U.K. TIMELINE

By Angel_Salazar_1913413

  • 1603

    1603
    Union of Crowns: James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England, uniting the crowns of Scotland and England.

  • 1642-1651

    1642-1651
    English Civil War between Royalists and Parliamentarians.

  • 1649

    1649
    King Charles I is executed, leading to the establishment of the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell.

  • 1660

    1660
    The monarchy is restored under Charles II after the Interregnum.

  • 1707

    1707
    Acts of Union merge the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.

  • 1756-1763

    1756-1763
    Seven Years' War, a global conflict involving European powers, including Britain.

  • 1776

    1776
    American Revolution begins, leading to the eventual loss of Britain's American colonies.

  • 1801

    1801
    Acts of Union merge Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

  • 1805

    1805
    Battle of Trafalgar, a decisive British naval victory during the Napoleonic Wars.

  • 1833

    1833
    Slavery Abolition Act passed, abolishing slavery throughout the British Empire.

  • 1837-1901

    1837-1901
    Reign of Queen Victoria, a period of significant industrial and imperial expansion.

  • 1859

    1859
    Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" is published, introducing the theory of evolution.

  • 1914-1918

    1914-1918
    World War I, involving the UK and its empire.

  • 1919

    1919
    Treaty of Versailles officially ends World War I.

  • 1926

    1926
    General Strike in the UK, involving coal miners and other workers protesting for better conditions.

  • 1939-1945

    1939-1945
    World War II, during which the UK stands against Nazi Germany.

  • 1945

    1945
    End of World War II; Labour Party wins general election, leading to the establishment of the welfare state.

  • 1947

    1947
    India gains independence from British rule.

  • 1952

    1952
    Queen Elizabeth II ascends to the throne after the death of her father, King George VI.

  • 1956

    1956
    Suez Crisis, a diplomatic and military conflict over the nationalization of the Suez Canal.

  • 1960

    1960
    Cultural and social changes, including the rise of the Beatles and the Swinging Sixties.

  • 1973

    1973
    UK joins the European Economic Community (EEC), the precursor to the European Union.

  • 1982

    1982
    Falklands War between the UK and Argentina over the Falkland Islands.

  • 1997

    1997
    Devolution referendums lead to the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.

  • 1999

    1999
    House of Lords Act reduces the hereditary peers in the House of Lords.

  • 2016

    2016
    Brexit referendum results in a vote to leave the European Union.

  • 2019

    2019
    UK officially leaves the European Union on January 31; COVID-19 pandemic impacts the UK and the world.