Thousands of scholars over time have written countless books on the history of England. The history of England is long and elaborate, filled with murder, intrigue, and fantastic achievements. If one sat down and began to write a history of England, he would have to choose only one aspect of the country’s history, or he would certainly be writing himself to death.
The royal family has always been a point of interest for people. Several novels could and have been written about the monarchy of England, and the way in which each of those monarchs has chosen to rule the country. An exciting moment in history came when those kings and queens no longer had complete and total control over all decisions made in the country, and instead worked together with a parliament to make decisions for the English people.
Just by walking through the streets of England you can tell that it is a country rich in history. Many of the buildings that stood hundreds of years ago are still standing today. Unlike its counterparts, England stays true to tradition. Many of its traditional buildings still remain intact and are still used for the same purposes they were used for when they were originally built. You get to just walk around, or even stop and walk into a piece of history wherever you go.
In England you can visit the homes of famous writers centuries ago and actually have the chance to walk through their homes. In some other counties you only get the chance to read about the country’s history, in England you get to experience it first hand by traveling to historic places and physically seeing what they were like then and what they still are today.
England began to become what we know today in 1588 when it defeated the Spanish armada. Following that great victory, Britain set its sights on the world and remains a highly respected world power to this day. Although physically smaller than many other countries, England has managed over the years to maintain a great position of power throughout the world.
Over the years, through political or military decision, both Scotland and Wales have become part of England several times. Today the two are separate from England as their own countries, but are all part of the collective United Kingdom. Each of those transfers is steeped in history, which in some ways you can still see today when you take a trip to other countries, as well as England.
Another part of England’s history has been the exciting tug-of-war between Catholicism and Protestants in the country. Once primarily Catholic, King Henry VII was responsible for England’s final break with the Catholic Church due to his desire to divorce his current wife and marry another. That break remained somewhat permanent, despite many future attempts to reestablish it, the most famous being Queen Mary Tutor’s (Bloody Mary) massacre of numerous Protestants during her reign. Even today, England is eighty percent Protestant.
Before planning any trip to England, first pick up a history book and explore the steps where exciting events in history have taken place within England’s borders. Over the years, a series of very important events that have changed not only England, but the entire world, have occurred within England’s borders. When taking a trip to visit the country, you often have the opportunity to see the exact place where these types of events took place.
Copyright 2005 S Wander