United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the union of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into one sovereign state, established by the Acts of Union in 1801.

History

Early Years

Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland signed two acts both named "An Act for the Union of Great Britain and Ireland" that came into force between 31 December 1800 and 1 January 1801, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Also in 1801, British naval forces defeated the Danish-Norwegian fleet at the Battle of Copenhagen in the Napoleonic Wars. And in 1805, in the Battle of Trafalgar, British naval forces defeated the combined French-Spanish forces, securing Britain's dominance in the waters.

Rule, Britannia!—The Pax Britannica

See also: British Empire

In 1815, the French were finally defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, marking an end to the Napoleonic Wars. The reducing of the French influence meant that UK can and will emerge as the next world superpower. He had already colonized big parts of other continents such as Africa and America, expanding his influence greatly. But on Monday, 16 August 1819, British cavalry charged into a crowd of demonstrators at St. Peter's Field in Manchester, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries during a protest for parliamentary reform.

The slave trade was abolished back in 1807, but it wasn't until 1834 that slavery was dropped entirely. In 1829, Catholics got political rights and was allowed to sit in parliament. And in 1840, Penny Black, the world's first adhesive postage stamp, was issued in Britain, revolutionizing postal services.

The Mines Act of 1842 improved the working safety and conditions of people working underground in the mines. It forbids any girls or women to work in the mines, and boys have a minimum age of 10. In 1846 the British Parliament repealed the Corn Laws, which had imposed tariffs on imported grain, leading to greater free trade and economic changes. The 1848 Public Health Act was the first step to improve health services.

Meanwhile outside of mainland Britain, UK battled some small nations like Nepal (1814-1816) and Bhutan (1864-1865). Britain won both of these wars, but Nepal and Bhutan were never colonized, instead they remained as buffer states. UK also killed the Aboriginal Australians almost to extinction after they violently resisted British's expansion.

Back in London, The Great Exhibition took place in 1851. This showcased Britain's industrial prowess and cultural achievements.

Looking at the declining Ottoman Empire, other countries thought about the Eastern Question: which of the existing powers will take control/influence the land that once belonged to the Ottomans? The Russian Empire was seeking to expand his influence to the east. To prevent this, Britain, France, and the Ottomans teamed up to fight Russia in Crimea in 1853. Religion and politics were also contributing factors to the Crimean War. The UK and his side came out victorious in 1856.

In British-ruled India, the native people rose up and rebelled against Britain, causing the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (Sepoy Mutiny). Significant lives were lost on both sides, but Britain ultimately won out.

In 1867, the Second Reform Act expands voting rights in Britain, particularly to urban working-class males. The Education Act of 1870 establishes compulsory education for children aged 5 to 13 in England and Wales. The Third Reform Act further extends voting rights in Britain, particularly to agricultural workers and the urban working class.

In 1888, an unidentified serial killer nicknamed " Jack the Ripper" terrorizes London, committing a series of very gruesome murders.

In October 1899, Britain decided to send 10,000 troops to his colonies in the south African region. This enraged the Boers who already had tension with the British. Fighting broke out, but ultimately Britain defeated and annexed the South African Republic, Orange Free State, and other Boer republics in 1902, bringing an end to the Second Boer War.

The Great War

In 1914, Germany attacked Belgium and Luxembourg due to a chain of events that happened which sprung up from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. As Germany started attacking France, UK stepped in and helped his allies to fight against Germany, Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empire (the Central Powers), starting the Great War, or as it was later known as, World War I.

Ottoman Empire was threatening the Suez Canal, so Britain promised Arab rebels that if they overthrow the Ottoman Empire, they can create an independent Arab state (which included the Holy Land). But Britain also promised the land for the Jews to be their homeland. On top of that, Britain also promised the same piece of land to another colonial power, the French. These disputes are what caused the Middle East region to be in chaos today.

Germany sent the "Zimmermann telegram" to Mexico in 1917, in an attempt to make Mexico invade the United States. But Britain caught the telegram and showed it to America, dragging him into the war. Britain and his allies won against the Central Powers in 1918, giving Germany massive debt and carving up his colonies.

In 1922, Ireland got independence, ending the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Relationships

Enemies

• First French Empire - BASTARD! I JOINED ON ALL SEVEN COALITIONS TO DESTROY YOU!!!
• Qing Dynasty - If you don't take my opium I WILL DECLARE WAR ON YOU!! I'm not paying that much silver for tea, and since you reject all my technologies and inventions, you brought this upon yourself!

How to draw

A proposed UK flag, with the yellow from Wale's St. David's flag combined into it.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland has a drawing rating of intermediate.

1. Draw a ball and will it with blue.
2. Draw a yellow cross like this: (--|--)
3. Draw another white cross like this: (><)
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3, but with fewer wide lines and in red.
5. Draw the eyes and done!

Color Name		HEX
	Blue	#012169
	White	#FFFFFF
	Red	#C8102E
	Yellow	#FFFF00

Gallery

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