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Period: 900 BCE to 200 BCE
Celtic Britons
The island of Great Britain is called Britannia. There the British tribes live, especially the Celts. They have pagan Celtic beliefs such as Druidism. Likewise, the Druids were priests, but also leaders, religious, doctors, judges, philosophers, historians, and political advisors. -
Period: 55 BCE to 54 BCE
Julius Caesar's invasions
Unsuccessful invasions of Julius Caesar in Great Britain. -
43
Invasion of the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire invades the island, England becomes a province. -
Period: 43 to 410
Roman Britain
The Roman Empire governs the province of Britannia. The empire builds constructions and introduces Christianity and the Latin language. -
410
Invasion of the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons invade Roman Britain, also called Britannia. -
Period: 500 to 880
Christianity
Christianity is born in England; Anglo-Saxon people convert other people to Christianity in England. There is economic stability, moreover, culture and society are established. -
Period: 789 to 1100
Viking Age
The Vikings were raiders from the North, Vikings arrive from Scandinavia. In 794, the Viking Age begins when they raid the island of Lindisfarne in England. Nevertheless, different kings try to counter the Viking incursions in many battles until they fail, and finally, this age ends. -
1016
North Sea Empire
King Cnut the Great rules the kingdoms of England, Denmark, and Norway. -
1066
Norman Conquest
Norman conquest by William, Duke of Normandy after the death of King Harold II. -
Period: 1135 to 1153
The Anarchy
The Anarchy Civil war in England and Normandy after the death of Henry I. -
1154
House of Plantagenet
The reign of the dynasty of the House of Plantagenet begins with King Henry II. -
1170
Murder of Thomas Becket
Murder of Archbishop Becket of Canterbury by followers of King Henry II. -
Period: 1189 to 1199
Reign of King Richard I
-
Period: 1199 to 1216
Reign of King John
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1215
Great Charter of Freedoms (Magna Carta)
Some nobles and the Catholic Church rebel against King John, but eventually, the King and the Archbishop of Canterbury sign a rulebook called Magna Carta Libertatum, or Great Charter. This rulebook helps to establish the principles of the current parliament. -
Period: 1272 to 1307
Reign of Edward I
King Edward I (also called Edward) Longshanks invades Scotland and subsequently conquers Wales. -
Period: 1337 to 1453
Hundred Years' War
Conflicts between England and France over the right to rule France that last approximately 116 years and finally end with the victory of France. -
Period: 1342 to 1350
Black Death
The Black Death, also called the pestilence, kills about 50% of the population. -
Period: 1377 to 1399
Reign of Richard II
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1399
Reign of Henry IV
Henry IV becomes the first English-speaking monarch since before the Conquest. -
Period: 1399 to 1461
Reign of the House of Lancaster
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1413
Reign of Henry V
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1422
Reign of Henry VI
-
Period: 1455 to 1485
Wars of the Roses
Civil wars between Henry VI (House of Plantagenet) and the Dukes of the House of York. These wars end with the victory of the House of York and mark the end of the English Medieval Period. -
Period: 1485 to 1509
Tudor dynasty
Tudor dynasty union of the Lancaster and York Houses and the reign of Henry VII begins. -
Period: 1500 to
British Empire
The United Kingdom, through colonies, settlements, and dominions, extends its territory throughout the world. The British Empire begins around 1500 with different maritime explorations and ends in 1997 with the British return of Hong Kong to China. -
Period: 1509 to 1547
Reign of Henry VIII
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1534
English Reformation
King Henry VIII decides to divorce Catherine of Aragon because she cannot give him a male heir. The Pope refuses to grant the divorce, this causes the rupture with the Catholic Church and the beginning of the English Reformation. Finally, the Protestant Reformation begins in Europe, and the monarchy becomes Supreme Head of the Church of England. -
Period: 1547 to 1553
Reign of Edward VI
-
Period: 1553 to 1558
Reign of Mary I
Queen Mary I earns the title of 'Bloody Mary' because the queen promotes the murder of many Protestants. Besides, she attempts to convert the population of England to Catholicism. -
