Introduction
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a major power with strong economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence. And the main reason of this position the country holds for centuries is its people. The United Kingdom has been influential in the development of many areas, including culture, science, politics etc. It is impossible to ignore the role of the country in history and modern developments, in advancing literature and science.
This term paper is dedicated to Great Britain and its famous people.
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the role of Great Britain and its people in the society and world culture.
In this paper we will focus on two main aspects: the names of outstanding personalities in Great Britain and their role in the history and world culture.
The second part of the work includes different tests, quizzes and games which can be used in English lessons dedicated to famous personalities.
This topic seems to me very interesting because it concentrates on the lives of outstanding people, their contribution to the world and society, they also can be taken as role models for modern youth.
I believe this research can be useful not only for teachers but also for students.
The paper consists of an introduction, 3 chapters, a conclusion, a bibliography and 2 appendixes.
Table of contents
Introduction 3
Chapter 1. Great Britain. Overview 4
Chapter 2. Famous Britons 5
2.1 Royal Family 5
2.2 Inventors and scientists 8
2.3 Painters 11
2.4 Writers and poets 12
2.5 Politicians 16
2.6 Famous Characters in 20th 21st centuries 17
Chapter 3. Tests, quizzes and games 21
Conclusion 29
Bibliography 30
Appendix 1. Kings and queens 31
Appendix 2. The list of top 100 great Britons according to BBC 34
x 2. The list of top 100 famous Britons according to BBC
100 Greatest Britons was broadcast in 2002 by the BBC. The program was the result of a vote conducted to determine whom the United Kingdom public considers the greatest British people have been in history.
1. Sir Winston Churchill, (1874-1965), Prime Minister (1940-1945, 19511955)
2. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, (18061859), engineer, creator of Great Western Railway and other significant works
3. Diana, Princess of Wales (19611997), first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales (19811996), and mother of Princes William and Harry of Wales
4. Charles Darwin (18091882), naturalist, originator of the theory of evolution through natural selection and author of On the Origin of Species, regarded by many as one of the greatest figures in the history of science
5. William Shakespeare (15641616), English poet and playwright, thought of by many as the greatest of all writers in the English language
6. Sir Isaac Newton (16431727), physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and alchemist, regarded by many as one of the greatest figures in the history of science
7. Queen Elizabeth I of England
8. John Lennon (19401980), musician with The Beatles, philanthropist, peace activist, artist
9. Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (17581805), naval commander
10. Oliver Cromwell (15991658), Lord Protector
11. Sir Ernest Shackleton (18741922), polar explorer
12. Captain James Cook (17281779), explorer
13. Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell (18571941), founder of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides
14. Alfred the Great (849?899), King of Wessex, (reigned 871899)
15. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (17691852), military commander, statesman and Prime Minister 18281830 and 1834
16. Margaret Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (born 1925), Prime Minister (19791990)
17. Michael Crawford (born 1942), actor and singer
18. Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (18191901), monarch (reigned 18371901)
19. Sir Paul McCartney (1942), musician with The Beatles, philanthropist, activist
20. Sir Alexander Fleming (18811955), biologist and pharmacologist, discoverer of penicillin
21. Alan Turing (19121954), pioneer of computing
22. Michael Faraday (17911867), scientist
23. Owain Glyndŵr (13591416), Prince of Wales
24. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (born 1926), reigning monarch (1952present)
