History of England Explained in 12 Minutes — Transcript

This video is brought to you by Captivating History. The history of England is one of invasions, cultural revolution, and change. When the Ice Age ended and the sea levels rose, the low-lying land of modern-day England was swamped, creating an island. It was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic period but took its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe from the Anglia Peninsula who settled there in the 5th and 6th centuries. The Iron Age followed the Ice Age when hunting continued as a source of food, but farming technology developed, allowing the nomadic peoples to create settlements, and early farmsteads began to appear on the landscape. Named due to the use of bronze and copper to create tools, weapons, and decorative items by peoples known as the Celts, the Bronze Age existed from 2,500 until circa 800 CE. It was during this period that large stone meeting places, or henges, such as Avebury and Stonehenge, were constructed. Eventually, the Celts came to the attention of the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar, who sent a military expedition to England in 55 BCE but failed to conquer it. The Romans succeeded in 43 CE when Emperor Claudius successfully led an invasion, and they ruled England as a colony for the next six hundred years. They brought with them elements of their own civilization. They constructed roads and cities with forums, baths, aqueducts, and theaters. Traders and craftsmen arrived, and the Anglo-Roman population grew. In 120 CE, Emperor Hadrian commissioned a massive wall between England and Scotland to dissuade attacks from the Picts in Scots, known as Hadrian's Wall. It marked the northern border of the Roman Empire. As the Empire began to crumble, troops were withdrawn from England to defend Rome, but in 410 CE, it fell to a Visigoths army, and England was left to defend itself. Forty years later, around 450 AD, Vordigan, a local ruler, invited Danish mercenaries to defend his area of England from attacks led by the Picts in Scots. However, the Danes turned on their host and established the first Saxon kingdom of England. Other mercenary groups invaded, resulting in the establishment of a patchwork of rival Saxon and Angle kingdoms that were continually at war. These rivalries were known as the Dark Ages, a period where Anglo-Saxon art and literature inspired by Christianity became refined. This period was violently ended by the constant invasion of Viking armies, who established settlements and took over Saxon kingdoms. Eventually, after many battles, the separate kingdoms were unified under the reign of Ethelstan, and a united England was created. In 1066, on the death of Edward the Confessor, three men vying for the English crown—Harold the First, the Manor, took the throne; Harald Hardrada, King of Norway; and William of Normandy—this rivalry led to two invasions. Harold the First defeated the Viking army at Stamford Bridge but was defeated himself at Hastings by William, who unheraldedly crowned himself King on Christmas Day 1066 to control the defeated Saxons. William gave vast tracts of land to his own lords and constructed a number of large stone castles to raise money. He instructed that a detailed inventory be taken of all English lands, an undertaking that became the Domesday Book. William was succeeded by King John, who, believing he was above the law, forcefully took what he needed from the people. However, the barons disputed his demands, and in 1215, they presented the king with an ultimatum, a document that became known as the Magna Carta. The year after its signing, King John died, and in 1216, his son, the nine-year-old Henry, inherited the crown. During the next hundred years, England was scourged by the plague known as the Black Death, responsible for killing one-third of the population. In 1485, when Henry Tudor defeated Richard the Third at the Battle of Bosworth Field, the Tudor dynasty began. Henry the Seventh ruled wisely, but after his son Arthur was killed, he decreed that his younger son, also called Henry, should marry Arthur's widow, Catherine. The wedding followed, and his son, the 18-year-old Henry the Eighth's subsequent coronation. After 20 years of marriage and one daughter, Mary, Henry divorced Catherine as she had not produced a son. To ensure the divorce, he broke with the Catholic Church and declared himself to be the head of the Church of England. In 1533, he married Anne Boleyn. This marriage resulted in another daughter, Elizabeth. Three years later, Anne was tried for treason. She was executed at the Tower of London in 1536. Henry the Eighth married six times during his life. During his third marriage to Jane Seymour, he fathered his son named Edward. Jane died shortly after his son was born. In 1547, Henry himself died, and Edward, who was nine years old, inherited the crown. But when he died aged just fifteen, the crown passed to his cousin Jane Grey, who was forcibly deposed after just nine days by Mary, Edward's elder half-sister, who wanted England to revert to Catholicism. She died childless in 1558, leaving Elizabeth to become queen. Under Elizabeth the First, the navy established by Henry the Eighth developed into England's major form of defense and became the means by which England explored, colonized, and traded around the globe in a prosperous period called England's Golden Age. Elizabeth never married. Dying, she indicated she wanted James the Sixth of Scotland to succeed her. So, in 1603, James the Sixth of Scotland became James the First of England. His personal debts and Catholic baptism were the sources of some dissension and gave rise to the infamous assassination attempt known as the Gunpowder Plot. His successor and son, Charles, took to the throne in 1625. He believed God had created him king, and due to that belief, he did not trust the English Parliament. Between 1629 and 1640, he dismissed it, choosing to rule by royal decree, a situation that led to the English Civil War. Charles the First was tried and found guilty of treason on January 26th, 1649, and beheaded. The war ended when Cromwell's Parliamentarian New Model Army defeated King Charles the Second's royalists at the Battle of Worcester on September 3rd, 1651. Charles was exiled, and the monarchy was replaced with the Commonwealth of England and then the Protectorate under the personal rule of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell died in 1658, and his son Richard became Lord Protector, but he lacked his father's talents. In May 1659, he resigned, and Parliament arranged for Charles the Second to take the throne. In 1685, when the Catholic James II took the throne, several English politicians objected and wrote to William of Orange, a popular Protestant who had married James the Second's daughter. He accepted the offer and landed at Brixham on November 5th, 1688, and began a march on London. Before he arrived, James II fled to France, and William was crowned on April 21st, 1689, alongside his Queen Mary II. The couple ruled jointly until Mary's death in 1694. William lived on for 10 years, dying in 1702, when Mary's sister Anne ascended to the throne. When Anne died in 1714,

