B.A. ENGLISH, SEMESTER I, ALLIED - SOCIAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND (26BENA1) - UNIT V
B.A. ENGLISH
SEMESTER I
Allied Course – Social History of England
(26BENA1)
CORE COURSE
UNIT V — MODERN ENGLAND
Detailed Notes • MCQs • Short & Long Answers • Essays
◆ ◆ ◆
TABLE OF CONTENTS
About This Unit.......................................................................................................................................... 3
1. Trade
Unionism.................................................................................................................................... 4
2. The
Welfare State.............................................................................................................................. 10
3.
England in the 21st Century.............................................................................................................. 16
About
This Unit
@@K0@@
Unit V of the Allied Course "Social History of England"
deals with three features of modern England: the growth of trade unionism, the
building of the Welfare State, and the character of English society in the
twenty-first century. For each topic you will find detailed notes,
multiple-choice questions with an answer key, ten two-mark questions, three
paragraph questions and one essay question with a full model answer. Together
the three topics show how the working classes won a voice, how the state came
to care for its citizens "from the cradle to the grave," and how
England has become a modern, diverse and globalised society.
Trade
Unionism
@@K1@@
19th–20th century | The rise of workers’
unions and their struggle for better wages, hours and conditions.
Detailed Notes
■ Meaning and Origin
A trade union is an association of workers formed to protect and
improve their wages, hours and conditions of work by acting together. Trade
unionism grew directly out of the Industrial Revolution, for the factory system
had gathered great numbers of workers together and had exposed them to long
hours, low wages and harsh treatment. Finding that a single workman was
helpless against a powerful employer, the workers learned that their only
strength lay in union and combined action.
■ Early Struggles and the Law
At first the law was bitterly hostile to trade unions. During the
reaction against the French Revolution, the Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800
made it a crime for workers to combine, and for many years unions had to meet
in secret. These harsh laws were repealed in 1824–1825, so that unions became
lawful, though their powers were still very limited. In 1834 the Tolpuddle
Martyrs—six Dorset farm labourers who had formed a union—were arrested and
transported to Australia, and the outcry against this injustice did much to win
sympathy for the workers’ cause.
■ Early Unions and the New Model
Robert Owen tried in 1834 to unite all workers in one great Grand
National Consolidated Trades Union, but this ambitious scheme soon collapsed.
More lasting success came in the 1850s with the "New Model Unions" of
skilled craftsmen, such as the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. These were
well-organised, moderate and respectable bodies with regular subscriptions and
benefits, and they won for trade unionism a new standing and acceptance.
■ Legal Recognition
The unions gradually gained full legal recognition. In 1868 the
Trades Union Congress (T.U.C.) was founded to speak for the whole movement. The
Trade Union Act of 1871 gave the unions legal protection for their funds and
status, and further laws in 1875 legalised peaceful picketing during strikes.
By these measures trade unions became a recognised and lawful part of national
life.
■ New Unionism and the Labour Party
In the late 1880s came the "New Unionism," which organised
the great mass of unskilled workers for the first time; the famous London Dock
Strike of 1889 was a landmark of this movement. As the unions grew, they sought
a voice in Parliament, and in 1900 they helped to found the Labour
Representation Committee, which soon became the Labour Party. Through the
Labour Party the working classes gained direct political power, and the party
later formed governments that built the Welfare State.
■ Significance
Trade unionism has been one of the most important forces in modern
English social history. By their united action the unions won for the workers
shorter hours, higher wages and better conditions, and gave them a dignity and
a bargaining power they had never possessed as helpless individuals. They
created the Labour Party and so gave the working classes a share in the
government of the country, and they played a leading part in the coming of
social reform and the Welfare State. Though their history has included bitter
strikes, such as the General Strike of 1926, the trade unions transformed the
workers from a powerless mass into an organised and respected force in the
nation.
■ Multiple Choice Questions
1. A
trade union is an association of __ formed to protect their interests.
