London’s early history. (1)

Contents

• Introduction ...................................................3
  
• London’s early history.....................................4-5
  
• The people of London......................................6
  
• Buildings and bridges......................................7
  

Intruduction
London is the capital of the united kingdom (UK), which is made up of Great Britain ( England , Scotland, Wales ) and Northern Ireland . The city lies in the south- east of England and covers an area of about 1,578 square kilometres on either side of the River Thames . With population of seven million, London is by far the largest city in the UK. Birmingham, the second largest, has just over one million inhabitants.
Cultural life
London is the world-class centre . It has more than40 theatres , where audiences enjoy everything from musicals to William Shakespeare ’s plays. The city also contain many cinemas, concert halls , museums and art galleries.
Royal residence
English ( later British) kings and queens have lived in London for almost 1,000 years . There are several royal palaces in the capital. St James’s Palace was built by King Henry VIII in the 16th century . Since 1837 the monarch has lived in Buckingham Palace
LONDON’S EARLY HISTORY
The Romans invaded England in 43 AD. They landed in Kent, made their way to the River Thames and sailed up it. Then they settled in a place on the north bank, where the river was not to wide . This settlement was called Londinium. A bridge was later built across the Thames.
Roman London
Tribes in England fought the Romans. The Iceni tribe, led by Queen Boudicca, burned down Londinium in 61 AD. The Romans later defeated the tribes and restored Londinium. It became the capital of Roman Brittan. A Basilica, forum and fort were built, plus a wall around the city. The Romans ruled until 410.
Medieval London
After Edward came King Harold in1066. Later that year he was defeated by William, Norman duke. William I was crowned king in Westminster Abbey. In the following years London grew rapidly and by 1300 about 80,000 people lived there. The Black Death killed of 1348-50 killed about half this population.
Tudor London
London grew in importance under Tudor rule . King Henry VIII created palaces such as St James’s. He is also famous for closing the country ’s monasteries in 1536 , after the Catholic Church refused to grant him a divorce . During the reign of Elizabeth I, London was a wealthy and successful city. Theatre became popular , helped by the arrival of playwright William Shakespeare some time between 1584 and 1593 .
Plague and fire
London suffered two disasters in later Stuart years. In 1665 the Great Plague killed about 70,000 people. In the 1666 the Great Fire destroyed almost all of the City and a large area to the west . Thousands of new houses were built, and Christopher Wren constructed St Paul’s Cathedral as well as many churches.
Stuart London
The first Stuart king, James I, came to the throne in 1603. In 1605 a group of men tried to blow up both him and the Houses of Parliament. This Gunpowder Plot failed. In 1625 Charles I came to the throne. Civil war broke out in1642 between supporters of the king and the parliamentary forces, led by Puritan called Oliver Cromwell. Charles I was beheaded in1649 and Britain became a republic known as the Commonwealth . In 1660 the monarchy retuned.
Saxons and Vikings
Later in the 5th century, Saxons settled just west of Londinium and formed the town of Lundenwic. It was raided by Danish Vikings in the 9th century. Alfred the Great defeated the Vikings in 886 and rebuilt the Roman city. In 1016 the Vikings triumphed again ruled until 1042, when Edward the Confessor took over.
THE PEOPLE OF LONDON
London is a growing city with a populatsion of more than seven million. It is also a multicultural city, as it been since Roman times . Now about a quarter of the capital’s inhabitans are members of ethnic minorities.
The Irish community
The largest non-English group in London is the Irish community. People from Ireland first went to London in large numbers in 1845, when disease killed their potato crops, leading to famine . Many still emigrate there. The city’s Irish population in over 250,000, and there are also many people who were born in London but have Irish parents .
Pakistanis and Bangladeshis
Thousands of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis live in London, mostly in the east. The inner London borough of Tower Hamlets is home to about half the city’s Bangladeshis. The heart of the community is a street called Brick Lane , lined with inexpensive restaurants that attract Londoners and tourist alike.
Indian communities
Indians are London’s largest ethnic minority, with a population of about 411,000. Many came to the city after India became independent from Britain in 1947. Thousands more arrived from Uganda and Kenya in the 1960s , when these countries forced them to leave. Most settled in Outer London boroughs. Many Punjabi Sikhs, for example, live in Hounslow.
Caribbeans and Africans
Black Caribbeans are London’s second largest ethnic minority. They come from islands such as Jamaica and from Guyana. Caribbeans firs arrived in large numbers after the Second World War. Most now live in Inner London boroughs such as Lambeth. Black Africans from countries such as Nigeria are London’s third largest ethnic minority.
BUILDINGS AND BRIDGES
London lost many buildings in the Great Fire and the Blitz. But the city still contains magnificent architecture from the past as well as some dazzling new structures .
London’s bridges
Thirty- five bridges span the Thames in Greater London. The oldest is London Bridge. Which was originally made of wood ? In 1209 it was replaced by a stone bridge with shops and houses along its sides . This was followed by a granite bridge in 1831 and the present concrete bridge in 1973.
The Tower of London
The Tower of London contains 20 towers. The White Tower at its centre, built by William the Conqueror, is the oldest. The Tower of London is home to the Crown Jewels, and is where two of Henry VIII’s wives were beheaded.
Westminster’s palaces
The Palace of Westminster was built by Edward the Confessor and rebuilt by William the Conqueror. William’s son added Westminster Hall. The palace burned down in 1834, but was later rebuilt and is now known as the Houses of Parliament. Inside is Westminster Hall, which survived the fire.