inhabited, by, modern, humans, during, the Upper, Paleolithic, period, but, took, its name, from, the, angles, a, Germanic, tribe from, the, Anglia, Peninsula, who, settled there, in, the, 5th, and, 6th, centuries, the Iron, Age, followed, the, Ice, Age, when

hunting, continued, as, a, source, of, food but, farming, technology, developed allowing, the, nomadic, peoples, to, create settlements, and, early, farmsteads, began to, appear, on, the, landscape, named, due, to the, use, of, bronze, and, copper, to, create tools, weapons, and, decorative, items, by

peoples, known, as, the, Celts, the, Bronze Age, existed, from, 2,500, until, circa, 800, C II, it, was, during, this, period, that, large stone, meeting, places, or, henges, such, as, f Murray, and, Stonehenge, were, constructed eventually, the, Celts, came, to, the

attention, of, the, Roman, Emperor, Julius Caesar, who, sent, a, military, expedition, to England, in, 55, BCE, but, failed, to, conquer it, the, Romans, succeeded, in, 43, C, II, when Emperor, Claudius, successfully, led, an invasion, and, they, ruled, England, as, a

colony, for, the, next, six, hundred, years they, brought, with, them, elements, of, their own, civilization, they, constructed, roads and, cities, with, forms, baths, aqueducts and, theaters, traders, and, craftsmen arrived, and, the, Anglo, Roman, population grew, in, 120, seee

Emperor, Hadrian, commissioned, a, massive wall, between, England, and, Scotland to, dissuade, attacks, from, the, Picts, in Scots, known, as, Hadrian's, Wall, it, marked the, northern, border, of, the, Roman, Empire as, the, Empire, began, to, crumble, troops were, withdrawn, from, England, to, defend

Rome, but, in, fort, nce, it, fell, to, a Visigoths, army, and, England, was, left, to defend, itself, forty, years, later, around 450, ad, vordigan, a, local, ruler, invited Danish, mercenaries, to, defend, his, area, of England, from, attacks, led, by, the, Picts, in

Scots however, the, Danes, turned, on, their, host and, established, the, first, Saxon, kingdom of, England, other, mercenary, groups invaded, resulting, in, the, establishment of, a, patchwork, of, rival, Saxon, and, Engel kingdoms, that, were, continually, at, war these, rivalries, were, known, as, the, Dark

