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4500 BCE
Prehistoric Britain
This period is called Prehistoric Britain. They people were hunters and nomadic, they has religious rituals and ceremonies and built places like Stonehenge. -
600 BCE
The Celts
The Celts arrived and spread across the land. Were a collection of IndoEuropan peoples in Europe and Anatolia, indentified by their use Celtic languages. Celtic groups included Gaels of Britain and Ireland. -
55 BCE
The Romans
The Romans built roads, bridges, and towns. They also built Hadrian's Wall to protect themselves from Scottish invaders. Christianity spreads very rapidly. The Emperor Julius Caesar conquers Britain. -
410
The Anglo-Saxon
The Anglo-Saxon conquer the land and divide it into different kingdoms. Were a cultural group who spoke Old English and inhabited much of what is now England and south-eastern Scotland. -
810
Viking invasions
Viking invasions. They use their 30m ships to raid the coasts and to steal gold, but some Vikings remain in Britain and found towns. -
1066
The Norman period
William Duke of Normandy arrived from France and defeats the Saxon in the Battle of Hastings and becomes King William I of England. He introduces the feudal system, built stone churches and fortified castles. -
1154
The Middle Ages
Period of wars, natural disasters and public rebellions- in 1215 King John were forced to sign the Magna Charta which gives more power to Parliament and less to the monarchy. -
1485
The Tudors period
Henry VIII created the Protestant Church of England. Elizabeth I were the last monarch of the House of Tudor. She ruled for 44 years. -
The Stuart period
James VI of Scotland becomes King James I of England unifying the two countries for the first time. It is a period of tension: on 5th November 1605 the gunpowder plot broke out. Civil war lasts until 1642 when the King was executed and Oliver Cromwell was named Lord Protector of England. In 1660 the monarchy is restored with Charles II. -
The Georgian period
The crown passes to the House of Hanover. It was a period of social change (abolition of slavery and a increase of Parlimentary power), and wars (the American War of Indipendence and the Napoleonic Wars). -
The Victorian Age
Queen Victoria ruled over 63 countries; this was a period of progress and development. The 1st Industrial Revolution begins in Britain in this period. -
World War I
Britain is one of the most powerful allies during the war, even if it has internal problems to deals with (Easter Rising in 1916). The "interwar" is a period of peace but economic stasis. The Irish War of Indipendence started in 1919 and ends with the creation of the Republic of Ireland in 1922. -
World War II
Britain was again one of the most powerful Allies against Nazi Germany. Most of the UK colonies helped Britain during the war. -
Post-war period
Queen Elizbeth II was the longest-reigning monarch in British history (1952-2022). Charles III becomes King on September 8, 2022 after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II. He was also the head of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Church of England.