Cheat sheet
A long and illustrious history
From the Romans and the Norman Conquest to Magna Carta, the Tudors, the Empire and the World Wars.
The facts to remember, in one place. Drill them with mock exams and spaced repetition in Life in the UK Test.
Download on theApp StoreKey dates in British history
- ◆ 1066 — the Battle of Hastings; William the Conqueror became King of England.
- ◆ 1215 — Magna Carta was sealed, limiting the power of the monarch.
- ◆ 1605 — the Gunpowder Plot, remembered on Bonfire Night (5 November).
- ◆ 1688 — the Glorious Revolution; 1689 — the Bill of Rights.
- ◆ 1066 is the single most-asked date — learn it first.
British kings and queens to know
- ◆ William the Conqueror — won the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
- ◆ Henry VIII — broke with Rome and founded the Church of England; had six wives.
- ◆ Elizabeth I — Protestant queen; defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
- ◆ Queen Victoria — reigned 1837–1901, the height of the British Empire.
- ◆ The monarch today is head of state but does not run the government.
The Tudors and the Stuarts
- ◆ Henry VIII broke with Rome and founded the Church of England.
- ◆ Elizabeth I was a Protestant queen; the Spanish Armada was defeated in 1588.
- ◆ The English Civil War led to the execution of Charles I in 1649.
- ◆ Oliver Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector during the republic that followed.
- ◆ The monarchy was restored in 1660 under Charles II.
The British Empire and the Commonwealth
- ◆ The British Empire was once the largest the world has known.
- ◆ The Empire gradually developed into the Commonwealth of independent nations.
- ◆ The Commonwealth has more than 50 member countries.
- ◆ Membership is voluntary and based on shared values.
- ◆ The monarch is the Head of the Commonwealth.
Roman and Anglo-Saxon Britain
- ◆ The Romans invaded and ruled much of Britain for around 400 years.
- ◆ Hadrian’s Wall was built to keep out tribes from the north (Scotland).
- ◆ The Anglo-Saxons settled in England after the Romans left.
- ◆ Christianity spread among the Anglo-Saxons.
- ◆ Place names ending in “-ham” or “-ton” often have Anglo-Saxon roots.
The suffragettes and the right to vote
- ◆ The suffragettes campaigned for women’s right to vote.
- ◆ Emmeline Pankhurst was a leading figure in the movement.
- ◆ In 1918 women over 30 who met a property qualification gained the vote.
- ◆ In 1928 women were given the right to vote at 21, the same as men.
- ◆ Today everyone aged 18 and over can vote in a general election.
The Industrial Revolution and its impact
- ◆ Britain was the first country to industrialise.
- ◆ James Watt improved the steam engine, powering factories and railways.
- ◆ Richard Arkwright pioneered the factory system.
- ◆ People moved from the countryside to growing industrial towns.
- ◆ Britain became known as “the workshop of the world”.
The two world wars
- ◆ The First World War lasted from 1914 to 1918.
- ◆ The Second World War lasted from 1939 to 1945.
- ◆ Sir Winston Churchill was Prime Minister for much of the Second World War.
- ◆ The Battle of Britain was fought in the air in 1940.
- ◆ Remembrance Day, 11 November, honours those who died in the wars.