English Cultural Overview

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

The English are the people of England, a member state of the United Kingdom and larger British Isles.

Geography

England occupies the southern region of Great Britain, the largest of the British Isles archipelago. At its closest point, it lies about 35 kilometers or 21 miles off the coast of Northern France. The climate of Britain tends to be warmer and wetter than other nations at similar latitudes. Its landscapes primarily consist of rolling plains, deciduous forests, and open farmlands.

• Climate: Temperate and maritime

• Capital: London

• Total Population: 55,268,100 (2018 est.)

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History

English culture developed as a blend of many different peoples, beliefs, and customs. The original inhabitants of the island mixed with Celtic settlers. The resulting Britons were in turn conquered by the Roman Empire in the 1st century CE. The Romans occupied much of what would later become England and Wales, but they did not conquer modern Scotland or Ireland. When the empire declined and eventually abandoned the British Isles, it was replaced by another invading force: the Germanic Anglo-Saxons.

The Anglo-Saxons formed a number of small kingdoms, which unified to form the Kingdom of England in the 10th century. They fended off Viking raids and kingdoms but were eventually overthrown by another Germanic group: the Normans. In 1066, Norman forces led by William the Conqueror toppled the Anglo-Saxons and all but eradicated their nobility. William’s descendants would rule England for centuries. They included the famous Tudor dynasty, which produced both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

By the 16th century, England was an expanding colonial empire undergoing a turbulent Protestant Reformation. Its first major colonies in the Americas gained independence in the late 18th century. They were soon replaced, however, by colonies in regions like India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Africa, and the Pacific Islands. Following two hard-fought victories in the World Wars, many of Britain’s remaining colonies gained independence. Today, England is part of the United Kingdom. Its current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has overseen the longest reign in the nation’s history.

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Daily Life

For much of its history, daily life in England was divided between the working poor and the landed nobility. Medieval peasants tended to fields and livestock around large estates and ate diets heavy in grains, vegetables, and dairy. The nobility were far more likely to consume meat and pursue leisure activities, but they were also expected to contribute to the military and financial health of the kingdom. During the industrial revolution, much of England’s population moved to cities such as London, where they found jobs in mills, factories, and other trades. This transition has led to the current lifestyles of England and the United Kingdom, where families may pursue urban careers, more traditional rural farming, or both.

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Society

During the Middle Ages, England followed a feudal social model. This system supported a king and his nobles through the labor of a large lower class, who mostly lived as farmers, fisherman, and craftsmen. Over time, the monarchy has slowly relinquished power in favor of greater representation for the people. The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, placed legal limits on the king’s power and established a royal council. This council later evolved into a parliament, leading to the modern Parliament of the United Kingdom.

As the British Empire absorbed new colonies and the rest of the British Isles, it grew into a multicultural society, with citizens from across the globe. Today, the United Kingdom is a diverse nation with close ties to many of its former colonies and commonwealths. Its current government is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy.

• Major Languages: English

• Urban Population: 83.4% (UK total estimate)

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Economy

England’s economic history is the story of an agrarian kingdom expanding into a colonial empire and later industrial society. Although trade has taken place on the British Isles for thousands of years, commerce expanded greatly through the Roman conquest. The more isolated Anglo-Saxon kingdoms conducted trade on a more local level before the Normans brought new ties to the markets of Europe.

By the early 16th century, Spain had learned of the Americas and began settling colonies on their shores. The English and other European powers soon followed suit. At its height, the British Empire was the largest to have ever existed. Abundant raw resources, a booming population, and new technologies all pushed the English population to the cities, triggering an industrial revolution in the 19th century. This shift ensured that even as the United Kingdom’s colonial empire faded, it would remain one of the largest economies in the world. Today, it possesses the third-largest economy of Europe.

• Major Industries: Manufacturing, finance, transportation, energy, electronics, and raw goods

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Beliefs

The first known religion of England is Celtic polytheism, a widespread but poorly documented branch of European faiths. When the Romans invaded and conquered Britain, they carried with them both their own polytheism and early Christianity. The spread of Christianity in England was briefly interrupted by the Anglo-Saxons, who practiced a form of Germanic paganism. Nearby Christian lands such as modern Ireland and Scotland, however, sent missionaries to convert the Anglo-Saxons.

England then remained a devout Catholic kingdom until the 16th century. In 1531, Henry VIII formally separated from the Roman Catholic Church, founding what would become the Protestant Anglican Church of England. This act would trigger a number of revolts, rebellions, and violent suppressions, but Anglicanism remained the majority religion of England to the present day. Today, the United Kingdom is home to people of all major faiths, including a large portion practicing no religion.

Religious Demographics (UK total):

• Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist): 59.5%

• None: 25.7%

• Unspecified: 7.2%

• Muslim: 4.4%

• Other 2%

• Hindu: 1.3% (2011 est.)

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Arts & Music

England’s art history developed as a blend of both indigenous and foreign styles. While noble courts followed the trends of Europe, the common people of England inspired their artists with their own lore, folk songs, and crafts. Britain is especially well known for its literature, ranging from the Anglo-Saxon epic *Beowulf *to Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and many others. More recently, the United Kingdom has experienced a musical golden age, producing some of the most famous bands in the world.

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References

Dyer, Christopher. *Everyday Life in Medieval England. *Cambridge University Press. 2000.

Hibbert, Christopher.* Life in Victorian England*. New Word City. 2015.

Jenkins, Simon. A Short History of England. Profile Books. 2011.

Kumar, Krishan. The Idea of Englishness: English Culture, National Identity and Social Thought. Ashgate Publishing. 2015.

Olsen, Kirstin. Daily Life in 18th-Century England. 2nd Ed. ABC-CLIO. 2017.

“The World Factbook: United Kingdom.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 12 July 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html.

White, R.J. A Short History of England. Cambridge University Press. 1967.

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