Towns, cities and rural areas in the UK are governed by democratically elected councils, often called ‘local authorities’. Some areas have both district and county councils, which have different functions. Most large towns and cities have a single local authority.

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have separate leagues in which clubs representing different towns and cities compete. Most towns and cities have a professional club and people take great pride in supporting their home team. There can be great rivalry between different football clubs and among fans.

The Elizabethan period in England was a time of growing patriotism: a feeling of pride in being English. English explorers sought new trade routes and tried to expand British trade into the Spanish colonies in the Americas. The Elizabethan period is also remembered for the richness of its poetry and drama, especially the plays and poems of William Shakespeare.

St Patrick founded a monastery on the island of lona, off the coast of what is now Scotland.

Stand-up comedy, where a solo comedian talks to a live audience, has become popular again in recent years.

Serious civil cases - for example, when a large amount of compensation is being claimed - are dealt with in the High Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, they are dealt with in the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

In England, judges developed ‘common law’ by a process of precedence (that is, following previous decisions) and tradition.

The jury has to listen to the evidence presented at the trial and then decide a verdict of ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ based on what they have heard. In Scotland, a third verdict of ‘not proven’ is also possible.

In 1996, two British scientists, Sir lan Wilmut (1944-) and Keith Campbell (1954-2012), led a team which was the first to succeed in cloning a mammal, Dolly the sheep. This has led to further research into the possible use of cloning to preserve endangered species and for medical purposes.

In the 18th century, simpler designs became popular. The Scottish architect Robert Adam influenced the development of architecture in the UK, Europe and America. He designed the inside decoration as well as the building itself in great houses such as Dumfries House in Scotland.

The outbreak of the First World War led the British government to postpone any changes in Ireland. Irish Nationalists were not willing to wait and in 1916 there was an uprising (the Easter Rising) against the British in Dublin. The leaders of the uprising were executed under military law.

Although Ireland had had the same monarch as England and Wales since Henry VIII, it had remained a separate country. In 1801, Ireland became unified with England, Scotland and Wales after the Act of Union of 1800.

A good way to support your local community is to shop for products locally where you can. This will help businesses and farmers in your area and in Britain. It will also reduce your carbon footprint, because the products you buy will not have had to travel as far.

The Industrial Revolution was the rapid development of industry in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries. Britain was the first country to industrialise on a large scale. It happened because of the development of machinery and the use of steam power.

If you wish to be a permanent resident or citizen of the UK, you should: respect and obey the law; respect the rights of others; including their right to their own opinions; treat others with fairness; look after yourself and your family; look after the area in which you live and the environment. There is no place in British society for extremism or intolerance.

Adult citizens of the UK, and citizens of the Commonwealth and Ireland who are resident in the Uk, can vote in all public elections.

Isaac Newton’s most famous published work was Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (‘Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy’), which showed how gravity applied to the whole universe.

In the UK, women and men have equal rights to work. Employment opportunities for women are much greater than they were in the past. Women work in all sectors of the economy, and there are now more women in high-level positions than ever before, including senior managers in traditionally male-dominated occupations. Alongside this, men now work in more varied jobs than they did in the past. It is no longer expected that women should stay at home and not work. Women often continue to work after having children. In many families today, both partners work and both share responsibility for childcare and household chores.

The Laurence Olivier Awards take place annually at different venues in London. There are a variety of categories, including best director, best actor and best actress. The awards are named after the British actor Sir Laurence Olivier, later Lord Olivier, who was best known for his roles in various Shakespeare plays.

Queen Elizabeth Il was married to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Note: Prince Philip passed away 9 April 2021.

There are many different places to go shopping in the UK. Most towns and cities have a central shopping area, which is called the town centre.

There are religious buildings for other religions all over the UK. This includes Islamic mosques, Hindu temples, Jewish synagogues, Sikh gurdwaras and Buddhist temples.

Britain had a Conservative government from 1951 to 1964 The 1950s were a period of economic recovery after the war and increasing prosperity for working people.

For most people, the right amount of income tax is automatically taken from their income from employment by their employer and paid directly to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the government department that collects taxes. This system is called ‘Pay As You Earn’ (PAYE).