Alfred the Great He was king of Wessex, one of the seven Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms. It was he who led the Anglo-Saxon to flight against the invading Danes and maintained peace for a long time. Alfred was not only a brave king at wartime, but also a wise king at peacetime. He encouraged education and introduced a legal system. He is known as “the father of the British navy”.

The Black Death t is a modern name given to the dearly bubonic plague, an epidemic disease spread through Europe in the fourteenth century particularly in 1348-1349. It came without warning, and without any cue. In England, it killed almost half of the total population, causing far-reaching economic consequences.

The Great Charter King John’s reign caused much discontent among the barons. In 1215, he was forced to sign a document, known as Mangna Cara, or the Great Charter. It has 63 clauses. Though it has long been regarded as the foundation of English liberties, its spirit was the limitation of the king’s powers, keeping them within the bounds of the feudal law of the land The Hundred Y ears’War It referred to the intermittent war between France and England that last from 1337 to 1453. The causes were partly territorial and partly economic. When Edward III claimed the French Crown but the French refused to recognize, the war broke out. At first the English were successful, but in the end, they were defeated and lost almost all their possessions in France. The expelling of the English was a blessing for both countries

The Bill of Rights I n 1689, William and Mary accepted the Bill of Rights to be crowned jointly. The bill excluded any Roman Catholic from the succession, confirmed the principle of parliamentary supremacy and guaranteed free speech within both the two Houses. Thus the age of constitutional monarchy began.

The Open University It is a new form of university appeared in 1969. People can register without any formal educational qualifications. Courses are taught through TV, radio, videos and a network of study centers.

Common law A written law gathered from numerous decisions of the courts and other sources. Laws are established through common practice in the courts.

The Canterbury T ales The Canterbury Tales is written by Geoffrey Chaucer. It is made up of a series of stories which were told by a group of pilgrims (31) on a journey to Canterbury Cathedra l. The formation of government The U.K. government governs according to the British Constitution. The party with the most supporters in the Commons forms the government and the leader of that party becomes Prime Minister.

William the Conqueror William was Duke of Normandy. He landed his army in Oct, 1066 and defeated king Harold. Then he was crowned king of England on Christams Day the same year. He established a strong Norman government and the feudal system in England.