Ages, a, period, where, anglo-saxon, art, and literature, inspired, by, Christianity became, refined, this, period, was, violently ended, by, the, constant, invasion, of, Viking armies, who, established, settlements, and took, over, Saxon, kingdoms, eventually after, many, battles, the, separate, kingdoms

were, unified, under, the, reign, of, ethel stan, and, a, united, england, was, created, in 1066, on, the, death, of, Edward, the Confessor, three, men, vying, for, the English, crown Harold, the, first, the, manor, took, the throne, Harald, heard, Ronna, King, of, Norway

and, William, of, Normandy, this, rivalry, led to, two, invasions, Harold, the, first defeated, the, Viking, army, at, Stamford Bridge, but, was, defeated, himself, at Hastings, by, William, who, unheralded, ëthe crowned, himself, King, on, Christmas, Day 1066, to, control, the, defeated, Saxons

William, gave, vast, tracts, of, land, to, his own, Lords, and, constructed, a, number, of large, stone, castles, to, raise, money, he instructed, that, a, detailed, inventory, be taken, of, all, English, lands, an undertaking, that, became, the, Doomsday Book, William, was, succeeded, by, King, John

who, believing, he, was, above, the, law forcefully, took, what, he, needed, from, the people, however, the, Barons, disputed, his demands, and, in, 1215, they, presented, the king, with, an, ultimatum, a, document, that became, known, as, the, Magna, Carta, the, year

after, its, signing, King, John, died, and, in 1216, his, son, the, nine, year, old, Henry inherited, the, crown, during, the, next hundred, years, England, was, scourge, died the, plague, known, as, the, Black, Death, and responsible, for, killing, one-third, of, the

population, in, 1485, when, Henry, Tudor defeated, Richard, the, third, at, the, Battle of, Bosworth, Field, the, Tudor, dynasty began, Henry, the, seventh, ruled, wisely, but after, his, son, Arthur, was, killed he, decreed, that, his, younger, son, also called, Henry, should, marry, Arthur's, Widow

Catherine, the, wedding, followed, his, and his, son, the, 18, year, old, Henry, the eighth's, subsequent, coronation, after, 20 years, of, marriage, and, one, daughter, marry Henry, divorced, Catherine, as, she, had, not produced, a, son, to, ensure, the, divorce, he

broke, with, the, Catholic, Church, and declared, himself, to, be, the, head, of, the Church, of, England, in, 1533, he, married Anne, Boleyn, this, marriage, resulted, in another, daughter, Elizabeth, three, years later, he, had, n, tried, for, treason, she, was

executed, at, the, Tower, of, London, in, 1536 Henry, the, eighth, married, six, times during, his, third, marriage, to, Jane Seymour, he, father, his, son, named, Edward Jane, died, shortly, after, his, son, was, born in, 1547, Henry, himself, died, and, Edward

who, was, nine, years, old, inherited, the crown, but, when, he, died, aged, just, fifteen the, crown, passed, to, his, cousin, Jane, Grey who, was, forcibly, deposed, after, just, nine days, by, Mary, Edwards, elder, half-sister who, wanted, England, to, revert, to

Catholicism, she, died, childless, in, 1558 leaving, Elizabeth, to, become, Queen, under Elizabeth, the, first the, Navy, established, by, Henry, the, eighth developed, into, England's, major, form, of defense, and, became, the, means, by, which England, explored, colonized, and, traded

around, the, globe, in, a, prosperous, period called, England's, Golden, Age, Elizabeth never, married, dying, she, indicated, she wanted, James, the, sixth, of, Scotland, to succeed, her, so, in, 1603, James, the, sixth of, Scotland, became, James, the, first, of

England, his, personal, debts, in, Catholic baptism, were, the, sources, of, some dissension, and, gave, rise, to, the, infamous assassination, attempt, known, as, the Gunpowder, Plot his, successor, and, son, Charles, took, to the, throne, in, 1625, he, believed, God, had

created, him, King, and, due, to, that, belief he, did, not, trust, the, English, Parliament and, between, 1629, and, 1640, he, dismissed it, choosing, to, rule, by, royal, decree, a situation, that, led, to, the, English war, Charles, the, first, was, tried, and

found, guilty, of, treason, on, January, 26th 1649, and, beheaded, the, war, ended, when cromwell's, parliamentarian, New, Model Army, defeated, king, charles, the, second's royalist, at, the, Battle, of, Worcester, on 3rd, September, 1651, Charles, was, exiled and, the, monarchy, was, replaced, with, the

