After the execution of Charles I in 1649, England declared itself a republic, called the Commonwealth. It no longer had a monarch.

In 1921 a peace treaty was signed and in 1922 Ireland became two countries. The six counties in the north which were mainly Protestant remained part of the UK under the name Northern Ireland. The rest of Ireland became the Irish Free State. It had its own government and became a republic in 1949.

From 1853 to 1856, Britain fought with Turkey and France against Russia in the Crimean War. Queen Victoria introduced the Victoria Cross medal during this war. It honours acts of valour by soldiers.

If you are resident in the UK, your car or motor cycle must be registered at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), and you must pay an annual road tax. An MOT test is required every year if the car is over three years old. In Northern Ireland, a newly qualified driver must display an ‘R’ plate (for restricted driver) for one year after passing the test.

In 1807, it became illegal to trade slaves in British ships or from British ports, and in 1833 the Emancipation Act abolished slavery throughout the British Empire.

The leader of the opposition also appoints senior opposition MPs to be ‘shadow ministers. They form the shadow cabinet and their role is to challenge the government and put forward alternative policies.

The UK is part of the Commonwealth, an association of countries that support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development. It is also a member of the Council of Europe (which is separate from the EU), an organisation responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights in its member countries. Note: The UK formally left the European Union on 31 January 2020.

‘Great Britain’ refers only to England, Scotland and Wales, not to Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Speaker is neutral and does not represent a political party, even though he or she is an MP, represents a constituency and deals with constituents’ problems like any other MP. The Speaker keeps order during political debates to make sure the rules are followed. This includes making sure the opposition has a guaranteed amount of time to debate issues which it chooses.

The Eden Project is located in Cornwall, in the south west of England. Its biomes, which are like giant greenhouses, house plants from all over the world. The Lake District is England’s largest national park. It covers 885 square miles (2,292 square kilometres).

Almost everybody in the UK who is in paid work, including self-employed people, must pay National Insurance Contributions. Employees have their National Insurance Contributions deducted from their pay by their employer. People who are self-employed need to pay National Insurance Contributions themselves.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-59) was an engineer who built tunnels, bridges, railway lines and ships. He was responsible for constructing the Great Western Railway, which was the first major railway built in Britain. Many of Brunel’s bridges are still in use today.

There are several British overseas territories around the world, such as St Helena and the Falkland Islands. They are linked to the UK but are not a part of it.

The monarch is the head of the Church of England. The spiritual leader of the Church of England is the Archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch has the right to select the Archbishop and other senior church officials, but usually the choice is made by the Prime Minister and a committee appointed by the Church. Several Church of England bishops sit in the House of Lords.

In the north, the threat of attack by Vikings had encouraged the people to unite under one king, Kenneth MacAlpin. The term Scotland began to be used to describe that country.

The Wars of the Roses ended with the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. King Richard III of the House of York was killed in the battle and Henry Tudor, the leader of the House of Lancaster, became King Henry VII.

Like television, BBC radio stations are funded by TV licences and other radio stations are funded through advertisements.

Northern Ireland and Scotland have their own banknotes, which are valid everywhere in the UK. However, shops and businesses do not have to accept them.

The fundamental principles of British life include: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, participation in community life.

Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist. Her books include ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility. Her novels are concerned with marriage and family relationships. Many have been made into television programmes or films.

Famous horse-racing events in the UK include: Royal Ascot, a five-day race meeting in Berkshire attended by members of the Royal Family; the Grand National at Aintree near Liverpool; and the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

‘Easter eggs’ are chocolate eggs often given as presents at Easter as a symbol of new life.

In the UK, it is a criminal offence to carry a weapon of any kind, even if it is for self-defence. This includes a gun, a knife or anything that is made or adapted to cause injury.

Clement Attlee was Winston Churchill’s Deputy Prime Minister in the wartime coalition government and became Prime Minister after the Labour Party won the 1945 election.