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Ended the threat of Vikings and established Britain as a European nation after the Normans took control of the country in place of the Anglo-Saxons. This had lasting effects on the our current language as the Normans were French, and the mix between English and French speakers led to English speakers adopting some French words.
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The Pope claimed that the knights who ventured on this crusade would receive forgiveness for their sins if they took back Jerusalem for Christianity. As a result, this increased the power of the Catholic Church while also leading to increased trade and a spread of knowledge.
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The declaration established basic human rights for the citizens of England after King john violated a number of laws through which the nation had been governed. It is viewed as one of the most important documents in the development of modern democracy.
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King Edward issued an edict that forced the Jews to leave England after 200 years of persecution against them.
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A large-scale famine that affected most of Europe and led to millions of deaths. Due to this event, crime rates and disease increased, and some people even resorted to cannibalism.
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A conflict involving several kingdoms in Europe over the succession of the French War. It lasted almost 120 years and included 5 generations of kings and 2 rival dynasties. While the English lost the conflict, it still greatly increased their sense of nationalism.
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The Black Death was a devastating pandemic that spread across Eurasia and wiped between 75 million and 200 million people. The disease was carried by fleas and rats and expanded through trade across Eurasia.
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The schism was a split in the Catholic church that occurred when three different people claimed to be the pope; however, the conflict was much more based on politics than opposing theological views. This resulted in the separation between the Western churches and the Eastern Orthodox Churches.
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Caxton made the first book printed in English. He introduced the printing press to England.
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An act of the Parliament of Scotland that required landowners to send their eldest sons to school in order to ensure that the government would be in competent hands.
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This confirmed England as a Protestant state.
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A poet, playwright, and actor who is widely considered the greatest writer in the English language.
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Francis Drake was sent on an expedition against the Spanish along the Pacific Coast of the Americas.
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A joint-stock company that pursued trade with the East Indies but ended up mainly trading with India and China.
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The founding of the first English colony in America. Jamestown is in current day Virginia.
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The death of Cromwell led to the failure of the Commonwealth. This marked the end of absolute rule in England.
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The last major epidemic of the bubonic plague to occur in England, killed about a quarter of England's population in a span of 18 months
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The revolution was the overthrow of King James II. It firmly established that the monarch rules with the consent of the nation and not through divine right.
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The central bank of England was founded in this year. It is still in use to this day.
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These two parliamentary acts combined Scotland and England into one nation. The two states were already under rule by the same monarch , so it only made sense to unite them.
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The British colonies, later to be known as the United States, claimed independence from Britain in this year during their revolution against them.
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These acts united Britain and Ireland. The acts have since been repealed in Ireland but are still in effect in Britain.
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This act abolished slave trade in the British Empire. The British realized the cruelty of slave trade and decided they wanted to have nothing to do with it.
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The first public railway to use steam locomotives.
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Christmas becomes a national holiday in the UK.
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The British inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, invents the telephone.
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Britain was heavily involved in the first world war, also known as The Great War. The war showcased the devastating effects of new technologies such as tanks and flamethrowers as well as the effects of a global conflict. It resulted in over 16 million deaths.
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The British and many of its allies declared war on the Germans after they invaded Poland in 1939. This world war lasted for 6 years and costed around 55 million lives; however, the allies prevailed and on the war.
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Britain gives control of Hong Kong back to the People's Republic of China after having control for 150 years.
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The UK decided to leave the European Union.
