Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Owl558; kearnyirish2

Britain is NOT England.
Britain is England, Scotland, NI and Wales. Ireland and Wales, unlike Scotland, were conquered into the UK by England. Scotland joined in 1707.

Wallace and Bruce therefore for the purposes of this study, ARE British. As they are Scots, and Scotland is part of Great Britain.

Its a common mistake to think England means Britain and vice versa.


25 posted on 04/17/2012 6:53:55 AM PDT by the scotsman (I)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies ]


To: the scotsman

“Britain is NOT England.”

Thank you for that burst of nationalistic definition-ism. Speaking for myself, I am fully aware of the constituent parts that make up the United Kingdom. However, you are correct that many Americans use “England” and “Britian” interchangably. It used to drive my friend from Edinburgh insane. The poor Scot went on a Quixotic quest to educate EVERY American he ran across using “England” incorrectly. Luckily, he returned to Edinburgh with his sanity intact, having completely failed in his quest to educate us savage Americans.

Wallace and Bruce are fine examples of foes (British or not). Cromwell also comes to mind as a possibility (not sure if he was a ‘foe’). However, all were too early for purposes of the contest.

What a facinating historical exercise this is. Hopefully, people become curious and want to learn more.


27 posted on 04/17/2012 10:09:46 AM PDT by Owl558 ("Those who remember George Satayana are doomed to repeat him")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies ]

To: the scotsman

“Britain is NOT England.”

I understand the difference; the Union Jack is the combined flag of England, Scotland, and the old St. Patrick’s cross (which wasn’t included in the original Union Jack).


30 posted on 04/17/2012 4:50:17 PM PDT by kearnyirish2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies ]

To: the scotsman
Britain is NOT England. Britain is England, Scotland, NI and Wales. Ireland and Wales, unlike Scotland, were conquered into the UK by England. Scotland joined in 1707.

It seems that the people of the UK didn't refer to themselves as British until after 1707. The word "British" only appears in two of Shakespeare's plays, Cymbeline and King Lear, and it apparently refers to Britonic Gauls, since the plays are set in the period before the Roman conquest.

32 posted on 04/17/2012 6:42:49 PM PDT by Fiji Hill (Deo Vindice!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson