St. Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick was probably born in Wales. One day some Irish pirates captured him and sold him to an Irishman. Patrick had to work very hard. After some time he escaped back to Wales. He became a priest and decided to bring Christianity to Ireland. He returned to Ireland in 432 AD. Peopole who listened to him became Christians. They believed that Patrick performed many miracles: he brought the dead back to life, drove all snakes away from Ireland. He died on 17 March, 461.
Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. People celebrate St Patrick's Day on 17 March. It's a national holiday in Ireland, but people in some other countries also celebrate the day. You can see great parades in many cities. The most famous are the ones in Dublin and New York. Many people, organisations, marching bands and dance groups take part in the parades. There are also special masses in honour of the saint. In the afternoon people participate in various games and sports, and in the evening they go to clubs, discos or meet and sing their traditional songs. This is called community singing.
On that day people wear green clothes, green ribbons and shamrocks. They decorate their houses with shamrocks. They want to show their love for Ireland. The shamrock is the symbol of Ireland because St Patrick used it to explain the idea of the Trinity. Another symbol of Ireland is the harp. The Irish also send shamrocks and greeting cards to their friends.
St Patrick's Day is a joyful holiday with many parties and banquets at which the Irish have their two traditional drinks: Guiness and Irish Whiskey
The Tricolor Flag of Ireland
The current flag of Ireland has three colors - white, orange and green. Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish nationalist and revolutionary who fought for his country's independence from the British introduced this flag in 1848. He says that the white in the center of the flag represents the peace between Irish people (represented by green color) and the English supporters of William III of england, or popularly known as "William Henry of Orange"
The Burns' Night
The Burns' Night celebration I attended was held in the dining room of a farm house near the famous golf course at St Andrews. Our hosts the McDougals and their fifteen guests were smartly dressed - some of the men wore kilts and the ladies wore evening dress before the meal. Mr and Mrs McDougal's children and nephews and nieces performed some traditional Scottish dances. When we sat down to eat at the long, beautifully decorated table. Someone said grace (a prayer at the beginning o the meal) and then we had soup made from chickens, leeks and potatoes. Everyone was waiting for the main event - the arrival of the haggis.
Before I go any further, I should probably say something about haggis. If you have a delicate stomach then this is the time to stop reading, OK? Haggis is made from the stomach of a sheep which is then filled with its chopped up heart, lungs and liver. Don't say that I didn't warn you! There are herbs and spices and various other things that go into it. It's then boiled slowly for a long time.
A friend of the family came in playing the bagpipes, then our host brought in the haggis on a plate. Bryan McFarlane, a teacher recited Burn's famous poem about the haggis. He said something about it being a great chieftain of the puddin' race'. Then, in the middle of one verse, he took a knife and cut open the haggis. It was served with mashed potatoes and a yellow vegetable the Scots call 'neeps'. Everyone drank a toast to Burns and started to eat what was on their plates. The hagis tasted delicious, but it's probably best not to think about its ingredients.
There was a toast to the ladies, and another to the gentlman. Afterwards people read and recited more of the poet's work or gave speeches about what Burns meant to them. The meal ended wi th cranachan, an absoulety heavenly dessert made from oatmeal, honey, cream and raspberries. Finally, at the end of the very long evening everyone stood up, linked arms and sang a song that is known all around the world. Here are just the opening words and the chorus. I'm sure that you know how the music goes!
Robert Burns
Robert Burns is considered to be Scotland's national poet. He was born on 1755 25th January. Burn's Night is held on the anniversary of his birthday. He came from a poor family. He didn't have much formal education and taught himself. He collected Scottish folk songs and wrote poems and songs. His most famous poeam is "Tam O'Shanter", which is about man who is chased by witches. He supported the French revolution. He died a poor man when he was just 37 years old.
St. Valentine
The carnival is ending. The days are short, cold and gloomy. It's February. Still, there's a special day in the middle of this month, on 14 February. This holiday is called St Valentine's Day. It's the Day of Lovers.
The day got its name from Valentinus - a saint who lived in the 3rd century. He helped the Christians persecuted by the Romans. The Roman Emperor put Valentine in prison. Valentine didn't want to believe in pagan gods so the Emperor ordered his soldiers to kill him. On 14 February Valentine wrote a farewell letter to his friend and signed it "From your Valentine". He died on the same day.
