The rise of the 1960s American counter-culture owes much to the British. Throughout this turbulent and eventful decade, British music groups and cultural icons migrated in waves to the United States, bringing with them new ideas and influences that would help create the defining culture of the age. Music in the 1960s is inextricably associated with the cultural and political … [Read more...] about You Really Got Me: The 1960s British Music Invasion
Great Events in British History
Great Events in British History: The Great Exhibition of 1851 – Showcasing Empire
On 1 May 1851, the newly erected Crystal Palace flung open its doors for the very first time, revealing its casket of wonders to the 25,000 people that had gathered outside the doors. The Great Exhibition was an unprecedented event in British society, as for the first time in history, Britain’s treasures, from both home and abroad, were placed on display for all to see. The … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Great Exhibition of 1851 – Showcasing Empire
THE MAYFLOWER: The English Settlement of New England
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #11 of the Anglotopia Print Magazine in 2018. Support great long-form writing about British History, Culture, and travel by subscribing to the Anglotopia Magazine. Every subscription helps keep Anglotopia running and provides us to the opportunity to produce articles like this. You can subscribe here. On the 6th of … [Read more...] about THE MAYFLOWER: The English Settlement of New England
Great Events in British History: A ‘Tonic for the Nation’ – The Festival of Britain
Exactly one hundred years after the triumphant success of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the Festival of Britain was launched on London’s South Bank. At the turn of the mid-century, Britain remained mired in the post-war malaise: the economy had not yet recovered, rationing was still in place, the glory days of Empire had faded into the distance, and the shadow and horror of war … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: A ‘Tonic for the Nation’ – The Festival of Britain
Great Events in British History: The Battle That Should Have Won The War – Operation Market Garden
Launched on the 17th of September 1944, Operation Market Garden was conceived as the battle to end the Second World War. The plan was sound: to launch a major operation, involving over 30,000 British and American troops, into Holland, thereby creating a route for Allied forces into the German heartlands. If all went well, the Allies would be in Berlin by Christmas 1944. … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Battle That Should Have Won The War – Operation Market Garden
Great Events in British History: The Boer Wars – The Bitter Legacy of British Imperialism
Editor's Note: This is a general reminder that we use the word 'great' in the general sense - that is that the event was of great importance. Not that it was 'good' as something like the Boer Wars were most certainly not 'good.' The Boer Wars (1880-1881 and 1899-1902) cast a long and bitter shadow over the history of South Africa. The wars marked a watershed in British … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Boer Wars – The Bitter Legacy of British Imperialism
Great Events in British History: The First Fleet – The Establishment of Penal Colonies in Australia
In April 1770 Captain James Cook landed on the shores of East Australia, claiming the land for Great Britain. The seemingly uninhabited, vast lands of this new continent were an attractive proposition and offered the British a useful new opportunity. For decades, the British had been transporting convicts abroad to the American colonies, thereby reducing the burden on domestic … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The First Fleet – The Establishment of Penal Colonies in Australia
Great Events in British History: The Mouth of Hell – The Crimean War
The Crimean War (1853-1856) was arguably the most significant conflict of 19th-century Europe, setting in place many of the factors that would ultimately lead to the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. The war was fought between the Russians and an alliance of French, British and Ottoman forces, and was designed to arrest Russian expansion at the expense of Ottoman … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Mouth of Hell – The Crimean War
Great Events in British History: The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381
“Now the time is come… in which ye may cast off the yoke of bondage, and recover liberty”. So spoke John Ball, the English radical preacher, and leader of the so-named Peasants’ Revolt, in a rousing sermon at Blackheath on the 12th of June 1391. Ball spoke passionately to the crowd that had assembled on the heath, urging them to cast off the yoke of servitude and to claim … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381
Great Events in British History: The London Blitz “London Can Take it”
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Anglotopia Print Magazine in 2017. Support great long-form writing about Britain by subscribing to the Anglotopia Print Magazine. After a year at war in Europe, Hitler sought to gain the advantage by taking the battle to the doorsteps of the British public. The Luftwaffe began bombing Britain in the hope of terrifying the … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The London Blitz “London Can Take it”
Brit History: Those Who Chose Not to Look Away – The Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #3 of the Anglotopia Magazine in 2016. Support great long-form writing about Britain by subscribing to the Anglotopia Print Magazine. By the middle of the 18th century, Britain was the leading slave trading nation. Vast wealth had been accumulated by individuals and companies involved in the trade. For many people at … [Read more...] about Brit History: Those Who Chose Not to Look Away – The Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire
Great Events in British History: The Spanish Armada – The Twelve Days That Saved England
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the first issue of the Anglotopia magazine in February. Subscribe today to receive the next issue of our magazine and read about British History, Culture and Travel all in one place. We’re now taking pre-orders for Issue #3 due out in August. In the latter half of the 16th century, Spain dominated Europe and the world. … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Spanish Armada – The Twelve Days That Saved England
Great Events in British History: Hitler’s Blitzes on Britain – Bombed But Not Bowed
After Hitler failed to gain air superiority over the RAF during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940, he tried a new tactic. The Luftwaffe began a strategic bombing campaign, targeting British cities. Hitler’s aim was to cripple Britain’s war economy and demoralize her people. The “Blitz” did succeed in destroying many buildings, but never destroyed Britain’s … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: Hitler’s Blitzes on Britain – Bombed But Not Bowed
