*Debate* How much do you know about Britain?

[glitzyglamgirl]

The question about Hadrians wall got me thinking.....how much do the British really know about Britain?

I dont just mean the history of land and wars etc but also society, wildlife, ecology, mythology and disasters etc aswell.

Should we know more about our heritage? Our history? Even those like myself and OH who are only 1st or 2nd generation British, shouldnt we know more about the place we call home?

I learned history and geography and all the rest at school but I was never really that interested.

I am now though, very interested. Especially in things like the history of our greatest thinkers, the different eco-systems that exist around Britain, the history of our economy and politics, who were the natives and who were the conquerors etc etc.

Do you think that being proud to be British should encompass being able to answer the questions of a traveller to these shores? Could you?

 

[Kimbo]

i don't know a lot about it, but i love learning about the history of britain.
i wish i'd have carried on with history at school because it's really fascinating.
but it's only the history of how people used to live, and different lifestyles.

politics and economy would bore me i think??? lol

 

[Squiglet]

I took archeology and ancient British history in my a levels so I know a bit more about British history in general... tbh i don't think it would matter teaching it in schools... I was interested in history which is why I went further with the course... but if you aren't interested in history theres no point... sad thing is... is that the UK has the most amazing historical evidence... rivalled only by places such as Egypt, Rome and Aztec temples. Stonehenge is an absolutely amazing feat, even by todays standards... that in itself should make you feel proud to be British...

 

[Kimbo]

I took archeology and ancient British history in my a levels so I know a bit more about British history in general... tbh i don't think it would matter teaching it in schools... I was interested in history which is why I went further with the course... but if you aren't interested in history theres no point... sad thing is... is that the UK has the most amazing historical evidence... rivalled only by places such as Egypt, Rome and Aztec temples. Stonehenge is an absolutely amazing feat, even by todays standards... that in itself should make you feel proud to be British...

can u not give a simple answer like i did

 

[Squiglet]

I took archeology and ancient British history in my a levels so I know a bit more about British history in general... tbh i don't think it would matter teaching it in schools... I was interested in history which is why I went further with the course... but if you aren't interested in history theres no point... sad thing is... is that the UK has the most amazing historical evidence... rivalled only by places such as Egypt, Rome and Aztec temples. Stonehenge is an absolutely amazing feat, even by todays standards... that in itself should make you feel proud to be British...

can u not give a simple answer like i did

I'll make a deal with you... you pop, I'll give you a simple answer bonus card... 10 simple squig answers..

 

[Misslarue]

Good question ggg
........a tricky one, because for me there is a big difference between being British and being English and while I can fully and wholeheartedly embraced my Englishness, for political reasons I choose not to define myself as British.


politics aside though.............yes, people should know about the country they live in. I love reading history, of any country for that matter and I can't wait to teach and show Dan the world. Knowledge is power!
At school I wasn't that interested either but as I've got older my views and interests have changed and I want to know more about the world around me.
I would also like to answer any question Dan asks me and not simply shrug my shoulders in ignorance as my mother quite often did in my own childhood (so glad we now have the internet! )

 

[Kimbo]

I took archeology and ancient British history in my a levels so I know a bit more about British history in general... tbh i don't think it would matter teaching it in schools... I was interested in history which is why I went further with the course... but if you aren't interested in history theres no point... sad thing is... is that the UK has the most amazing historical evidence... rivalled only by places such as Egypt, Rome and Aztec temples. Stonehenge is an absolutely amazing feat, even by todays standards... that in itself should make you feel proud to be British...

can u not give a simple answer like i did

I'll make a deal with you... you pop, I'll give you a simple answer bonus card... 10 simple squig answers..

promise?
actually, the only british history im interested in is finding out where squig was concieved... i should have concieved leah there, then she'd take after you...... use her brains to become a multimillionaire, then look after her mummy forever and always

 

[Lou]

We go to alot of place's in this country in our campervan. We love programmes like Time Team and Coast. And (nerd alert) we keep a copy of Great British wildlife in our campervan so when we are out we can identify plants, animals, wildlife (birds, snakes (yes snakes), flowers etc

I've very interested in our country from that perspective. I no doubt will learn alot once Isaac is going to school. I can't wait

 

[Squiglet]

actually, the only british history im interested in is finding out where squig was concieved... i should have concieved leah there, then she'd take after you...... use her brains to become a multimillionaire, then look after her mummy forever and always

yer cos I'm rolling in it....