There's also an old legend which say that 14 February is the day when bird choose their partners. Tha's why people named the day - the Day of Lovers.
Today, people in Britain, USA and many other countries celebrate St Valentine's Day. They send valentine cards, called valentines, flowers and gifts to their sweethearts and friends. Valentine cards must be anonymous, which means that you can't sign your name on them. Valentines are usually colorful, with pictures of hearts, flowersm kittens, white doves or cupids with bows and arrows. You can also send a special valentine telegram or put an advertisement in a newspaper. But the most valued is a home-made valentine.
to carry a torch for somebody - you are in love with him/her
to burn with love - to love somebody very much
puppy love - the love of young people
to fall in love with somebody - to begin to love him/her
to be nuts about somebody - to love somebody very much
Easter
Welcome to the Great Egg Contest! The first competition is dyeing eggs. People say that this tradition comes from the times of Christ when St mary colored eggs to amuse baby Jesus. The English kept some dyed eggs at home after Easter to have a good luck.
Another Easter custom is rolling eggs. Children take their hard boiled colored eggs and roll them down the slope. The winner is the child whose egg cracks last.
The next competition is the egg-shackling game. Two children take their dyed eggs in their fists and crack them again each other. The winner gets the loser's egg.
And do you know that pace-egging is? It's and old tradition. English children go from door to door at Easter time and ask for colored eggs. They promise in a song not to come again until next Easter.
Probably the most popular Easter game is the egg hunt. Children play it in the parks on Easter Sunday. Every year there's an Easter egg hunt on the lawn of the White House on Easter Monday. Children look for eggs hidden in the grass, bushes and even trees. When they find the colored eggs, they put them in their baskets.
Do you know who lays Easter eggs? Hens? You're wrong! It's the Easter hare or the Easter Rabbit. The legend says that a poor woman dyed eggs at Easter and hid them in the garden. When her children were looking for the eggs, they saw a hare and then found the eggs. They thought that hares leave eggs in the grass at Easter.
Easter holidays
The last day of carnival is called Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday. On that day pancakes are the favourite food. There's the International Pancake Race in Liberal (USA) and Olney (England) at the same time. They have aprons on a frying pans in their hands. The winner gets a prayer book. Everything ends with a special service, at which the frying pans and the pancakes lie near the altar. The races started about 500 years ago when a woman who was baking pancakes heard the church bells. She started running to the church with a frying pan in her hand.
The next day is called Ash Wednesday. Easter time comes with Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem and people greeted Him with palm branches. Palm Sunday begins the Holy Week on Maundy Thursday - the day which commemorates the Last Supper - British Queen gives Maundy money to the poor. She gives them two pursues: in the red one there's money for food, in the white one there are special Maundy coins. The number of poor people and the number of the coins is the same as the Queen's age.
The Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion (death on the cross) of Jesus. The English bake hot-cross buns on that day. Years ago people thought hot cross buns baked on Good Friday had magical powers. People even used them as medicine.
The next day is Easter Eve the saturday when Christ lay in the tomb. Then comes Easter Sunday, the day of Christs' resurrection. Families eat for Easter dinner hard boiled eggs, various meats and delicious cakes. In New York people watch the Easter parade. British and American children play egg games like egg-shackling or egg hunt on Easter Sunday or Monday.
The tradition symbols of Easter are dyed eggs - symbols of a new life the Easter lamb.
to be no chicken - to be no longer young
to put all one's eggs in one basket - risk everything on only one thing
to count one's chickens before they hatch - to give your opinion before somebody asks you about it
you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs - you must take small sacrificies in order to get what you want
Schools in England
Some aspects of school life date back to the 19th century. Every day starts with school assembly - a meeting of whole school in the morning, before classes. In England it's also very popular to wear uniforms in school. About fifty percent of students in Britain have to wear school uniform. School day in primary and secondary school is very fixed - the first lesson begins at 9.15 a.m., and classes end at 3.30 p.m. Classes on Saturday are very unusual. Pupils study many subject to age of fourteen and then they usually study only 2 or 3 subjects during the last 2 years of school. P.E. in Britain is important and compulsory. Typical boys often play football or rugby in winter and cricket in spring, and girls usually do aerobic or play netball. England was one of the last country which stopped using corporal punishments. This become illegal in 1985. Nowadays teachers can punish students with lines or detention, which means that pupil has to stay in school after the lessons.