Great Events in British History: The Interregnum – The Republic When Britain Had No Monarch
After the execution of Charles I and up to the restoration of Charles II, England was for the first time without a monarch. The period between the two reigns, the interregnum, was an uneasy time during which the country was led by the deeply religious Oliver Cromwell. The Commonwealth was ahead of the times, but ultimately England rejected republicanism, and the restored … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Interregnum – The Republic When Britain Had No Monarch
Great Events in British History: Britannia – The Roman Conquest of England and Wales: The Birth of Britannia
After a couple of failed attempts at invasion, the mighty Roman Empire finally got a foothold in Britannia. Their conquest of the small island was neither easy nor complete. However, over the centuries that they ruled the country, their influence and customs were gradually accepted. When they retreated, they left behind a legacy that had enriched, rather than destroyed, their … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: Britannia – The Roman Conquest of England and Wales: The Birth of Britannia
Great Events in British History: The Abdication Crisis of Edward VIII: The Romance over Royalty That Changed the Course of British Monarchy
In 1936, the charismatic new King, Edward VIII, announced to his advisors his intention of marrying his mistress, Wallis Simpson. Not since Henry VIII resolved to marry Anne Boleyn had a royal marriage threatened to wreak such havoc on the country. Henry was able to force his will on the kingdom. 400 years later, Edward found that his personal desires were no match for the … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Abdication Crisis of Edward VIII: The Romance over Royalty That Changed the Course of British Monarchy
The General Strike of 1926: A Nine Day Wonder That Forged Modern Britain
In 1926 tensions in Britain were running high. The miners, backed by workers from other industries, staged a strike to protest against proposals to cut their wages and lengthen their hours. It was Britain’s first general strike and sparked fear in the country that revolution was waiting in the wings. After less than a fortnight, the strike was broken with little violence having … [Read more...] about The General Strike of 1926: A Nine Day Wonder That Forged Modern Britain
Great Events in British History – Your Guide to the Regency Era – The Epitome of Elegance and Extravagance
When George III became unfit to rule in the latter part of his reign, his son Prince George took up the mantle of Prince Regent. The Prince was profligate, selfish and vain, yet he possessed good taste and was a patron to innovators in the arts. During the Regency Era, which spilled out into his reign and that of his brother, a distinctive style was born which bridged the gap … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History – Your Guide to the Regency Era – The Epitome of Elegance and Extravagance
Great Events in British History: Gunpowder, Treason and Plot – Guy Fawkes Day and the November 5th Plot
Guy Fawkes is remembered as the man who failed to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Fawkes was just one conspirator in a Catholic plot to replace the King with a monarch more sympathetic to the Catholic faith, yet his is the only name popularly associated with the event. Even today, the foiled plot is celebrated each year in Britain on its anniversary, with Guy Fawkes as its … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: Gunpowder, Treason and Plot – Guy Fawkes Day and the November 5th Plot
Great Events in British History: The Battle of Blenheim – A Glorious Victory by the First Churchill
Editor's Note: They've been in the works for a few months now and they're ready - Great Events in British History has returned for another series of 12 articles. We'll publish them every Friday. Lots of exciting stuff coming up! At the turn of the eighteenth century, power in Europe was balanced on a knife-edge. The French and Spanish Bourbon dynasty threatened to dominate … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Battle of Blenheim – A Glorious Victory by the First Churchill
Great Events in British History: A Troublesome Courtship – The Union of England and Scotland in 1707
Editor's Note: This is the final article in our initial series of Great Events in British History articles. This will likely be the last - the series hasn't been as popular as we'd hoped. We won't commission more unless there is enough clamor for it. Always neighbours, often rivals, Scotland and England had a troubled relationship for centuries. Diplomatic marriages between … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: A Troublesome Courtship – The Union of England and Scotland in 1707
Great Events in British History: The Suffragette Movement – Deeds, Not Words – The Women Who Won the Vote
British women, like most British men, were excluded from the franchise well into the nineteenth century. The fight for women’s votes gathered pace when more men were granted the vote, yet women continued to be denied the same rights. Initially peaceful, the campaign for women’s suffrage grew increasingly militant as a new breed of agitator was born: the suffragette. War stopped … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Suffragette Movement – Deeds, Not Words – The Women Who Won the Vote
Great Events in British History: The Age of Steam Arrives – The Birth of the British Railways
In the late eighteenth century Britain’s Industrial Revolution began gathering pace. Steam power had been discovered by mining engineers and was soon adapted to suit the textile industry. Several engineers saw the potential for steam to drive not just stationary engines, but locomotives. The growth for railways became not just an offshoot of the Industrial Revolution, but a … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Age of Steam Arrives – The Birth of the British Railways
Great Events in British History: William of Orange and the Glorious Revolution
After the upheaval of the Civil War and the austerity of the Commonwealth, England once again enjoyed a period of stability after the Restoration. Charles II was clever enough to rule with his Parliament and wise enough to keep his religious leanings to himself. After his death, his brother James II failed to follow his example, leading to conflict with his nobles, Parliament, … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: William of Orange and the Glorious Revolution
Great Events in British History: The Battle of Waterloo – Napoleon Meets His End
Napoleon had waged war in Europe for 25 years, building an empire that stretched from Spain to Russia. Across the English Channel, Britain remained free, protected by her navy. Her army had been unable to decisively defeat the French Emperor on land, but an allied army had forced his abdication and exile in 1814. In early 1815, Napoleon escaped his island prison and gathered … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Battle of Waterloo – Napoleon Meets His End
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