British History:
The Neolithic (new stone age) Period first began with
evidence of farming taking shape; tools such as stone
axes, antler combs, pottery became commonplace.
2500 BC
The beginning of the Bronze Age ; this is when multi-chambered
tombs first came in use and England saw the first
appearance of henge "monuments;" Europe's
largest prehistoric man-made hill at Silbury stood
at 132 ft.
600 BC
The start of the Iron Age, when bronze was replaced
by iron.
55 BC
Julius Caesar’s first ‘Invasion of Britain’.
Caesar and his Roman Legion crossed the shores from
Portus Itius (Boulogne) to Deal, just passed Dover
but were met with stiff resistance from the British
forces.
54 BC
This was the ‘Second Invasion of Britain’.
After the initial failure, the Romans organised a
much larger expedition to Britain consisting of 200
cavalry troops, 800 ships which transported 5 legions,
alongside a number of horses. During the ten days
of fighting, the British force was led by Cassivellaunus
ruler of the Catuvellauni tribe on the north of the
River Thames. After battles at the Stour Crossing
and the wood terrain north of the River Thames, the
Britons finally surrendered and were met by moderate
surrender terms.
Cymbeline, the King of Catuvellauni is acknowledged
by the Romans as the King of Britain.
75-77 AD
With the capture of Wales, the Romans had finally
conquered Britain completely.
122 AD
Hadrian’s Wall was ordered for construction
along the Northern frontier to provide resistance
against aggressive tribes into Britain.
167 AD
Pope Eleutherius is said to have sent missionaries
for the conversion of Britons to Christianity. This
is perhaps the most widely believed of all the legends
about the beginnings of Christianity in Britain.
209 AD
The first British martyr is killed for his faith at
St. Albans.
324 AD
Constantine finally achieved full control over the
Empire and proclaimed Christianity as the religion
of the Empire. He relocated the imperial headquarters
to Byzantium, which he renamed as ‘Constantinople’.
383 AD
Magnus Maximus was made emperor of Britain, conquering
Gaul, Spain and Italy.
407 AD
Constantine III hailed as the new Emperor of Britain.
410 AD
Britain gained independence from Rome.
735 AD
The Venerable Bede died after completing his History
of the Church in England four years earlier.
793 AD
The first Viking invasion of Britain with an attack
on Lindisfarne.
1066 AD
Edward the Confessor died and Harold II was crowned
King. The Battle of Hastings took place.
1086 AD
Completion of the Domesday Book in England.
1209 AD
Cambridge University was founded.
1215 AD
The signing of the Magna Carta took place.
1272 AD
Edward I was hailed King of England.
1348 AD
The Bubonic Plague, commonly referred to as the Black
Death became widespread in Britain.
1377 AD
Richard II became King of England.
1413 AD
Henry V assumed power.
1422 AD
After Deaths of Henry V of England and Charles VI,
Henry VI became King.
1364 AD
Joan of Arc burnt at Rouen and declared a witch.
1455 AD
War of the Roses between the royal houses of York
and Lancaster.
1461 AD
Edward IV became King of England after the defeat
of Lancastrians.
1483 AD
Following the death of Edward IV, Edward V is proclaimed
King until his uncle Richard III deposed him.
1509 AD
Henry VIII became King.
1517 AD
The beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
1547 AD
Edward VI, King of England.
1553 AD
Lady Jane Grey reigned as Queen for 9 days preceded
by Mary I.
1558 AD
Death of Mary I. Elizabeth I became Queen.
1603 AD
Death of Elizabeth and accession of James I.
1605 AD
Failure of the Gunpowder plot to blow up the Parliament
by Guy Fawkes.
1618 AD
The beginning of the Thirty Year’s War, lasting
until 1648.
1665 AD
Outbreak of the Great Plague in London.
1666 AD
The Great Fire of London.
1685 AD
James II became king of England.
1688 AD
The ‘Glorious Revolution’ in England with
the arrival of William of Orange.
1694 AD
William III became sole ruler.
1702 AD
Death of William and succession of Anne.
1714 AD
The beginning of the Hanover period following the
death of Anne and the accession of George I.
1727 AD
Death of George I and the crowning of George II.
1756 AD
The Seven Year’s War.
1760 AD
Death of George II and the succession of his grandson,
George III.
1775 AD
American Revolutions began.
1776 AD
America gained Independence.
1820 AD
George III died and was replaced by George IV.
1830 AD
Following the death of George IV, his brother William
IV became King. The opening of the first railway in
England, Manchester-Liverpool.
1833 AD
The abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire.
1837 AD
The death of William IV
and the succession of his niece Victoria.
1851 AD
The population of the United Kingdom stood at 21 million.
1873 AD
The population of the UK rose another 5 million to
reach 26 million.
1901 AD
Death of Victoria and the accession of Edward Prince
of Wales.
1914-18
The ‘Great War’.
1939-45
World War Two.
1947
India gained independence from the British Empire.
1948
On January 1st British Railways became nationalised.
Also this year the National Health Service (NHS) first
began and with the passing of the ‘British Citizenship
Act’, all commonwealth citizens became eligible
for British passports.
1951
The census recorded the English and Welsh population
at 43.7 million.
1952
Death of George VI and the succession of Elizabeth
II as Queen.
1955
Commercial TV began in Britain with the first advert
being for Gibbs SR toothpaste.
1958
Charles proclaimed Prince of Wales.
1964
Harold Wilson became Prime Minister.
1965
Death of Winston Churchill.
1970
Edward Heath became Prime Minister.
1971
Decimalisation of coinage in Britain.
1975
Margaret Thatcher became leader of the Conservative
Party.
1979
Margaret Thatcher became the first female Prime Minister
of Britain.
1981
Wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana.
1982
Birth of Prince William of Wales.
1987
Crash of the stock market, ‘Black Monday’
in the city of London.
1997
Lady Diana killed in a car crash.
2001
Outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK.
2002
The Queen Mother died aged 101 years.
2003
Britain allied with America and declared war on Iraq.