(a) employers
(b) workers
(c) landowners
(d) merchants
2. Trade
unionism grew directly out of the:
(a) Renaissance
(b) Industrial
Revolution
(c) Restoration
(d) Reformation
3. The
strength of the workers was found to lie in:
(a) individual
effort
(b) union and
combined action
(c) appealing to the
King
(d) emigration
4. Which
Acts of 1799–1800 made trade unions illegal?
(a) the Factory Acts
(b) the Combination
Acts
(c) the Reform Acts
(d) the Corn Laws
5. The
Combination Acts were repealed in:
(a) 1801
(b) 1824–1825
(c) 1867
(d) 1900
6. The
six Dorset labourers transported in 1834 for forming a union were the:
(a) Tolpuddle
Martyrs
(b) Peterloo victims
(c) Luddites
(d) Chartists
7. Who
tried in 1834 to form the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union?
(a) Robert Owen
(b) Lord Shaftesbury
(c) Keir Hardie
(d) William
Wilberforce
8. The
moderate craft unions of the 1850s were called the:
(a) New Unionism
(b) New Model Unions
(c) Grand Unions
(d) Combination
Unions
9. The
Trades Union Congress (T.U.C.) was founded in:
(a) 1834
(b) 1868
(c) 1900
(d) 1926
10. The
Trade Union Act of 1871 gave the unions:
(a) the right to
strike only
(b) legal protection
and status
(c) seats in
Parliament
(d) ownership of
factories
11. The
organising of unskilled workers in the late 1880s was called:
(a) New Model
Unionism
(b) New Unionism
(c) Chartism
(d) Owenism
12. A
landmark strike of the New Unionism was the London __ Strike of 1889.
(a) Dock
(b) Rail
(c) Mine
(d) Cotton
13. In
1900 the unions helped to found the body that became the:
(a) Conservative
Party
(b) Labour Party
(c) Liberal Party
(d) Whig Party
14. A
great nationwide strike took place in the year:
(a) 1889
(b) 1900
(c) 1926
(d) 1945
15. Trade
unionism gave the working classes a share in government chiefly through the:
(a) House of Lords
(b) Labour Party
(c) monarchy
(d) civil service
Answer Key:
1-b 2-b
3-b 4-b 5-b
6-a 7-a 8-b
9-b 10-b 11-b
12-a 13-b 14-c
15-b
■ Two-Mark Questions (One-sentence answers)
Q1. What
is a trade union?
Ans. A trade union
is an association of workers formed to protect and improve their wages, hours
and conditions by united action.
Q2. Out
of what did trade unionism grow?
Ans. It grew out
of the Industrial Revolution and the hardships of the factory workers.
Q3. What
did the Combination Acts of 1799–1800 do?
Ans. They made it
a crime for workers to combine, and so banned trade unions.
Q4. Who
were the Tolpuddle Martyrs?
Ans. They were six
Dorset farm labourers transported to Australia in 1834 for forming a trade
union.
Q5. What
did Robert Owen attempt in 1834?
Ans. He tried to
unite all workers in one Grand National Consolidated Trades Union, which soon
failed.
Q6. What
were the "New Model Unions"?
Ans. They were the
moderate, well-organised craft unions of skilled workers formed in the 1850s.
Q7. When
was the Trades Union Congress founded?
Ans. The Trades
Union Congress (T.U.C.) was founded in 1868.
Q8. What
did the Trade Union Act of 1871 achieve?
Ans. It gave trade
unions legal protection for their funds and full legal status.
Q9. What
was the "New Unionism" of the late 1880s?
Ans. It was the
movement that organised the mass of unskilled workers, marked by the Dock
Strike of 1889.
Q10. What
political party did the unions help to create?
Ans. They helped
to found the Labour Representation Committee, which became the Labour Party.
■ Paragraph Questions
Q1. Trace
the early struggles of trade unionism against the law.
The early history of trade unionism was a long struggle against a
hostile law. Because the factory system had left workers helpless against
powerful employers, they combined for mutual protection; but during the
reaction against the French Revolution the Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800
made such combination a crime, and unions had to meet in secret. These harsh
laws were repealed in 1824–1825, so that unions became lawful, though still
weak. The injustice done to the Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1834—six Dorset labourers
transported for forming a union—roused wide public sympathy, and the failure of
Robert Owen’s attempt at one great national union showed the difficulties the
movement still faced. Only gradually did the unions win security and
acceptance.
