For centuries this tiny island nation ruled almost half the global land mass. During the glory days it was said that the sun never set on the British Empire. However with the Scottish parliament now looking to have a referendum on whether they should become independent, it appears that the United Kingdom has not only lost its Empire but is itself in danger of breaking up.
The United Kingdom came into existence as a political and sovereign state in 1707, with the passing of the Act of Union, under which England, Wales and Scotland merged politically to become a sovereign state of Great Britain. A further Act of Union in 1801 also merged the Kingdom of Ireland to create The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Its first colonies were the the thirteen states in America, with a total population of two and half million people, but which broke away in 1776 by declaring independence. However that did not deter Britain from creating further colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia. At its height in 1921, the British Empire encompassed a total population of approximately 458 million people, or almost a quarter of the world's population.
However, in modern times, the dissolution of the Empire began with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922, which created the Irish Free State with the exception of the Northern rump.The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland became The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. After the Second World War the dissolution of the Empire began in earnest. Entering the Twentieth First Century, United Kingdom was effectively England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland with a few odd remnants of the empire such as the Falklands.
With Scotland now on the verge of breaking away, how long will it be before Northern Ireland decides to merge with Ireland ? As I said in one of the earlier blogs, religion still continues to be a divisive force among the world's population.Perhaps it will be a long time before the Protestants in Northern Ireland agree to the merger, which has to be the obvious choice. That would then leave England and Wales. The clock would be turned back almost three hundred and fifty years. The United Kingdom will then perhaps be known as United England and Wales ( sounds like a football club ) and Great Britain will become a foot note in history.
The United Kingdom came into existence as a political and sovereign state in 1707, with the passing of the Act of Union, under which England, Wales and Scotland merged politically to become a sovereign state of Great Britain. A further Act of Union in 1801 also merged the Kingdom of Ireland to create The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Its first colonies were the the thirteen states in America, with a total population of two and half million people, but which broke away in 1776 by declaring independence. However that did not deter Britain from creating further colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia. At its height in 1921, the British Empire encompassed a total population of approximately 458 million people, or almost a quarter of the world's population.
However, in modern times, the dissolution of the Empire began with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922, which created the Irish Free State with the exception of the Northern rump.The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland became The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. After the Second World War the dissolution of the Empire began in earnest. Entering the Twentieth First Century, United Kingdom was effectively England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland with a few odd remnants of the empire such as the Falklands.
With Scotland now on the verge of breaking away, how long will it be before Northern Ireland decides to merge with Ireland ? As I said in one of the earlier blogs, religion still continues to be a divisive force among the world's population.Perhaps it will be a long time before the Protestants in Northern Ireland agree to the merger, which has to be the obvious choice. That would then leave England and Wales. The clock would be turned back almost three hundred and fifty years. The United Kingdom will then perhaps be known as United England and Wales ( sounds like a football club ) and Great Britain will become a foot note in history.
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