Historia De Inglaterra

GEOGRAPHY OF THE BRITISH ISLES (see map) The British Isles are divided in two big islands: Great Britain and Ireland. The union of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland forms the United Kingdom. Its flag is called "The Union Jack". It's important to point out that Ireland is divided in four provinces, one of them Ulster. Ulster is then divided in 9 counties, 6 forming Northern Ireland andthe other three belonging to the Republic of Ireland. The first thing to take into account when studying British geography is the importance of the sea in its History. Since the British Isles, as islands, are surrounded by the sea, they are isolated. The sea acts then as a good frontier and allows an independent life. Sea can be a way of getting into the British Isles (before 1.066 they sufferedlots of invasions), but it is also a natural defensive barrier (nobody was able to invade the Isles from 1.066). In relation with its geological history (which is important to consider when studying its History), till 5.000 BC Ireland and Great Britain were united to the continent, but then Ireland separated from Great Britain and later on, both islands separated from the continent, till theyreached their present configuration. The facts that take us to this conclusion is the presence of animals both in the British Isles and in the continent and the absence of, for example, snakes on Ireland (since this specie couldn't cross the land before the division). It's important to remember its position between two political blocks (Europe and America), and the strong relation with America (sinceit had been a colony, with lots of people emigrated there when colonisation time). When studying the physical map, one can realise how the natural division between Highlands (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) and Lowlands (England, Ireland) has influenced the division of countries. The Highlands is a more difficult place to live in, since it presents a harder climate; this made Lowlands a moreattractive place to live in or invade (that's the reason why this part suffered more invasions). So, Lowlands has more population and that makes it have more weight in politics (especially England, although now the rest of the United Kingdom is searching for more independence). Main cities: • London. It is the political centre of the United Kingdom. The main reason is that it has always been acommercial centre, since it's located near the continent. London was first made capital by the Romans, but it had been a commercial centre since long time ago. • Birmingham. It acts as a link between London and the industrial North, formed by a belt of cities and towns as Manchester or Liverpool. • Manchester, Liverpool... They are important industrial cities (mainly of iron or textile industries) thathelp in making England wealth in the XIX century. The goods manufactured there are then taken to London, and later on they are exported. Train is still the main way of taking those goods; the radial system in which the railway it's configured has to do with the location of the manufacture and the deliver of the goods: • From London to Birmingham and then to the belt of industrial cities. • FromLondon to western ports: from Bristol the products are taken to America; from Southampton they are taken to the East (India). In Scotland and Ireland this radial system is imitated:

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• In Scotland: from Edinburgh to Saxon Shore (then to France) or to Glasgow (it is both an industrial centre and a port). • In Northern Ireland: Belfast is both an industrial centre (shipbuilding) and a portwith connections with America. • Another cities like Cambridge and Oxford are educational centres. They are situated near London because of the political weight of England caused by the more dense population. Physical accidents and divisions. The Solway Firth and the Tyne River act as a natural frontier between Scotland and England. Romans in fact made a wall to divide both countries following...