25. Professor Stephen Hawking (born 1942), theoretical physicist
26. William Tyndale (14941536), English translator of the Bible
27. Emmeline Pankhurst (18581928), suffragette
28. William Wilberforce (17591833), humanitarian
29. David Bowie (born 1947), musician
30. Guy Fawkes (15701606), English revolutionary.
31. Leonard Cheshire, Baron Cheshire (19171992), aviator and charity organiser
32. Eric Morecambe (19261984), comedian
33. David Beckham (born 1975), footballer
34. Thomas Paine (17371809), political philosopher
35. Boudica (died c.60), leader of Celtic resistance to the Roman Empire
36. Sir Steve Redgrave (born 1962), Olympic rower
37. Saint Thomas More (14781535), English saint, lawyer and politician
38. William Blake (17571827), author/poet, painter and printer
39. John Harrison (16931776), clock designer
40. King Henry VIII of England (14911547), monarch (reigned 15091547)
41. Charles Dickens (18121870), author
42. Sir Frank Whittle (19071996), jet engine inventor
43. John Peel (19392004), broadcaster
44. John Logie Baird (18881946), television pioneer
45. Aneurin Bevan (18971960), Labour politician who oversaw the formation of the National Health Service
46. Boy George (born 1961), musician with Culture Club
47. Sir Douglas Bader (19101982), aviator and charity campaigner
48. Sir William Wallace (c.12701305), Guardian of Scotland
49. Sir Francis Drake (c.15401596), English naval commander
50. John Wesley (17031791), founder of Methodism
51. King Arthur, legendary Celtic monarch
52. Florence Nightingale (18201910), nurse and charity campaigner
53. T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) (18881935), Arabist and soldier
54. Robert Falcon Scott (18681912), polar explorer
55. Enoch Powell (19121998), politician
56. Sir Cliff Richard (born 1940), musician
57. Alexander Graham Bell (18471922), telephone pioneer, placed 9th in the Canadian version
58. Freddie Mercury (19461991), musician with Queen
59. Dame Julie Andrews (born 1935), actress and singer
60. Sir Edward Elgar (18571934), composer
61. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (19002002), Queen consort
62. George Harrison (19432001), musician with The Beatles
63. Sir David Attenborough (born 1926), broadcaster
64. James Connolly (18681916), the Scottish born leader of the Irish 1916 rising
65. George Stephenson (17811848), railway pioneer
66. Sir Charlie Chaplin (18891977), comic actor and film director
67. Tony Blair (born 1953), Prime Minister (19972007)
68. William Caxton (c.1415~1422c.1492), English printer
69. Bobby Moore (19411993), footballer and Captain of England 1966 World Cup winning team
70. Jane Austen (17751817), author
71. William Booth (18291912), founder of Salvation Army
72. King Henry V of England (13871422), monarch (reigned 14131422)
73. Aleister Crowley (18751947), occultist, writer, and social provocateur; founder of Thelema
74. Robert the Bruce (12741329), King of Scots
75. Bob Geldof (born 1951), Irish musician, philanthropist
76. The Unknown Warrior, soldier of the Great War
77. Robbie Williams (born 1974), musician and former member of Take That
78. Edward Jenner (17491823), pioneer of vaccination
79. David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George (18631945), Prime Minister (19161922)
80. Charles Babbage (17911871), mathematician and pioneer of computing
81. Geoffrey Chaucer (c.13431400), English author
82. King Richard III of England (14521485), monarch (reigned 14831485)
83. J.K. Rowling (born 1965), author
84. James Watt (17361819), developer of the steam engine
85. Sir Richard Branson (born 1950), businessman and adventurer
86. Bono (born 1960), Irish musician - Singer for Rock Band U2, philanthropist
87. John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) (born 1956), musician
88. Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (18871976), military commander
89. Donald Campbell (19211967), water speed world record challenger
90. King Henry II of England (11331189), monarch (reigned 11541189)
91. James Clerk Maxwell (18311879), physicist
92. J.R.R. Tolkien (18921973), author and philologist
93. Sir Walter Raleigh (15521618), English explorer
94. King Edward I of England (12391307), monarch (reigned 12721307)
95. Sir Barnes Wallis (18871979), aviation technology pioneer
96. Richard Burton (19251984), actor 1
97. Tony Benn (born 1925), politician, formerly the 2nd Viscount Stangate
98. David Livingstone (18131873), missionary and explorer
99. Sir Tim Berners-Lee (born 1955), Internet pioneer and inventor of the World Wide Web
100. Marie Stopes (18801958), promoter of birth control