English History
Timeline
Creating a comprehensive table covering England’s economic history from 40 BC to the present, including population estimates, economic activity, major events, monarchs, and prime ministers, is a substantial task. However, I can provide a simplified overview highlighting key periods and transitions:
| Period | Population Estimate | London Population Estimate | Economic Activity | Major Events | Monarch/Leader | Prime Minister |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Britain (43–410 AD) | ~3 million | Londinium: ~60,000 | Agriculture, mining, trade | Roman conquest (43 AD), construction of Hadrian’s Wall (122 AD) | Roman Governors | N/A |
| Early Middle Ages (410–1066) | ~1.5–2 million | London: ~20,000 | Subsistence agriculture, local trade | Anglo-Saxon settlement, Viking invasions | Various Kings (e.g., Alfred the Great) | N/A |
| High Middle Ages (1066–1348) | ~3–4 million | London: ~50,000 | Feudal agriculture, wool trade | Norman Conquest (1066), signing of Magna Carta (1215) | Norman and Plantagenet Kings (e.g., William I, John) | N/A |
| Late Middle Ages (1348–1485) | ~2–3 million | London: ~40,000 | Agriculture, textile production | Black Death (1348), Wars of the Roses | Various Monarchs (e.g., Richard III) | N/A |
| Early Modern Period (1485–1700) | ~4–5 million | London: ~200,000 | Expansion of trade, early industrial activities | English Reformation, Civil War, Restoration | Tudor and Stuart Monarchs (e.g., Elizabeth I, Charles I) | N/A (First PM: Robert Walpole in 1721) |
| 18th Century (1700–1800) | ~5–9 million | London: ~1 million | Industrial Revolution beginnings, trade expansion | Acts of Union (1707), American Revolution | Monarchs (e.g., George III) | First PM: Robert Walpole (1721–1742) |
| 19th Century (1800–1900) | ~9–30 million | London: ~6.5 million | Industrialization, global trade dominance | Napoleonic Wars, Victorian Era | Monarchs (e.g., Victoria) | PMs (e.g., Robert Peel, William Gladstone) |
| 20th Century (1900–2000) | ~30–50 million | London: ~7–8 million | Manufacturing, services sector growth | World Wars, Welfare State establishment | Monarchs (e.g., George VI, Elizabeth II) | PMs (e.g., Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher) |
| 21st Century (2000–Present) | ~50–56 million | London: ~9 million | Services-dominated economy, tech industry | Brexit (2016), COVID-19 pandemic | Monarchs (e.g., Elizabeth II, Charles III) | PMs (e.g., Tony Blair, Boris Johnson) |
Note: Population figures are approximate and rounded for simplicity. Economic activities and major events are selectively highlighted to represent significant transitions.
Roman Britain
The Anglo-Saxon age
“No man can make himself king, but the people has the choice to choose as king whom they please; but after he is consecrated as king, he then has dominion over the people.”
Abbot Ælfric of Eynsham, Acemoglu talk, Wikipedia
The English identity developed primarily from the fusion of:
- Anglo-Saxons: Germanic peoples (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) who migrated to Britain during the 5th and 6th centuries CE.
- Britons: The Celtic inhabitants of Britain, who either integrated with or were displaced by the Anglo-Saxons.
- Vikings: Scandinavian settlers, especially the Danes, who arrived in the 9th and 10th centuries.
- Normans: Descendants of Vikings settled in France, who invaded in 1066 and contributed further to the culture and language.
The Old English language emerged from Anglo-Saxon dialects, heavily influenced later by Old Norse (Vikings) and Norman French. The English identity solidified during the Middle Ages as a distinct cultural and political group.
See also Magna Carta.
Deets
- Roman Britain (vol. 17), Peter Salway
- The Anglo-Saxon Age (vol. 18), John Blair