Q2. How
did the trade unions gain legal recognition and strength?
The trade unions gained recognition and strength step by step during
the nineteenth century. In the 1850s the moderate and well-organised "New
Model Unions" of skilled craftsmen, such as the Amalgamated Society of
Engineers, won a new respectability for the movement. In 1868 the Trades Union
Congress was founded to speak for all the unions, and the Trade Union Act of
1871 gave them legal protection for their funds and status, while further laws
in 1875 legalised peaceful picketing. Then, in the late 1880s, the "New
Unionism" organised the great mass of unskilled workers, as in the Dock
Strike of 1889. By these stages the unions grew from weak and persecuted bodies
into a recognised and powerful force in national life.
Q3. What
has been the significance of trade unionism in modern England?
Trade unionism has been one of the most important forces in modern
English social history. By their united action the unions won for the workers
shorter hours, higher wages and better working conditions, and gave them a
dignity and a bargaining power they had never had as helpless individuals. They
founded the Trades Union Congress to speak for the whole movement, and in 1900
they helped to create the Labour Party, through which the working classes
gained direct political power and later built the Welfare State. Though their
story has included bitter conflicts, such as the General Strike of 1926, the
trade unions transformed the workers from a powerless mass into an organised
and respected force in the nation.
■ Essay Question
Q. Trace the rise and growth of
trade unionism in England and estimate its importance.
Introduction
Trade unionism, the banding together of workers to protect and improve
their conditions, has been one of the great movements of modern English social
history. Born of the hardships of the Industrial Revolution, it grew through
long struggle from illegal and persecuted beginnings into a powerful and
respected force that transformed the life of the working classes and gave them
a voice in the government of the nation.
▸ 1. Meaning and Origin
A trade union is an association of workers formed to protect and
improve their wages, hours and conditions by combined action. Trade unionism
grew out of the Industrial Revolution, which gathered workers into factories
and exposed them to long hours and low wages, teaching them that their strength
lay in union.
▸ 2. Early Struggles against the Law
At first the law was hostile. The Combination Acts of 1799–1800 made
unions illegal, and only in 1824–1825 were they repealed. The transportation of
the Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1834 roused public sympathy, while Robert Owen’s
attempt at one great national union failed, showing the movement’s early
difficulties.
▸ 3. The New Model Unions and Legal Recognition
In the 1850s the moderate "New Model Unions" of skilled
craftsmen won respectability for the movement. The Trades Union Congress was
founded in 1868, and the Trade Union Act of 1871, with the picketing laws of
1875, at last gave the unions full legal recognition and protection.
▸ 4. New Unionism and the Labour Party
In the late 1880s the "New Unionism" organised the mass of
unskilled workers, as in the Dock Strike of 1889. Seeking a voice in Parliament,
the unions helped to found the Labour Party in 1900, through which the working
classes gained direct political power.
▸ 5. Significance
By their united action the unions won shorter hours, higher wages
and better conditions, and gave the workers dignity and bargaining power. They
created the Labour Party and shared in building the Welfare State, and, despite
conflicts such as the General Strike of 1926, they turned the workers into an
organised and respected force in the nation.
Conclusion
The rise of trade unionism, then, is the story of how the English
worker rose from helplessness to strength. From illegal combinations meeting in
secret, the unions grew through struggle and reform into a great and lawful
movement that improved the workers’ lives, gave them political power through
the Labour Party, and helped to shape the social reforms of modern Britain. In
transforming the condition of the working classes, trade unionism has played a
central part in the making of modern England.
The
Welfare State
@@K2@@
20th century | The system by which the state
cares for its citizens "from the cradle to the grave."