Period: 1558 to
Reign of Elizabeth I
Protestantism returns, Queen Elizabeth I helps to promote Protestantism in Scotland, and, on the other hand, the Pope declares the queen a heretic. -
Period: 1564 to
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers of all time in the English language. -
Period: to
Reign of James I
James I in England also reigns Scotland. In 1605, The Gunpowder Treason Plot fails: Assassination plot by some English Catholics against King James I. -
Period: to
Virginia Company and Jamestown
Creation of companies (Virginia Company of London and Plymouth) for the colonization of other lands. Then, in 1606, in North America, Jamestown the first English colony was established. -
King James Bible
Translation of the Christian Bible to the Church of England. -
Period: to
Thirty Years' War
Politico-religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants. -
Period: to
Reign of Charles I
-
Period: to
English Civil War
Wars and conflicts to determine the way in which England, Ireland and Scotland are governed between Royalist and Parliamentarians. These conflicts end at the Battle of Worcester with the victory of the Parliamentarians. -
Period: to
Commonwealth of England
During the reign of King Charles I, civil wars break out. The Parliamentarians hold a trial of the king and sentence him to death. Subsequently, they form a republican government and tries to abolish the monarchy. Also, the Parliamentarians unite England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Oliver Cromwell and later Richard Cromwell receive the title of Lord Protector for leading the Parliament of England. -
Colonization of the island of Jamaica by England
The island of Jamaica, previously owned by Spain, is now a colony of England. -
Period: to
Reign of Charles II
The restoration of the monarchy is caused by the death of Oliver Cromwell in this period. Therefore, King Charles II ascends to the throne. -
First settlement in Africa
First settlement in Africa located at James Island (now Kunta Kinteh Island). -
Period: to
Clarendon Code
Four laws to strengthen the power of the Church of England. -
New Amsterdam → New York
The British control the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam and rename it New York. -
Great Plague of London
-
Colonization of The Bahamas and the Great Fire of London
-
Some colonies and settlements
In this year, they are already established:
American colonies: Virginia, New England, and Maryland.
Settlements: Canada, Bermudas, and Barbados. -
Royal African Company
Creation of Royal African Company to control the African slave trade. -
Period: to
Reign of James II
King James II, who is Catholic, persecutes the protestant clergy. -
Glorious Revolution
Overthrow of James II and the beginning of English parliamentary democracy with the creation of the Bill of Rights. -
Period: to
Reign of William III and Mary II
The Queen and King rule of England, Scotland, and Ireland. -
Period: to
Queen Anne's War
Wars for the control of the thirteen American colonies between Great Britain and France. These wars end with the British victory. -
Period: to
Reign of Anne
-
Act of Union 1707
England and Scotland are officially one: Kingdom of Great Britain. -
Period: to
Reign of George I
-
Period: to
House of Hanover
-
Period: to
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole holds the post of prime minister for the first time in British history. -
Period: to
Reign of George II
In 1740 and for four years, King George leads the War of the Austrian Succession. Likewise, from 1756 to 1763 conflicts break out between Great Britain and France for some colonies in America (the Seven Years' War). -
Period: to
Reign of George III
In 1763, the Kingdom of Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, and Prussia sign the Treaty of Paris. In this treaty, Great Britain obtained a large part of North America, some Caribbean countries, and Central America, as well as all the French colonies in India. -
Period: to
Industrial Revolution
New technological and scientific inventions produce changes in society that promote the evolution of industries and the economy. -
Period: to
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America
The thirteen colonies proclaimed their independence from British rule. -
Period: to
American Revolutionary War
Conflicts begin between the Thirteen British Colonies in America and the Kingdom of Great Britain. In 1783, the war ends with the Treaty of Paris and the victory of the Americans, and their allies. -
Period: to
