England Overview

This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.. —William Shakespeare, Richard II

The United Kingdom, Great Britain, England—the terms may seem interchangeable, but a slip of the tongue in a pub will provide travelers with a quick education. England, Scotland, and Wales make up the island of Great Britain, the largest of the British Isles. Along with Northern Ireland, the British countries form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly called the UK. England conquered Ireland in the 12th century, Wales in the 13th, and passed an act of union with Scotland in 1707. Ireland won back its independence in 1921. While Wales and Scotland retain separate cultural identities marked by language and customs, the two remain part of a state administered from London. This section focuses on the history, literature, and culture of England. Wales , Scotland , and Northern Ireland are treated separately, although England’s historically dominant position in governing the British countries makes for some inevitable overlap.

• Cultural Essentials

The Ancient Isle. Britain’s residents first developed a distinct culture when the land bridge between the European continent and Britain eroded (c. 6000-5000 BC). Little is known about the island’s ...more

• Culture And Customs

Jane Austen, Sid Vicious, and Winston Churchill all have equally valid claims to quintessentially “English” identity. Stiff-lipped public schoolboys and post-punk Hoxton rockers sit next ...more