Detailed Notes
■ Meaning
The Welfare State is the system under which the state accepts
responsibility for the social and economic welfare of all its citizens, caring
for them, as the saying goes, "from the cradle to the grave." Instead
of leaving the poor, the sick, the old and the unemployed to charity or to
their own resources, the state itself provides social security, free medical
care, education and other services, so that no one need suffer from extreme
want. Its aim is to guarantee every citizen a basic standard of security and
well-being.
■ Early Beginnings
The Welfare State was not created all at once but grew out of
earlier social reforms. The nineteenth century had seen the beginnings of state
action through the Factory Acts, public health laws and the Education Acts. A
great step forward came with the Liberal reforms of 1906–1914, under Asquith
and Lloyd George, which introduced old-age pensions, labour exchanges, free
school meals and, by the National Insurance Act of 1911, insurance against
sickness and unemployment. These reforms laid the foundations on which the
later Welfare State was built.
■ The Beveridge Report
The decisive plan for the Welfare State came during the Second World
War. In 1942 Sir William Beveridge published his famous report, which
identified five great social evils—Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and
Idleness—and proposed a complete system of social insurance to defeat them and
to protect every citizen from the cradle to the grave. The Beveridge Report
caught the imagination of a nation weary of war and eager for a better future,
and it became the blueprint of the modern Welfare State.
■ The Building of the Welfare State
After the war the Labour government elected in 1945, under Clement
Attlee, carried the Beveridge plan into effect. The National Insurance Act of
1946 established a comprehensive scheme of insurance against unemployment,
sickness and old age; the National Assistance Act provided a safety-net for
those in need; and, greatest of all, the National Health Service, created by
Aneurin Bevan in 1948, gave free medical care to everybody. The Education Act
of 1944 had already provided free secondary education for all, and the
government also built council houses and took several great industries into
public ownership.
■ Main Features
The Welfare State thus rested on several main services: social
insurance and assistance to guard against want in unemployment, sickness and
old age; a free National Health Service open to all; free education for every
child; public housing for those who needed it; and a policy of maintaining full
employment. Taken together, these services were meant to abolish the worst poverty
and to give every citizen security throughout life.
■ Significance
The building of the Welfare State was one of the greatest
achievements in the social history of England. It marked the triumph of the
belief that the community as a whole is responsible for the welfare of its
weakest members, and it transformed the lives of millions by banishing the fear
of destitution in sickness, unemployment and old age. Though in later years its
rising cost and other problems led to much debate about how it should be run,
the Welfare State, and especially the National Health Service, has remained a
central and cherished feature of modern British life.
■ Multiple Choice Questions
1. The
Welfare State is a system in which the state cares for its citizens:
(a) only in wartime
(b) from the cradle
to the grave
(c) only in old age
(d) only when they
pay
2. The
Welfare State provides the poor and sick with help instead of leaving them to:
(a) the army
(b) charity or their
own resources
(c) the Church only
(d) the empire
3. An
early foundation of the Welfare State was the Liberal reforms of:
(a) 1832
(b) 1906–1914
(c) 1926
(d) 1945
4. Old-age
pensions and national insurance were introduced under:
(a) Disraeli
(b) Asquith and
Lloyd George
(c) Attlee
(d) Thatcher
5. The
National Insurance Act that insured against sickness and unemployment was
passed in:
(a) 1908
(b) 1911
(c) 1942
(d) 1948
6. The
famous 1942 report that planned the Welfare State was written by:
(a) Lord Shaftesbury
(b) Sir William
Beveridge
(c) Aneurin Bevan
(d) Clement Attlee
7. The
five giant evils named by Beveridge were Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and:
(a) War
(b) Idleness
(c) Crime
(d) Greed
8. The
Welfare State was chiefly built after 1945 by the government of:
(a) Winston
Churchill
(b) Clement Attlee
(c) Lloyd George
(d) Margaret
Thatcher
9. The
National Health Service was created in:
(a) 1911
(b) 1942
(c) 1946
(d) 1948
10. The
National Health Service was the work of:
(a) William
Beveridge
(b) Aneurin Bevan
(c) Clement Attlee
(d) Winston Churchill
11. The
National Health Service gave the people:
(a) cheap food
(b) free medical
care for all
(c) free housing
(d) higher wages
12. Free
secondary education for all was provided by the Education Act of:
(a) 1870
(b) 1902
(c) 1944
(d) 1948
13. The
Attlee government also took several great industries into:
(a) foreign
ownership
(b) public ownership
(nationalisation)
(c) private hands
(d) the Church
14. A
key aim of the Welfare State was to abolish extreme:
(a) wealth
(b) poverty
(c) trade
(d) education
15. The
most cherished and central institution of the Welfare State is the:
(a) House of Lords
(b) National Health
Service
(c) stock exchange
(d) monarchy
Answer Key:
1-b 2-b
3-b 4-b 5-b
6-b 7-b 8-b
9-d 10-b 11-b
12-c 13-b 14-b 15-b
■ Two-Mark Questions (One-sentence answers)
Q1. What
is the Welfare State?