 

[tots hope]

The only thing we learnt in Geography was how to colour in maps! I got very good at colouring in around the edge of of the UK!

As for history - never attended the classes.

I love the programme Time Team - learning things that i should have learnt in school. Maybe i should go back to school?!

I certainly couldn't answer questions about British history - makes me quite ashamed.

 

[Sarah&Braydon]

i know hardley anything

 

[glitzyglamgirl]

Apparantly, I was conceived on the summer solstice at stonehenge.....but my mum and dad are both liars so I have no idea if thats true or not.....would be great if it was!

I agree about the english/british thing.....I used the term British as we have english, scottish, irish and welsh here

Personally, I call myself British because I am an english person living in Wales. No political reasons behind it really.

The thing with history lessons at school is that they are soooo booooring! They dont tell you about the fascinating, curious, amazing stuff (well not that I can remember) just the facts from "our" point of view. The winners write the history as they say.

I was fascinated to learn, after leaving school, about things like the norman invasion, the roman empires effect on Britain, the ancient pagans and Arthurian legends. I dont remember it ever being that interesting at school!

I wish it had been, I wish I had been better at it, because I would love to be in something like archaeology or anthropology!

 

[jenna]

TBH i dont really know much about britain. I havnt been to many places in Britain either which is pretty embaresing!

 

[elaine22]

I did history at uni and some of the modules were really interesting - the roman invasion, the celts, medieval architecture and britain in WWI, and also the development of the political system. I like to see how things have evolved over the years and also it's amazing how hundreds of years ago they managed to construct castles and cathedrals, etc, with none of the modern equipment we have today.
I don't think I would understand much about the economy though!

 

[mummykay]

I know that men shouldnt run this country, does that count?!

 

[Flame]

I dont really know much about Britain at all, in our school we only got taught about other countries and their religions. I am hoping to send my child to a school that teaches about our own cultures and religions and nation rather than everything but.

 

[libs]

I'm fascinated by my local history, but only by the modern social history of Britain. I'm a bit of a nerd about the social impact of WW1 and WW2 and especially by what they meant for women's roles in society and how society coped during the wars and the changes it brought about. I guess because I can see the immediate impact these times had on my life whereas further back than that I struggle to see how it influences me.

I'm good at nature etc, but hopeless at Geography...basically I just don't find it interesting.

 

[zebrastripes]

I am doing History & Geography for A level and I really love it...Geography is fascinating this year (if you're excited by the reasons for high death rates in the 18th century due to gin drinking, ) and History is brilliant too...we are doing Civil War atm,and to be honest I prefer general British history to Northern Irish,except last year when we did the Troubles because that was relevant.

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

We go to alot of place's in this country in our campervan. We love programmes like Time Team and Coast. And (nerd alert) we keep a copy of Great British wildlife in our campervan so when we are out we can identify plants, animals, wildlife (birds, snakes (yes snakes), flowers etc

I've very interested in our country from that perspective. I no doubt will learn alot once Isaac is going to school. I can't wait

Oh I LOVE YOU!!!
I love time team, and coast. Im a member of English Heritage and National trust.
I enjoy exploring the countryside
i really enjoy learning about Britian especialy about Northumberland history

 

[kazlin]

I really love history.

The area where I grew up in has quite a historical link. Five minutes from where I grew up is a place called Carew Manor, Sir Walter Raleigh once lived there and if you look from the main gates towards the local park, there is an avenue of trees planted so that he could ride his horses in a straight line.

I really love London history from the goings on of Henry VIII and his Tudor Court (I love Hampton Court) to Jack the Ripper. I used to work in The London Dungeon so was completely in my element

I also love places such as Stonehenge. I am sure that place has fertility energies as after me and my mate paid to get close up with the stones, both our lives changed and we became pregnant.

I really love old castles and castle ruins.

Oh and Time Team rocks!