyrood House (official residence where queen lives),
o Edinburgh Castle (royal residence before England and Scotland were united),
- Glasgow --> industrial centre: ship building, ship repairing; heavy industrial:
o the River Clyde (connects the Glasgow with sea),
o Burn’s cottage,
- Dundee --> heavy industrial city; fishing,
- Aberdeen --> the main port of transport, the centre connected with oil.
The Strait of Dover --> 20 miles (32 km)
The Channel Islands and The Isle Of Man --> crown dependent territories; queen is the head of these territories and British government is responsible for defence for them; they have own Parliament, tax system and government.
Hebrides --> now they belong to Scotland, but at the beginning they belonged to Scandinavia.
The Shetland Islands and the Orkney Islands --> in 15th century these islands were given from Norway to Scotland without fight; Norway princess got married with English king.
The UK constitution is formed by:
- Acts of Parliament,
- Common Law (decisions made by judges which is repeated by people ),
- convention (something should be done by President).
Function of Parliament:
- to pass laws,
- to provide money for the government (through taxes),
- to control the work of the government,
- to examine detail government policy,
- to debate major political issues.
The House of Commons:
- is made up 650 elected members, each of whom on one area,
- they are elected at:
o general election (every 4 years – whole country),
o by-election (when MP represent resign or goes to House of Lords),
- the SPEAKER --> the chief officer (the most important person) in the House of Commons:
o he keeps order,
o he supervises voting (he gives announcement after voting – he talks who voted against or for),
o he announces the results (he doesn’t usually vote, only when there is the same number against and for),
- the Speaker has the Clerk of House whose helps him,
- session: one session last one year --> from October to November next year (everything has to be done),
- meeting: Monday-Thursday (2:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.), Friday (9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.).
The House of Lords consist of:
- the CHANCELLOR --> it is important person in this House; he is responsible for courts’
- LORD SPEAKER --> the most important person in this House but not as powerful as the Speaker in House of Commons; he can vote like another members, he cannot stop discussion and he hasn’t any influence for it,
- LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS --> he is responsible for administration,
- LORDS SPIRITUAL --> 2 Archbishops of Cantenbury and York and 24 bishops of England,
- LORDS TEMPORAL --> hereditary peers (Earl of Marshal who organizes ceremonies; Lord Great Chamberlan who is responsible for the Westminster Palace and he is really important during the coronation; and 90 elected peers), life peers (titles don’t inherit by another relatives against of hereditary peers).
Work of the House of Lords:
- legislation,
- examining government work,
- examining European proposals.
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