In Scotland, serious offences are heard in a Sheriff Court with either a sheriff or a sheriff with a jury. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, serious offences are tried in front of a judge and a jury in a Crown Court.

There are a variety of foods that are traditionally associated with different parts of the UK. The ulster fry from Northern Ireland is a fried meal with bacon, eggs, sausage, black pudding, white pudding, tomatoes, mushrooms, soda bread and potato bread.

If your vehicle is over three years old, you must take it for a Ministry of Transport (MOT) test every year. It is an offence not to have an MOT certificate if your vehicle is more than three years old.

The leader of the opposition leads his or her party in pointing out what they see as the government’s failures and weaknesses.

Volunteering and helping your community are an important part of being a good citizen. They enable you to integrate and get to know other people. It helps to make your community a better place if residents support each other. It also helps you to fulfil your duties as a citizen, such as behaving responsibly and helping others.

In 1284 King Edward I of England introduced the Statute of Rhuddlan, which annexed Wales to the Crown of England.

St Augustine led missionaries from Rome, who spread Christianity in the south. St Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

One of the English Parliament’s generals, Oliver Cromwell, was sent to Ireland, where the revolt which had begun in 1641 still continued and where there was still a Royalist army. Cromwell was successful in establishing the authority of the English Parliament but did this with such violence that even today Cromwell remains a controversial figure in Ireland.

One achievement of King James’ reign was a new translation of the Bible into English. This translation is known as the ‘King James Version’ or the ‘Authorised Version’. It was not the first English Bible but is a version which continues to be used in many Protestant churches today.

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.

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

Emmeline Pankhurst set up the Women’s Franchise League in 1889, which fought to get the vote in local elections for married women.

Most people get information about political issues and events from newspapers (often called ‘the press’), television, radio and the internet. The UK has a free press. This means that what is written in newspapers is free from government control.

Jessica Ennis is an athlete. She won the 2012 Olympic gold medal in the heptathlon, which includes seven different track and field events. She also holds a number of British athletics records.

Within the UK, it is a legal requirement that men and women should not be discriminated against because of their gender or because they are, or are not, married. They have equal rights to work, own property, marry and divorce. If they are married, both parents are equally responsible for their children.

Queen Elizabeth Il is the head of state of the UK. She is also the monarch or head of state for many countries in the Commonwealth.

On 6 June 1944, allied forces landed in Normandy (this event is often referred to as ‘D-Day’). Following victory on the beaches of Normandy, the allied forces pressed on through France and eventually into Germany. The Allies comprehensively defeated Germany in May 1945.

The clock tower is named ‘Elizabeth Tower’ in honour of Queen Elizabeth Il’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Many industries and services were affected by strikes and this caused problems between the trade unions and the government. People began to argue that the unions were too powerful and that their activities were harming the UK.

There are several islands which are closely linked with the UK but are not part of it: the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. These have their own governments and are called ‘Crown dependencies’.There are also several British overseas territories in other parts of the world, such as St Helena and the Falkland Islands. They are also linked to the UK but are not a part of it.

Some workers, such as part-time workers, may not qualify for statutory payments such as maternity pay if they do not earn enough.

In 1948, Aneurin (Nye) Bevan, the Minister for Health, led the establishment of the National Health Service (NHS), which guaranteed a minimum standard of health care for all, free at the point of use.

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 Turner Prize is recognised as one of the most prestigious visual art awards in Europe. Previous winners include Damien Hirst and Richard Wright.