Ans. It is the
system in which the state takes responsibility for the social and economic
welfare of all its citizens.
Q2. What
is meant by care "from the cradle to the grave"?
Ans. It means that
the state looks after the citizen’s welfare throughout life, from birth to
death.
Q3. Name
one early foundation of the Welfare State.
Ans. The Liberal
reforms of 1906–1914, such as old-age pensions and the National Insurance Act of
1911.
Q4. What
did the National Insurance Act of 1911 provide?
Ans. It provided
insurance against sickness and unemployment.
Q5. Who
wrote the 1942 report that planned the Welfare State?
Ans. Sir William
Beveridge wrote the report.
Q6. What
were the five "giant evils" named by Beveridge?
Ans. They were
Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness.
Q7. Which
government built the Welfare State after 1945?
Ans. The Labour
government of Clement Attlee built the Welfare State.
Q8. When
was the National Health Service created, and by whom?
Ans. The National
Health Service was created in 1948 by Aneurin Bevan.
Q9. What
does the National Health Service provide?
Ans. It provides
free medical care for everyone.
Q10. Name
two main services of the Welfare State.
Ans. Social
insurance (against want, sickness and old age) and a free National Health
Service (also free education and housing).
■ Paragraph Questions
Q1. How
did the Welfare State grow out of earlier reforms?
The Welfare State was not created all at once but grew out of
earlier social reforms. The nineteenth century had already seen the beginnings
of state action through the Factory Acts, the public health laws and the
Education Acts. A great step forward came with the Liberal reforms of 1906–1914
under Asquith and Lloyd George, which introduced old-age pensions, labour
exchanges, free school meals and, by the National Insurance Act of 1911,
insurance against sickness and unemployment. These measures established the
principle that the state should protect its citizens against want, and they
laid the foundations on which the fuller Welfare State was later built.
Q2. What
was the importance of the Beveridge Report?
The Beveridge Report of 1942 was the decisive plan for the modern
Welfare State. Written during the Second World War by Sir William Beveridge, it
named five great social evils—Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and
Idleness—and proposed a complete system of social insurance to defeat them and
to protect every citizen from the cradle to the grave. The report caught the
imagination of a nation weary of war and longing for a better future, and it
became the blueprint from which the post-war Welfare State was built. Its
importance lies in the fact that it turned the idea of universal social security
into a practical plan that was soon carried into law.
Q3. Describe
how the Welfare State was built after 1945.
The Welfare State was chiefly built by the Labour government elected
in 1945 under Clement Attlee, which put the Beveridge plan into effect. The
National Insurance Act of 1946 set up a comprehensive scheme of insurance
against unemployment, sickness and old age, and the National Assistance Act
provided a safety-net for those in need. Greatest of all, the National Health
Service, created by Aneurin Bevan in 1948, gave free medical care to everyone.
The Education Act of 1944 had already provided free secondary education, and
the government also built council houses and took key industries into public
ownership. Together these measures created a state that cared for its citizens
throughout their lives.
■ Essay Question
Q. Discuss the growth and
significance of the Welfare State in England.