New settlements and colonies in Australia and New Zealand
-
French Revolution
-
Period: to
Act of Union 1800
Ireland unites with England, Wales, and Scotland: officially as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. -
Period: to
Napoleonic Wars
-
Period: to
Pax Britannica
British domination with the extension of territory throughout the world: protectorates, dominions, and colonies in America, South Africa, Egypt, Middle East, and Asia. -
Period: to
Reign of George IV
-
Abolition of slavery
Abolition of slavery in the British Empire. -
Period: to
Reign of Victoria
The period of the queen's reign is called the Victorian era. -
Opium Wars
Conflicts between China and Great Britain related to opium trade and smuggling. -
New Zealand becomes a British colony
-
Great Exhibition
International exhibition of industry and culture in London. -
British Raj
India becomes a British colony. -
Charles Darwin
Darwin a British scientist proposes the theory of evolution (natural selection). -
London Underground
The first rapid transit system. -
Canadian Confederation
Canada becomes an independent self-government. -
Anglo-Zulu War
-
Period: to
First Anglo-Boer War
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Greenwich Mean Time
Scientists at Greenwich Observatory create the first universal time framework (Greenwich Mean Time). -
Period: to
Berlin Conference
The Berlin Conference regulates the colonization of Africa by Europe. -
Period: to
Second Anglo-Boer War
-
Federation of Australia
-
Period: to
Reign of Edward VII
-
End of the New Zealand colony
New Zealand leaves its status as a British colony. -
Period: to
Reign of George V
-
Period: to
World War I / Great War
World War between the great world powers: Allied Powers (British Empire, France, Kingdom of Italy, United States, Empire of Japan, China, Russian Empire, among others) and Central Powers (German Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire, among others). The war results in more than one million British lives lost. -
Period: to
House of Windsor
-
Representation of the People Act 1918
Law that reforms the electoral system (Women's suffrage). -
Period: to
Spanish flu
Pandemic of deadly flu. -
Treaty of Versailles
Peace treaty to end the First World War. Great Britain absorbs more colonies with this treaty. -
Anglo-Irish Treaty
Southern Ireland becomes an Irish Free State, but they remain part of the United Kingdom. -
Partition of Ireland
Process in which Great Britain divides Ireland into the territory of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland, but Southern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. -
Representation of the People Act 1928
Equal Franchise Act: Equal voting rights for men and women. -
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland becomes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. -
Period: to
Reign of Edward VIII
-
Period: to
Independence of the Kingdom of Egypt
Independence of the Kingdom of Egypt by the United Kingdom. -
Period: to
Reign of George VI
-
Period: to
World War II
The global military war between the Allies (United Kingdom, United States, France, Soviet Union, among others) and the Axis (Nazi Germany, Empire of Japan, Kingdom of Italy, among others.) -
Battle of Britain
The Air Battle for England during World War II. -
Battle of Singapore
-
Period: to
Winston Churchill prime minister of the United Kingdom
-
Indian independence movement
-
Period: to
Cold War
-
"Palestine: Termination of the Mandate"
-
Period: to
Reign of Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II is the current monarch of the Commonwealth realms and members of the Commonwealth of Nations. For example, Australia, Canada, Jamaica, Bahamas, Papua New Guinea, Barbados, New Zealand, among other countries. -
Suez Crisis
-
Period: to
Independence of the colonies in Africa
British colonies in Africa declare independence by the UK (except Namibia). -
Period: to
United Kingdom membership of the European Union
-
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret becomes the first female prime minister of Great Britain. -
Falklands War
-
Independence of Namibia
Independence of Namibia by the United Kingdom. -
End of the British Empire
In 1997, the British Empire ends when the British hand Hong Kong back to China in the handover ceremony of Hong Kong. Moreover, months later, Wales and Scotland have their parliament. -
London bombings
-
Summer Olympics
Summer Olympics in London. -
Scottish independence referendum
Result: No -
Brexit
Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union