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Scotland
A long, high wall - Hadrian's wall - divides England and Scotland. In Roman Times this wall stopped the "Picts" in the north from entering Roman Britain in the south. (The Picts were the early people of Scotland.) You can visit Hadrian's wall today. It goest between Bowness in the weast and Wallsend in the east.
For many years, Scotland was an independent country, but in 1286 the Scottish king died without a son. England's King Edward I became the leader of Scotland. Scots weren't happy with this. The Scottish fighter William Wallace fought againts England. He was very brace (people called him Braveheart), but he lost. Edward took Wallace to London and executed him.
Scots didn't stop fighting. In 1314 Robert Bruce fought the English and won. He became King Robert I of Scotland.
A lot of scots preferred France to England. King James V of Scotland married a French princess. After he died, his daughter Mary became Queen of Scots. She married 3 times. Her first husband was the French King, but he died a year later. Her second husband was her cousin, Lord Darnley. They had a son, James. Then Darnley died. Mary quickly married again. She married her husband's killer, people said. Mary was in trouble! She asked her English cousin, Queen Elizabeth I for help. That was a mistake. Elizabeth executed Mary to stop from becoming Queen of England.
Elizabeth died in 1603 with no children. Now Mary's Son, James was King of Scotland and England. In 1707 Scotland became a part of England and lost its Parliament. In 1997 Scotland got its own Parliament again.
Ireland
The Celts came to Ireland in 300 BC. They made pots and farmed the land. From 400 AD Christians like Saint Patrick arrived. Saint Patrick became a very special person to the Irish. He is the patron saint of Ireland.
In 1607 many important Irish lords in the north of Ireland left the country. James I gave their lands to Englishmen and Scotsmen. They were Protestant Christians. But Ireland was a Catholic Christian country. Soon Irish protestants had the best jobs, good land and money. Catholics had the worst jobs, poor land and no money.
In 1800 Ireland became part of Great Britain. Then in the 1840s the potatoes in Irish farms went bad. There was a famine. Many poor Irish people got hungry and died. A lot emigrated to America or England, looking for a better life.
Many people in Ireland, mainly in the south - wanted to be independent. In 1918 the Irish political party Sinn Fein formed a parliament in Dublin. The IRA (Irish Republican Army) protected it. In 1921 Northern Ireland chose to stay part of Britain. In 1948 the South became an independent country - The Irish Republic. That problem was, there were still some Catholics in the North.
From the 1970s the IRA attacked ordinary people with guns and bombs. Many people died or were hurt in these terrorist attacks. The Protestants in the North fought back. Today, the terrorist attacks have stopped, but the problem hasn't gone away. The IRA wants Northern Ireland to join the Catholic Irish Republic. Protestant groups in the North want Northern Ireland to stay part of Britain. Most ordinary Irish people just wants peace.
Halloween
In the acient times, the Celts believed that on the last day of their year, 31 October, the spirits of dead visited the earth. The Celts were afraid of them so they lit bonfires to frighten the evil spirits away. They also dressed in animals skins to protect themselves from bad luck.
The Romans also had a holiday on 31 October. It was the day of Pomona, the goddess of harvest. The symbols of the holiday were fruit like apples or nuts. In the 9th century the Roman Catholic church named 1 November All Saints'Day. Some people who believed in witchcraft were against it and celebrated the Night of the Witch on 31 October.
Then the 3 customs mixed and people started to celebrate Halloween, which means the Eve of All Saints (Hallows). Today it's a very popular holiday in the USA and also in Britain. On Halloween children put on costumes. They disguise themselves as witches, goblins, monsters, ghosts of fairies and walk from house to house saying "Trick or treat". It means that if you don't give them any sweets [treats] they'll play a trick on you. They may soap the windows, put a pin your doorbell, pour water or throw flour on your door.
Children and even adults go to parties on Halloween. They wear funny costumes and masks and play various games. The most popular one is the competition in which people gather round a tub filled with water. They try to pick up apples which are there, using their teeth. In the evening they tell and listen to ghost stories.
Wales
Never call a Welsh person "English". They don't like it! The Welsh 're special people with a special history. They're Celts. The first Celts - people from Europe - came to live in Wales 700 before Christ.