Introduction
The building of the Welfare State was one of the greatest
achievements in the social history of modern England. By it the state undertook
to care for all its citizens "from the cradle to the grave," guarding
them against want, sickness, ignorance and unemployment. Growing out of earlier
reforms and completed after the Second World War, the Welfare State transformed
the lives of millions and became a central feature of British life.
▸ 1. Meaning of the Welfare State
The Welfare State is the system in which the state accepts
responsibility for the social and economic welfare of all its citizens. Instead
of leaving the poor, the sick, the aged and the unemployed to charity, it
provides social security, free health care and education, so that no one need
suffer extreme want.
▸ 2. Early Beginnings
The Welfare State grew out of earlier reforms. The nineteenth
century saw the Factory Acts, public health laws and Education Acts, and the
Liberal reforms of 1906–1914 introduced old-age pensions and, by the National
Insurance Act of 1911, insurance against sickness and unemployment, laying the
foundations of what was to come.
▸ 3. The Beveridge Report
The decisive plan came in 1942, when Sir William Beveridge named the
five giant evils—Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness—and proposed a
complete system of social insurance to defeat them. His report became the
blueprint of the modern Welfare State.
▸ 4. The Building of the Welfare State
After the war the Attlee government carried the plan into effect.
The National Insurance Act of 1946 and the National Assistance Act gave social
security, and the National Health Service of 1948, created by Aneurin Bevan,
gave free medical care to all, while free education and council housing
completed the system.
▸ 5. Significance
The Welfare State marked the triumph of the belief that the
community is responsible for the welfare of its weakest members, and it
banished the fear of destitution in sickness, unemployment and old age. Though
its cost later caused much debate, it, and especially the National Health
Service, has remained a cherished part of modern British life.
Conclusion
The Welfare State, then, represents the crowning achievement of a
century of social reform in England. Growing from the early Liberal reforms and
the Beveridge Report, and built by the Attlee government after 1945, it gave
every citizen security and care throughout life. In banishing the worst poverty
and providing health, education and social security for all, the Welfare State
transformed English society and stands as one of the great landmarks of its
social history.
England
in the 21st Century @@K3@@
2000 onwards | Modern England as a
multicultural, globalised and rapidly changing society.
Detailed Notes
■ Introduction
England in the twenty-first century is a modern, wealthy and highly
developed society, very different from the England of earlier centuries. It is
a multicultural nation, closely bound up with the wider world through trade,
travel and technology, and it has passed through great political and social
changes in recent years. Though it is no longer the centre of a vast empire, it
remains an important country with a rich cultural life and a strong democratic
tradition.
■ A Multicultural Society
One of the most striking features of modern England is its
multicultural character. Since the Second World War, and especially since the
arrival of immigrants from the Commonwealth—from the West Indies, India,
Pakistan, Africa and elsewhere—England has become home to people of many races,
religions and cultures. Its great cities are now diverse communities where many
languages are spoken and many faiths are practised. This diversity has enriched
English food, music, sport and daily life, though it has also raised questions
about integration and national identity.
■ Britain and Europe
England’s relationship with Europe has been a central issue of
recent times. Britain joined the European Economic Community, later the
European Union, in 1973, and for over forty years its economy and laws were
closely linked with those of Europe. In a referendum in 2016, however, the
people voted narrowly to leave the European Union, and Britain formally left in
2020, in the process known as "Brexit." This decision, one of the
most important in modern British history, deeply divided the nation and greatly
affected its trade, politics and place in the world.
■ Technology and Globalisation
The twenty-first century is an age of rapid technological change and
globalisation. The computer, the internet, the mobile phone and social media
have transformed the way people work, shop, learn and communicate, creating a
new "information age." The economy has shifted away from the old
heavy industries towards services, finance and technology, with London as one
of the great financial centres of the world. Through global trade and
communication, England is now more closely connected with the rest of the world
than ever before.
■ Social and Political Change
English society has also changed greatly in its manners and
structure. The old rigid class distinctions have weakened, family life has
become more varied, and there is far greater equality for women and for
minorities than in the past, while religious observance has declined and
society has grown more secular and consumer-minded. In politics, powers have
been devolved to new parliaments and assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland, and the ancient monarchy continues, with the long reign of Queen
Elizabeth II ending in 2022 and the accession of King Charles III.
