In 1851, the Great Exhibition opened in Hyde Park in the Crystal Palace, a huge building made of steel and glass. Exhibits ranged from huge machines to handmade goods. Countries from all over the world showed their goods but most of the objects were made in Britain.

During the Middle Ages, the English kings also fought a number of wars abroad. Many knights took part in the Crusades, in which European Christians fought for control of the Holy Land.

The Act of Union, known as the Treaty of Union in Scotland, was therefore agreed in 1707, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain. Although Scotland was no longer an independent country, it kept its own legal and education systems and Presbyterian Church.

In 2007, television viewers voted Wastwater as Britain’s favourite view.

Cricket originated in England and is now played in many countries. The most famous competition is the Ashes, which is a series of Test matches played between England and Australia.

The leader of the opposition usually becomes Prime Minister if his or her party wins the next General Election.

During Charles II’s reign, in 1665, there was a major outbreak of plague in London (the Great Plague). Thousands of people died, especially in poorer areas. The following year, a great fire destroyed much of the city, including many churches and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Walking and using public transport to get around when you can is also a good way to protect the environment. It means that you create less pollution than when you use a car.

William Beveridge (later Lord Beveridge) was a British economist and social reformer. He served briefly as a Liberal MP and was subsequently the leader of the Liberals in the House of Lords but is best known for the 1942 report Social Insurance and Allied Services (known as the Beveridge Report).

The population is very unequally distributed over the four parts of the UK. England more or less consistently makes up 84% of the total population, Wales around 5%, Scotland just over 8% and Northern Ireland less than 3%.

The King or Queen is the ceremonial head of the Commonwealth, which currently has 54 member states. She is also the monarch or head of state for many countries in the Commonwealth.

At the turn of the 19th century, Britain was not a democracy as we know it today. Although there were elections to select members of Parliament (MPs), only a small group of people could vote. They were men who were over 21 years of age ano who owned a certain amount of property.

In 1066, an invasion led by William, the Duke of Normandy (in what is now northern France), defeated Harold, the Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. Harold was killed in the battle. William became king of England and is known as William the Conqueror.

On 1 March, St David’s Day is celebrated in Wales. While it is no longer a public holiday, the day is still celebrated. Parades and small festivals are held all over the country.

The public can listen to debates in the Palace of Westminster from public galleries in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. You can write to your local MP in advance to ask for tickets or you can queue on the day at the public entrance. Entrance is free.

William Blake (1757-1827) wrote the famous lines of his poem The Tyger: ‘Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?’

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.

Lucian Freud (1922-2011) was a German-born British artist. He is best known for his portraits.

As France fell, the British decided to evacuate British and French soldiers from France in a huge naval operation. Many civilian volunteers in small pleasure and fishing boats from Britain helped the Navy to rescue more than 300,000 men from the beaches around Dunkirk.

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. If the jury finds a defendant guilty, the judge decides on the penalty.

A lot of people have gardens at home and will spend their free time looking after them. Some people rent additional land called an ‘allotment’, where they grow fruit and vegetables.

You need to be at least 16 years old to ride a moped. There are other age requirements and special tests for driving large vehicles.

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.

Henry VIII was succeeded by his son Edward VI, who was strongly Protestant. During his reign, the Book of Common Prayer was written to be used in the Church of England. A version of this book is still used in some churches today.