Then the Romans lived in Britain and Wales. After that, Angle and Saxon people came from Europe to England but Wales stayed and independent country for 'bout 800 years.
In 1281 Welsh prince died in a fight with English soldiers. King Edward 1 of England captured Wales. He called his young son "Prince of Wales". Today, the Prince of Wales is Prince hcarles, the son of Queen of Elizabeth II. Charles' first Wife, Diana, was the Princess of Wales, his 2nd wife Camilla isn't.
In 1485 a Welshman Henry Tudor became King of England. He was Henry VII. His son Henry VIII made Wales a part of England in 1536. After that London ruled Wales. Everyone used the English language for important things. Young people started to forget the Welsh language. Some Welsh people weren't happy 'bout it.
In 1997 Wales got a Welsh Assembly - a place for Welsh people to talk 'bout Welsh problems. It's in the capital, Cardiff. Today, children in Wales learn Welsh at school. Thousands of people speak Welsh. There's Welsh language in TV too. Cymru means 'Wales' in Welsh.
Guy Fawkes
[London, 1605, Protestant England]
He's Catholic and hates king and Parliament because they're anticatholic. That's why he wants to blow up Houses of Parliament. He's not succesful. The king finds out about the plot because one of the plotters tells his brother-in-law: "Do not go to the Parliament on November 5th". The king's soldiers catch Guy Fawkes with 36 barrels of gunpowder. He's guilty of treason. They put him in prison where he dies.
[London, 21th century]
Children make a figure of a Guy, dress it in old clothes and put a hat on its head. They carry the doll in the streets and ask for "a penny for Guy". They need money for fireworks. In the evening they burn their Guys on the top of a bonfire. They also watch firework displays.
Thanksgiving
For 1000s of years, people of different nations have set aside a specific day to celebrate the autumn harvest, giving thanks for a plentiful season with large feasts or festivals. In the United States tihs day is simply called Thanksgiving Day and is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November as the unofficial beginnin' of winter.
The story of first American Thanxgivin' feast goes back to 1620 when Pilgrims, members of English Separatist Church, fleeing religious persecution in England, left their country on a ship called Mayflower and sailed to America. The long trip led to many disagreements aboard but once they saw land, the passengers decided to work out an agreement called the Mayflower Compact. It guaranteed equality among Pilgrims and announced John Varver the first governor.
Pilgrims settled in Plymouth. The place looked perfect with its harbour and resources. However a harsh winter proved to be devastating. Many Pilgrims didn't survive but those who did were helped by the Native Americans. The settlers were shown how to grow native vegetables, cultivate corn and other crops. The next October was very succesful and the Pilgrims had much to celebrate - they had survived and were well prepared for winter. Indians were invited to the celebratory feast, which was similar to the harvest celebration Pilgrims used to have in England. It lasted for 3 days and the main dishes included vegetables, Indian corn, pumpkin pie and fish. And, of course, turkey.
This event wasn't called "Thanksgivin" and Pilgrims didn't celebrate it regularly. To them a "Thanksgiving" was a religious holiday which they celebrated in church, offerint thanx for God's care and protection. It was governor William Bradford who later ordered a day of fasting and prayers and proclaimed 29th November a day of thanksgivin'. Custom continued through the years. In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgivin' Day as an annual custom, and, by the end of 19th century, many other states followed its example. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November 'Thanxgiving' but it wasn't until 1941 that Thanksgiving was set by American Congress as a national holiday.
Today Thanksgivin' Day has a special significance for all Americans. Every year, on the 4th Thursday of November, whole families gather around the table to celebrate and enjoy a traditional dinner of roast turkey, creamed onions, sweet potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin pie. It's a time for the whole family to get together, often from different parts of the country. The day is also regarded as a speical one for people in need, who receive gifts from charitable organisations.
Saint Patrick was probably born in Wales. One day some Irish pirates captured him and sold him to an Irishman. Patrick had to work very hard. After some time he escaped back to Wales. He became a priest and decided to bring Christianity to Ireland. He returned to Ireland in 432 AD. Peopole who listened to him became Christians. They believed that Patrick performed many miracles: he brought the dead back to life, drove all snakes away from Ireland. He died on 17 March, 461.
Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. People celebrate St Patrick's Day on 17 March. It's a national holiday in Ireland, but people in some other countries also celebrate the day. You can see great parades in many cities. The most famous are the ones in Dublin and New York. Many people, organisations, marching bands and dance groups take part in the parades. There are also special masses in honour of the saint. In the afternoon people participate in various games and sports, and in the evening they go to clubs, discos or meet and sing their traditional songs. This is called community singing.
On that day people wear green clothes, green ribbons and shamrocks. They decorate their houses with shamrocks. They want to show their love for Ireland. The shamrock is the symbol of Ireland because St Patrick used it to explain the idea of the Trinity. Another symbol of Ireland is the harp. The Irish also send shamrocks and greeting cards to their friends.
St Patrick's Day is a joyful holiday with many parties and banquets at which the Irish have their two traditional drinks: Guiness and Irish Whiskey
The Tricolor Flag of Ireland
The current flag of Ireland has three colors - white, orange and green. Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish nationalist and revolutionary who fought for his country's independence from the British introduced this flag in 1848. He says that the white in the center of the flag represents the peace between Irish people (represented by green color) and the English supporters of William III of england, or popularly known as "William Henry of Orange"
The Burns' Night
The Burns' Night celebration I attended was held in the dining room of a farm house near the famous golf course at St Andrews. Our hosts the McDougals and their fifteen guests were smartly dressed - some of the men wore kilts and the ladies wore evening dress before the meal. Mr and Mrs McDougal's children and nephews and nieces performed some traditional Scottish dances. When we sat down to eat at the long, beautifully decorated table. Someone said grace (a prayer at the beginning o the meal) and then we had soup made from chickens, leeks and potatoes. Everyone was waiting for the main event - the arrival of the haggis.
Before I go any further, I should probably say something about haggis. If you have a delicate stomach then this is the time to stop reading, OK? Haggis is made from the stomach of a sheep which is then filled with its chopped up heart, lungs and liver. Don't say that I didn't warn you! There are herbs and spices and various other things that go into it. It's then boiled slowly for a long time.
A friend of the family came in playing the bagpipes, then our host brought in the haggis on a plate. Bryan McFarlane, a teacher recited Burn's famous poem about the haggis. He said something about it being a great chieftain of the puddin' race'. Then, in the middle of one verse, he took a knife and cut open the haggis. It was served with mashed potatoes and a yellow vegetable the Scots call 'neeps'. Everyone drank a toast to Burns and started to eat what was on their plates. The hagis tasted delicious, but it's probably best not to think about its ingredients.
There was a toast to the ladies, and another to the gentlman. Afterwards people read and recited more of the poet's work or gave speeches about what Burns meant to them. The meal ended wi th cranachan, an absoulety heavenly dessert made from oatmeal, honey, cream and raspberries. Finally, at the end of the very long evening everyone stood up, linked arms and sang a song that is known all around the world. Here are just the opening words and the chorus. I'm sure that you know how the music goes!
Robert Burns
Robert Burns is considered to be Scotland's national poet. He was born on 1755 25th January. Burn's Night is held on the anniversary of his birthday. He came from a poor family. He didn't have much formal education and taught himself. He collected Scottish folk songs and wrote poems and songs. His most famous poeam is "Tam O'Shanter", which is about man who is chased by witches. He supported the French revolution. He died a poor man when he was just 37 years old.
St. Valentine
The carnival is ending. The days are short, cold and gloomy. It's February. Still, there's a special day in the middle of this month, on 14 February. This holiday is called St Valentine's Day. It's the Day of Lovers.
The day got its name from Valentinus - a saint who lived in the 3rd century. He helped the Christians persecuted by the Romans. The Roman Emperor put Valentine in prison. Valentine didn't want to believe in pagan gods so the Emperor ordered his soldiers to kill him. On 14 February Valentine wrote a farewell letter to his friend and signed it "From your Valentine". He died on the same day.
There's also an old legend which say that 14 February is the day when bird choose their partners. Tha's why people named the day - the Day of Lovers.