■ Challenges and Conclusion
Modern England also faces serious challenges. It has had to deal with
terrorism, with the global financial crisis of 2008 and the years of austerity
that followed, with the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, and with growing concern
about economic inequality and climate change. The Welfare State and the
National Health Service, though much loved, are under great financial strain.
Yet England remains a stable democracy with a strong tradition of law,
tolerance and free institutions, and it continues to adapt, as it has so often
in its long history, to a changing world.
■ Multiple Choice Questions
1. Modern
England in the twenty-first century is best described as a __ society.
(a) feudal
(b) multicultural
and globalised
(c) purely
agricultural
(d) medieval
2. Much
of England’s post-war immigration came from the:
(a) Commonwealth countries
(b) North Pole
(c) Roman Empire
(d) moon
3. The
diversity of modern England has enriched its:
(a) food, music and
daily life
(b) feudal system
(c) empire
(d) monasteries
4. Britain
joined the European Economic Community (later the EU) in:
(a) 1945
(b) 1973
(c) 2000
(d) 2016
5. In
a 2016 referendum, the British people voted to:
(a) join the EU
(b) leave the
European Union
(c) abolish the
monarchy
(d) join the USA
6. Britain
formally left the European Union in:
(a) 2016
(b) 2018
(c) 2020
(d) 2022
7. The
process by which Britain left the EU is known as:
(a) Brexit
(b) Grexit
(c) Devolution
(d) the Restoration
8. The
twenty-first century is often called the:
(a) Stone Age
(b) information age
(c) Middle Ages
(d) age of empire
9. The
modern economy has shifted from heavy industry towards:
(a) farming
(b) services,
finance and technology
(c) hand weaving
(d) coal mining
10. Which
city is one of the great financial centres of the world?
(a) London
(b) Bath
(c) York
(d) Oxford
11. In
modern England, the old rigid __ distinctions have weakened.
(a) class
(b) geographical
(c) linguistic
(d) legal
12. Powers
have been devolved to new parliaments and assemblies in Scotland, Wales and:
(a) Ireland
(Northern Ireland)
(b) France
(c) India
(d) Canada
13. The
long reign of Queen Elizabeth II ended in:
(a) 2016
(b) 2020
(c) 2022
(d) 2025
14. A
major economic crisis that led to years of austerity occurred in:
(a) 1926
(b) 1945
(c) 2008
(d) 2020
15. A
global pandemic that affected England occurred in the year:
(a) 2008
(b) 2016
(c) 2020
(d) 1948
Answer Key:
1-b 2-a
3-a 4-b 5-b
6-c 7-a 8-b
9-b 10-a 11-a
12-a 13-c 14-c
15-c
■ Two-Mark Questions (One-sentence answers)
Q1. How
is modern England best described?
Ans. It is best
described as a modern, multicultural and globalised society.
Q2. Why
has England become a multicultural society?
Ans. Because of
immigration since the Second World War, especially from the Commonwealth
countries.
Q3. When
did Britain join the European Economic Community?
Ans. Britain
joined the European Economic Community (later the EU) in 1973.
Q4. What
was "Brexit"?
Ans. Brexit was
Britain’s decision, made in a 2016 referendum, to leave the European Union,
which it formally did in 2020.
Q5. Why
is the twenty-first century called the "information age"?
Ans. Because the
computer, internet, mobile phone and social media have transformed work,
learning and communication.
Q6. How
has the modern economy changed?
Ans. It has
shifted from heavy industry towards services, finance and technology, with
London as a great financial centre.
Q7. Name
one social change in modern England.
Ans. The weakening
of rigid class distinctions (or greater equality for women, or growing
secularism).
Q8. What
is devolution?
Ans. Devolution is
the granting of powers to separate parliaments or assemblies in Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland.
Q9. When
did Queen Elizabeth II’s reign end?
Ans. Her long
reign ended in 2022, and she was succeeded by King Charles III.
