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1、英美社会与文化第 1 页共 5 页 A Brief Exploration of British HistoryI. Several Famous Kings before 10661. King Arthur, king of the Britons in the sixth century a.d. and to have held court at Camelot (a legendary place). 卡米洛特(传说中英国亚瑟王宫廷所在地)2. King Alfred the Great (849-899), king of Wessex (871899), a Saxon king
2、dom in southwestern England. He prevented England from falling to the Danes and promoted learning and literacy. Compilation of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle began during his reign, c. 890.II. The Middle Ages1. 1066, Norman Conquest, William of Normandy2. Crusade, the military expeditions undertaken by E
3、uropean Christians in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to recover the Holy Land (Palestine where Jesus Christ once lived) from the Moslems. (The Moslems were seen as infidels. ) 异端, 异教徒 (It manifested Britain as a Christian country.)3. 13371453, Hundred Years War, Joan of Arc. After 1066, the Engl
4、ish King kept extensive territories in France, which caused many disputes and finally the war. After the war, England became completely severed from France, and the English language finally took the place of French in all classes of society. III. The Renaissance Period1. 145585, Wars of Roses, (prec
5、eded the strong government of the Tudors), Fought between the Houses of Lancaster and York for the English throne, the wars were named many years afterward from the supposed badges of the contending parties: the white rose of York and the red of Lancaster. (In the Middle Ages, the nobles were very p
6、owerful.) 2. Great change in religious belief: (1534) Protestant Reformation by Henry VIII, Establishment of the Church of England (the Anglican Church). ( Edward VI, 1547-1553) Henry VIIIs elder daughter Mary (155358) (Bloody Mary) was responsible for the counter-revolution. (The first queen to rul
7、e England) Mary tried in vain to restore Roman Catholicism in England. During Queen Elizabeth(15581603), (byname The Virgin Queen, or Good Queen Bess) England asserted itself vigorously as a major European power in politics, commerce (expansion on the sea), and the arts(especially literature). 3. 15
8、88 Spanish Amada defeated (the invincible fleet). (The Spaniards were Catholics). IV. The English Revolution1. In 1603, James I (1566-1625) as James VI, of Scotland (1567-1625) succeeded Elizabeth as the King of England (1603-25). He and his son, Charles I, believed in the “Divine Right of Kings”. T
9、he conflicts between the king and the Parliament, which are centered majorly on the problem of taxation, finally resulted in the English Civil War, and Charles I was beheaded. 2. Oliver Cromwell ruled the country as Lord Protector (16538). Soon After his death, Charles II (16601685, the son to Charl
10、es I) returned to the throne. 3. 1688，Glorious/Bloodless Revolution, James II (1685-88, Catholic) was replaced by his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William Constitutional Monarchy. V. The Eighteenth Century# The 18th century was a period of inner economic development and outer wars. 英美社会与
11、文化第 2 页共 5 页 1. In the 18th century, England and France was continually at war in Europe, Canada and India. (Battle of Waterloo over Napoleon)2. From the second half of the 18th century, Industrial Revolution gradually replaced manual workshops with efficient factories equipped with machines, and pr
12、oductions were greatly promoted. (In comparison with the promotion of material production, human spiritual pursuit has been overshadowed.) 3. 17751783, American Revolution (American War of Independence) declared the 13 colonies in North American an independent country, and England met the greatest d
13、efeat in modern times.VI. The 19th century# The 19th century was an age of social reformation, and an age of national development and national optimism. 1. Anti-slavery movement (led by William Wilberforce); prison reform movement, many offences punished by death penalty were abolished (led by Eliza
14、beth Fry).2. Regulations were made about working conditions; child labor was forbidden.3. The country began to extend the “franchise” , i.e., freedom to vote in general elections (Reform Bill). Freely elected town councils (市议会；镇议会) were established for the first time (democracy). 4. The Second Indu
15、strial Revolution (18701914) made a great progress in communications: the introduction of steam-driven steel ships, the development of the airplane, and the invention of the telephone5. In 1850, the publication of The Origin of Species (1859) by Charles Darwin startled the extremely religious Victor
16、ians.6. The power of the British Empire reached its peak in the 19th century, and Britain reached its stage of imperialism.VII.The Twentieth Century1. Labor Party (英国工党 ) grew rapidly in strength, and socialism became widespread. 2. Women fought for their “suffragette” () movement. （英国二十世纪初） 争取选举权的妇女運動3. The franchise was extended to all adults (including women). 4. The trouble