Today, people in Britain, USA and many other countries celebrate St Valentine's Day. They send valentine cards, called valentines, flowers and gifts to their sweethearts and friends. Valentine cards must be anonymous, which means that you can't sign your name on them. Valentines are usually colorful, with pictures of hearts, flowersm kittens, white doves or cupids with bows and arrows. You can also send a special valentine telegram or put an advertisement in a newspaper. But the most valued is a home-made valentine.
to carry a torch for somebody - you are in love with him/her
to burn with love - to love somebody very much
puppy love - the love of young people
to fall in love with somebody - to begin to love him/her
to be nuts about somebody - to love somebody very much
Easter
Welcome to the Great Egg Contest! The first competition is dyeing eggs. People say that this tradition comes from the times of Christ when St mary colored eggs to amuse baby Jesus. The English kept some dyed eggs at home after Easter to have a good luck.
Another Easter custom is rolling eggs. Children take their hard boiled colored eggs and roll them down the slope. The winner is the child whose egg cracks last.
The next competition is the egg-shackling game. Two children take their dyed eggs in their fists and crack them again each other. The winner gets the loser's egg.
And do you know that pace-egging is? It's and old tradition. English children go from door to door at Easter time and ask for colored eggs. They promise in a song not to come again until next Easter.
Probably the most popular Easter game is the egg hunt. Children play it in the parks on Easter Sunday. Every year there's an Easter egg hunt on the lawn of the White House on Easter Monday. Children look for eggs hidden in the grass, bushes and even trees. When they find the colored eggs, they put them in their baskets.
Do you know who lays Easter eggs? Hens? You're wrong! It's the Easter hare or the Easter Rabbit. The legend says that a poor woman dyed eggs at Easter and hid them in the garden. When her children were looking for the eggs, they saw a hare and then found the eggs. They thought that hares leave eggs in the grass at Easter.
Easter holidays
The last day of carnival is called Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday. On that day pancakes are the favourite food. There's the International Pancake Race in Liberal (USA) and Olney (England) at the same time. They have aprons on a frying pans in their hands. The winner gets a prayer book. Everything ends with a special service, at which the frying pans and the pancakes lie near the altar. The races started about 500 years ago when a woman who was baking pancakes heard the church bells. She started running to the church with a frying pan in her hand.
The next day is called Ash Wednesday. Easter time comes with Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem and people greeted Him with palm branches. Palm Sunday begins the Holy Week on Maundy Thursday - the day which commemorates the Last Supper - British Queen gives Maundy money to the poor. She gives them two pursues: in the red one there's money for food, in the white one there are special Maundy coins. The number of poor people and the number of the coins is the same as the Queen's age.
The Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion (death on the cross) of Jesus. The English bake hot-cross buns on that day. Years ago people thought hot cross buns baked on Good Friday had magical powers. People even used them as medicine.
The next day is Easter Eve the saturday when Christ lay in the tomb. Then comes Easter Sunday, the day of Christs' resurrection. Families eat for Easter dinner hard boiled eggs, various meats and delicious cakes. In New York people watch the Easter parade. British and American children play egg games like egg-shackling or egg hunt on Easter Sunday or Monday.
The tradition symbols of Easter are dyed eggs - symbols of a new life the Easter lamb.
to be no chicken - to be no longer young
to put all one's eggs in one basket - risk everything on only one thing
to count one's chickens before they hatch - to give your opinion before somebody asks you about it
you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs - you must take small sacrificies in order to get what you want
Schools in England
Some aspects of school life date back to the 19th century. Every day starts with school assembly - a meeting of whole school in the morning, before classes. In England it's also very popular to wear uniforms in school. About fifty percent of students in Britain have to wear school uniform. School day in primary and secondary school is very fixed - the first lesson begins at 9.15 a.m., and classes end at 3.30 p.m. Classes on Saturday are very unusual. Pupils study many subject to age of fourteen and then they usually study only 2 or 3 subjects during the last 2 years of school. P.E. in Britain is important and compulsory. Typical boys often play football or rugby in winter and cricket in spring, and girls usually do aerobic or play netball. England was one of the last country which stopped using corporal punishments. This become illegal in 1985. Nowadays teachers can punish students with lines or detention, which means that pupil has to stay in school after the lessons.
