The UK is governed by the parliament sitting in Westminster. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have parliaments or assemblies of their own, with devolved powers in defined areas.

Dylan Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer. He often read and performed his work in public, including for the BBC. His most well-known works include the radio play Under Milk Wood and the poem Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night.

In Middle Age Scotland, many people continued to speak Gaelic and the Scots language also developed. A number of poets began to write in the Scots language. One example is John Barbour, who wrote The Bruce about the Battle of Bannockburn.

In Scotland, minor criminal offences go to a Justice of the Peace Court. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, most minor criminal cases are dealt with in a Magistrates’ Court.

The role and membership of the House of Lords has changed over the last 50 years. Since 1958, the Prime Minister has had the power to nominate peers just for their own lifetime. These are called life peers.

The Paralympic Games for 2012 were hosted in London. The Paralympic Games have their origin in the work of Dr Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a German refugee, at the Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire. Dr Guttman developed new methods of treatment for people with spinal injuries and encouraged patients to take part in exercise and sport.

Women in Britain today make up about half of the workforce. On average, girls leave school with better qualifications than boys. More women than men study at university.

Although Britain is one of the world’s most diverse societies, there is a set of shared values and responsibilities that everyone can agree with. Some of these values and responsibilities are behaving responsibly, helping and protecting your family, and respecting and preserving the environment.

Ealing Studios has a claim to being the oldest continuously working film studio facility in the world.

Theatres are an important part of local communities and often show both professional and amateur productions. London’s West End, also known as ‘Theatreland’, is particularly well known.

Stonehenge was probably a special gathering place for seasonal ceremonies.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a Scottish doctor and writer. He was best known for his stories about Sherlock Holmes, who was one of the first fictional detectives.

The Reformation was a movement against the authority of the Pope and the ideas and practices of the Roman Catholic Church.

The war was initially fought between the Axis powers (fascist Germany and Italy and the Empire of Japan) and the Allies. The main countries on the allied side were the UK, France, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the Union of South Africa.

In the middle of the 19th century the potato crop failed, and Ireland suffered a famine. A million people died from disease and starvation.

The Scottish Parliament was formed in 1999. It sits in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland.

Since 2000, British armed forces have been engaged in the global fight against international terrorism and against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, and is in the Snowdonia national park in North Wales.

After William Ill took the English throne, some continued to believe that James was the rightful king, particularly in Scotland. Some joined him in exile in France; others were secret supporters. James’ supporters became known as Jacobites.

If you are resident in the UK, your car or motor cycle must be registered at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You must also have valid motor insurance. It is a serious criminal offence to drive without insurance.

After 1833, 2 million Indian and Chinese workers were employed to replace the freed slaves. They worked on sugar plantations in the Caribbean, in mines in South Africa, on railways in East Africa and in the army in Kenya.

The Prime Minister appoints about 20 senior MPs to become ministers in charge of departments. This includes ministers (called ‘Secretaries of State’) responsible for subjects such as education, health and defence.

Judges (who are together called ‘the judiciary’) are responsible for interpreting the law and ensuring that trials are conducted fairly. The government cannot interfere with this.

Bonfire Night, 5 November, is an occasion when people in Great Britain set off fireworks at home or in special displays. The origin of this celebration was an event in 1605, when a group of Catholics led by Guy Fawkes’ failed in their plan to kill the Protestant king with a bomb in the Houses of Parliament.