Commonwealth, of, England, and, then, the Protectorate, under, the, personal, rule, of Oliver, Cromwell, Cromwell, died, in, 1658 and, his, son, Richard, became, Lord Protector, but, he, lacked, his, father's talents, in, May, 1659, he, resigned, and Parliament, arranged, for, Charles, the

second, to, take, the, throne, in, 1685, when the, catholic, james, ii, took, the, throne several, english, politicians, objected, and wrote, to, William, of, Orange a, popular, Protestant, who, had, married James, the, second, daughter, he, accepted the, offer, and, landed, at, Brixham, on

November, 5th, 1688, and, began, a, march, on London, before, he, arrived, james, ii, fled to, france, and, william, was, crowned, on April, 21st, 1689, alongside, his, Queen, Mary ii, the, couple, ruled, jointly, until, Mary's death, in, 1694, William, lived, on, for, 10

years dying, in, 1702, when, Mary's, sister, and ascended, to, the, throne, when, Anne, died, in 1714, the, Georgian, period, began, named after, the, four, Hanoverian, George's, and includes, the, short, reign, of, William, the fourth, it, is, a, term, used, to, describe, the

social, and, political, history architecture, and, fashions, between, 1714 and, the, 1830s, a, period, of, the, start, of the, Industrial, Revolution, that, began around, 1769, lasted, into, the, 1840s, that helped, to, make, England, one, of, the richest, countries, in, the, world, however

it, was, also, the, period, when, England, lost control, of, its, American, colonies, when Queen, Victoria, came, to, the, throne, in 1837, aged, eighteen, she, was, the, ruler, of Great, Britain, Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, and, parts, of, Africa, her, rule

heralded, an, unprecedented, series, of inventions, and, discoveries when, she, died, in, 1902, her, reign, had, seen the, invention, of, steam, power industrialization, and, major, advancements in, the, arts, the, 20th, century, began, with the, death, of, Victoria, succeeded, by, her

son, Edward, Edwardian, England, was, a period, of, decadence, and, enjoyment however, his, reign, only, lasted, nine, years he, died, in, 1910, and, was, succeeded, by, his son, George, v, the, causation, of, the, First World, War, 1914, to, 1918, was, long, and

protracted, as, each, European, country found, themselves, dragged, into, the conflict, after, Germany, declared, war, on Russia, on, the, 1st, of, August, 1914, and, on France, three, days, later, on, the, 4th, of August, Britain, too, declared, war, when, it

ended, in, 1980, on, the, 11th, hour, of, the 11th, day, of, the, 11th, month, it, had, been the, deadliest, conflict, in, human, history as, an, outcome, of, the, war, some, women, who had, worked, at, jobs, usually, filled, by, men

were, granted, the, vote, in, 1918, whilst, all women, gained, the, same, voting, rights, as men, in, 1928, post-world, War, One, England underwent, a, period, of, unrest, when different, industrial, workers, went, on strike, for, better, working, conditions, and higher, wages, leading, up, to, the, general

strike, of, 1926, which, was, followed, by, a financial, crash, known, as, the, depression in, January, 1936, King, George, v, died, and was, succeeded, by, his, eldest, son, Edward the, eighth, however, Edward, had, fallen, in love, with, a, divorced, American, woman

while, the, Simpson, even, in, the, 30s, a member, of, the, royal, family, was, not allowed, to, marry, a, divorcee, in, his Edward, refused, to, break, off, his relationship, on, December, 11th, 1936, he abdicated, passing, the, crown, unto, his

brother, war, broke, out, again, in, 1939, when England, stood, firm, against, the aggression, of, Nazi, Germany, it, ended, in 1945, and, the, reconstruction, of, London and, England, began, in, 1951, the, festival of, Britain, was, staged, to, celebrate national, recovery, the, 1960s, saw, a, huge

social, and, sexual revolution, with, the, invention, of, the pill, and, when, groups, such, as, the, Beatles led, youth, culture, and, swinging, London led, the, world, in, fashion, trends, it, also saw, great, technological, advances, such, as the, moon-landing, supersonic, flight, the

joining, of, the, EEC, and, the, establishment of, London, as, a, global, financial, center however, as, the, 20th, century, came, to, an end England's, power, began, to, wane, where, its future, and, global, position, in, the, 21st century, lies, only, time, will, tell, if, you

want, to, learn, more, about, English, history then, check, out, our, book, history, of England, a, captivating, guide, to, English history, starting, from, antiquity, through the, rule, of, the, anglo-saxons, Vikings Normans, and, tutors, to, the, end, of, World War, two, it's, available, as, an, e-book

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