| Typical age | Type of education | Type of school | School years and exams |
| 3-4 | Pre-school education - not compulsory, but 47% of children attend | Nursery School/Playgroup | --------------------- |
| 4/5-10 | Primary education | Primary School | Year - 1-6 |
| 11-18 | Secondary education - at present students can leave after year 11 (16 years old) but more than 50% continue education for two years (years 12 and 13). The school-leaving age will go up to 17 in 2013 and 18 in 2015. | Secondary School (usually Comprehensive schools which are for students of all abilities) Some students choose to study for their A-levels at Colleges of further education. | Year 7 -11 GCSE's Year 12-13 A-levels |
| 19-22 | Higher education - about 40% of 19-years-olds enter higher education. | University - 3 of 4 years which finish with a Bachelor's degree - many students take a break (a gap year) before they start university. | |
Scotland
A long, high wall - Hadrian's wall - divides England and Scotland. In Roman Times this wall stopped the "Picts" in the north from entering Roman Britain in the south. (The Picts were the early people of Scotland.) You can visit Hadrian's wall today. It goest between Bowness in the weast and Wallsend in the east.
For many years, Scotland was an independent country, but in 1286 the Scottish king died without a son. England's King Edward I became the leader of Scotland. Scots weren't happy with this. The Scottish fighter William Wallace fought againts England. He was very brace (people called him Braveheart), but he lost. Edward took Wallace to London and executed him.
Scots didn't stop fighting. In 1314 Robert Bruce fought the English and won. He became King Robert I of Scotland.
A lot of scots preferred France to England. King James V of Scotland married a French princess. After he died, his daughter Mary became Queen of Scots. She married 3 times. Her first husband was the French King, but he died a year later. Her second husband was her cousin, Lord Darnley. They had a son, James. Then Darnley died. Mary quickly married again. She married her husband's killer, people said. Mary was in trouble! She asked her English cousin, Queen Elizabeth I for help. That was a mistake. Elizabeth executed Mary to stop from becoming Queen of England.
Elizabeth died in 1603 with no children. Now Mary's Son, James was King of Scotland and England. In 1707 Scotland became a part of England and lost its Parliament. In 1997 Scotland got its own Parliament again.
Ireland
The Celts came to Ireland in 300 BC. They made pots and farmed the land. From 400 AD Christians like Saint Patrick arrived. Saint Patrick became a very special person to the Irish. He is the patron saint of Ireland.
In 1607 many important Irish lords in the north of Ireland left the country. James I gave their lands to Englishmen and Scotsmen. They were Protestant Christians. But Ireland was a Catholic Christian country. Soon Irish protestants had the best jobs, good land and money. Catholics had the worst jobs, poor land and no money.
In 1800 Ireland became part of Great Britain. Then in the 1840s the potatoes in Irish farms went bad. There was a famine. Many poor Irish people got hungry and died. A lot emigrated to America or England, looking for a better life.
Many people in Ireland, mainly in the south - wanted to be independent. In 1918 the Irish political party Sinn Fein formed a parliament in Dublin. The IRA (Irish Republican Army) protected it. In 1921 Northern Ireland chose to stay part of Britain. In 1948 the South became an independent country - The Irish Republic. That problem was, there were still some Catholics in the North.
From the 1970s the IRA attacked ordinary people with guns and bombs. Many people died or were hurt in these terrorist attacks. The Protestants in the North fought back. Today, the terrorist attacks have stopped, but the problem hasn't gone away. The IRA wants Northern Ireland to join the Catholic Irish Republic. Protestant groups in the North want Northern Ireland to stay part of Britain. Most ordinary Irish people just wants peace.
Halloween
In the acient times, the Celts believed that on the last day of their year, 31 October, the spirits of dead visited the earth. The Celts were afraid of them so they lit bonfires to frighten the evil spirits away. They also dressed in animals skins to protect themselves from bad luck.
The Romans also had a holiday on 31 October. It was the day of Pomona, the goddess of harvest. The symbols of the holiday were fruit like apples or nuts. In the 9th century the Roman Catholic church named 1 November All Saints'Day. Some people who believed in witchcraft were against it and celebrated the Night of the Witch on 31 October.
Then the 3 customs mixed and people started to celebrate Halloween, which means the Eve of All Saints (Hallows). Today it's a very popular holiday in the USA and also in Britain. On Halloween children put on costumes. They disguise themselves as witches, goblins, monsters, ghosts of fairies and walk from house to house saying "Trick or treat". It means that if you don't give them any sweets [treats] they'll play a trick on you. They may soap the windows, put a pin your doorbell, pour water or throw flour on your door.
Children and even adults go to parties on Halloween. They wear funny costumes and masks and play various games. The most popular one is the competition in which people gather round a tub filled with water. They try to pick up apples which are there, using their teeth. In the evening they tell and listen to ghost stories.
Wales
Never call a Welsh person "English". They don't like it! The Welsh 're special people with a special history. They're Celts. The first Celts - people from Europe - came to live in Wales 700 before Christ.
Then the Romans lived in Britain and Wales. After that, Angle and Saxon people came from Europe to England but Wales stayed and independent country for 'bout 800 years.
In 1281 Welsh prince died in a fight with English soldiers. King Edward 1 of England captured Wales. He called his young son "Prince of Wales". Today, the Prince of Wales is Prince hcarles, the son of Queen of Elizabeth II. Charles' first Wife, Diana, was the Princess of Wales, his 2nd wife Camilla isn't.
In 1485 a Welshman Henry Tudor became King of England. He was Henry VII. His son Henry VIII made Wales a part of England in 1536. After that London ruled Wales. Everyone used the English language for important things. Young people started to forget the Welsh language. Some Welsh people weren't happy 'bout it.
In 1997 Wales got a Welsh Assembly - a place for Welsh people to talk 'bout Welsh problems. It's in the capital, Cardiff. Today, children in Wales learn Welsh at school. Thousands of people speak Welsh. There's Welsh language in TV too. Cymru means 'Wales' in Welsh.
Guy Fawkes
[London, 1605, Protestant England]
He's Catholic and hates king and Parliament because they're anticatholic. That's why he wants to blow up Houses of Parliament. He's not succesful. The king finds out about the plot because one of the plotters tells his brother-in-law: "Do not go to the Parliament on November 5th". The king's soldiers catch Guy Fawkes with 36 barrels of gunpowder. He's guilty of treason. They put him in prison where he dies.
[London, 21th century]
Children make a figure of a Guy, dress it in old clothes and put a hat on its head. They carry the doll in the streets and ask for "a penny for Guy". They need money for fireworks. In the evening they burn their Guys on the top of a bonfire. They also watch firework displays.
Thanksgiving
For 1000s of years, people of different nations have set aside a specific day to celebrate the autumn harvest, giving thanks for a plentiful season with large feasts or festivals. In the United States tihs day is simply called Thanksgiving Day and is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November as the unofficial beginnin' of winter.
The story of first American Thanxgivin' feast goes back to 1620 when Pilgrims, members of English Separatist Church, fleeing religious persecution in England, left their country on a ship called Mayflower and sailed to America. The long trip led to many disagreements aboard but once they saw land, the passengers decided to work out an agreement called the Mayflower Compact. It guaranteed equality among Pilgrims and announced John Varver the first governor.
Pilgrims settled in Plymouth. The place looked perfect with its harbour and resources. However a harsh winter proved to be devastating. Many Pilgrims didn't survive but those who did were helped by the Native Americans. The settlers were shown how to grow native vegetables, cultivate corn and other crops. The next October was very succesful and the Pilgrims had much to celebrate - they had survived and were well prepared for winter. Indians were invited to the celebratory feast, which was similar to the harvest celebration Pilgrims used to have in England. It lasted for 3 days and the main dishes included vegetables, Indian corn, pumpkin pie and fish. And, of course, turkey.
This event wasn't called "Thanksgivin" and Pilgrims didn't celebrate it regularly. To them a "Thanksgiving" was a religious holiday which they celebrated in church, offerint thanx for God's care and protection. It was governor William Bradford who later ordered a day of fasting and prayers and proclaimed 29th November a day of thanksgivin'. Custom continued through the years. In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgivin' Day as an annual custom, and, by the end of 19th century, many other states followed its example. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November 'Thanxgiving' but it wasn't until 1941 that Thanksgiving was set by American Congress as a national holiday.
Today Thanksgivin' Day has a special significance for all Americans. Every year, on the 4th Thursday of November, whole families gather around the table to celebrate and enjoy a traditional dinner of roast turkey, creamed onions, sweet potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin pie. It's a time for the whole family to get together, often from different parts of the country. The day is also regarded as a speical one for people in need, who receive gifts from charitable organisations.
©2011-2013 by Oskar Zmarzły