Q10. Name
one major challenge facing modern England.
Ans. Challenges
include terrorism, the 2008 financial crisis and austerity, the Covid-19
pandemic, inequality and climate change.
■ Paragraph Questions
Q1. Discuss
the multicultural character of modern England.
One of the most striking features of England in the twenty-first
century is its multicultural character. Since the Second World War, and
especially through immigration from the Commonwealth—from the West Indies,
India, Pakistan, Africa and elsewhere—England has become home to people of many
races, religions and cultures. Its great cities are now diverse communities in
which many languages are spoken and many faiths are practised. This diversity
has greatly enriched English life, in food, music, sport and the arts, and has made
the nation more open to the wider world. At the same time it has raised
important questions about integration, tolerance and national identity, which
modern England continues to work through.
Q2. Explain
England’s changing relationship with Europe.
England’s relationship with Europe has been one of the central
issues of recent times. In 1973 Britain joined the European Economic Community,
later the European Union, and for over forty years its economy, laws and
politics were closely bound up with those of Europe. In 2016, however, in a
closely fought referendum, the British people voted to leave the European
Union, and Britain formally left in 2020, in the process known as
"Brexit." This was one of the most important and divisive decisions
in modern British history, with deep effects on the nation’s trade, its
politics and its place in the world, and it showed how strongly the British
value their national independence.
Q3. What
are the main social changes and challenges of modern England?
Modern England has seen great social change and faces serious
challenges. The old rigid class distinctions have weakened, family life has
grown more varied, women and minorities enjoy far greater equality, and society
has become more secular and consumer-minded; powers have also been devolved to
parliaments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. At the same time England
has had to face terrorism, the global financial crisis of 2008 and the years of
austerity that followed, the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, and growing concern
about inequality and climate change, while the much-loved Welfare State and
National Health Service are under financial strain. Yet England remains a
stable democracy that continues to adapt to a changing world.
■ Essay Question
Q. Describe the chief features of
English society in the twenty-first century.
Introduction
England in the twenty-first century is a modern, prosperous and
rapidly changing society, very different from the England of earlier ages.
Though no longer the heart of a great empire, it remains an important
democratic nation, multicultural in character, closely linked to the wider
world, and continually adapting to new conditions. Its chief features may be
seen in its diversity, its relationship with Europe, its technology, its social
change and the challenges it faces.
▸ 1. A Multicultural Society
A striking feature of modern England is its multicultural character.
Immigration since the Second World War, especially from the Commonwealth, has
made it home to people of many races, religions and cultures, so that its
cities are diverse communities. This has enriched English life while raising
questions of integration and identity.
▸ 2. Britain and Europe
England’s relationship with Europe has been a central issue. Having
joined the European Economic Community in 1973, Britain voted in 2016 to leave
the European Union and did so in 2020, in the process known as Brexit—one of
the most important and divisive events in modern British history.
▸ 3. Technology and Globalisation
The age is one of rapid technology and globalisation. The computer,
internet and mobile phone have created an "information age," the
economy has shifted from heavy industry to services, finance and technology,
and England is now more closely connected with the world than ever before.
▸ 4. Social and Political Change
Society has changed greatly: rigid class distinctions have weakened,
women and minorities enjoy greater equality, religion has declined, and life
has grown more secular and consumer-minded. Powers have been devolved to
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the ancient monarchy continues, the
long reign of Elizabeth II ending in 2022.
▸ 5. Challenges
Modern England also faces serious challenges: terrorism, the
financial crisis of 2008 and austerity, the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, and
growing concern about inequality and climate change, while the Welfare State
and National Health Service are under strain. Yet it remains a stable and
tolerant democracy.
Conclusion
England in the twenty-first century, then, is a society of great
diversity, wealth and change. Multicultural at home and globalised abroad,
transformed by technology and by its departure from the European Union, and
altered in its class structure, its beliefs and its politics, it continues to
face new challenges with the stability and adaptability that have marked its
long history. In all these ways modern England shows both how far it has
travelled from its past and how it still draws on its enduring traditions of
democracy, law and tolerance.
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