Need a detailed history and customs of Britain?

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (English: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Welsh: Scottish Gaelic: In Mu Thuath's hotel, you can breathe the air; Irish: rí ocht aontai the na breath aine mó ire; Scotland: Agus thuaiscearté ire ann unity kingdom o Britain an norlin air lann, abbreviated as United Kingdom (English) or Britain (English), English abbreviation (GBR), is an island country consisting of England, Scotland and Wales on the island of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland in the northeast of Ireland, including some British overseas territories. Britain is located in the British Isles in the northwest of continental Europe, surrounded by the North Sea, the English Channel, celtic sea, the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Britain consists of most of the islands in the British Isles, the largest of which is Great Britain, and the second largest is Northern Ireland and Ireland. On the west coast of Scotland, there is a large archipelago called hebrides. On the northeast coast of Scotland, there are Orkney Islands and Sadrin Islands. All these islands have administrative relations with the mainland, but the Isle of Man off the coast of Ireland and the Channel Islands between Britain and France are basically autonomous and not part of the United Kingdom. The area of Britain is about 242,500 square kilometers (93,600 square miles). From the southern coast to the northernmost part of Scotland, it is almost 1000 kilometers (about 600 miles), and the widest part in the transverse direction is almost 500 kilometers (about 300 miles). The word "Britain" originated from Greek and Latin, and may eventually be traced back to Celtic. Although the Celtics came to the British Isles relatively late by the measure of "prehistoric times" (before that, those civilizations had created famous historical sites, such as Stonehenge and Stonehenge in Avebury), the written record of British history began with telling the Celtics. The word "Celtic" is very common and is often used to distinguish the early inhabitants of the British Isles from the later Anglo-Saxon invaders.

Roman rule lasted for more than 300 years from AD 43. Before the Romans finally retreated in 408, the island began to be invaded by Angles, Saxons and Jutes from northern Europe, and experienced an increasingly chaotic period. The word "England" comes from "Angles". In the next two centuries, intrusion gradually turned into settlement, and many small kingdoms were established. The British live independently in what is now Wales and Cornwall. Among these small kingdoms, there emerged a kingdom with strong power to rule the whole country, first in the north (Northumbria Kingdom), then in the middle (Mercia Kingdom), and finally in the south (Wessex Kingdom). However, Vikings from Scandinavia subsequently invaded and settled in England, although the Wessex dynasty defeated the invading Danes in the 10 century and once ruled a large area of England.

The last successful invasion of England took place in 1066. Duke William of Normandy defeated the British in the Battle of Hastings, and Normans from France and other places came to settle here. In the following three centuries, French became the language of nobles, and the legal structure was influenced by the laws prevailing across the English Channel, and the social structure was also influenced to some extent. Although Wales is often within the sphere of influence of the English, it has always been a fortress of the Celtics. However, after Prince Llewellyn was killed in 1282, Edward I of England of England launched a campaign and won, putting Wales under English rule. The national sentiment of the Welsh people continues to rise,1The uprising led by Irving Gellind at the beginning of the 5th century is an example. The joint decrees 1536 and 1542 integrated England and Wales administratively, politically and legally. Most people who originally lived in Scotland were Picts. In the 6th century, Scots from Ireland settled in what is now argyle. The English lived in Lothian, while the British in Wales continued north to Strathclyde. In the 9th century, all parts of Scotland united against the Vikings. Throughout the Middle Ages, the powerful monarchy in England threatened the independence of Scotland.

The final union of England and Scotland showed that the religious differences at that time were more critical than the national hatred in the past. In England, Elizabeth I was succeeded by James VI of Scotland (James I, England) in 1603. Even so, England and Scotland remained independent of each other in the17th century, but were once forcibly unified under the rule of oliver cromwell. By 1707, realizing the benefits of closer political and economic union, the two sides agreed to establish a single British parliament. Scotland still retains its own judicial system and religious groups. However, during the reign of George I and George II, two Protestants of Hanover royal family, the relationship between England and Scotland became tense, and the James II Party launched two rebellions to try to restore the Stuart royal family who believed in Catholicism.

There were many kingdoms in Ireland in BC, but Ireland was not spared the invasion by the vikings. By the 10 century, it had become the rule of the vikings.

1 169 Henry II of England invaded Ireland. British Pope Adrian IV granted power to Henry II, the supreme ruler, because he was anxious to make the Irish Church obey Rome completely. Most of Ireland fell into the hands of Anglo-Norman dignitaries, but in the Middle Ages, England hardly exercised jurisdiction directly here. Several Tudor monarchs preferred to interfere in Ireland. During the reign of Elizabeth I, a series of campaigns were launched against Irish rebels. The resistance movement is mainly concentrated in the northern province of Ulster. 1607, due to the failure of the resistance movement and the escape of its leaders, Ulster became the settlement of immigrants from Scotland and England. Due to the English Civil War (1642~ 1652), many uprisings broke out in Ireland, but they were all suppressed by Cromwell. After James II was abandoned in 1688, the war between Britain and Ireland continued. /kloc-most of the 0/8th century was a fragile period of peace. /kloc-at the end of 0/8, the British government made efforts to achieve stability. 1782, the Irish parliament (established in the middle ages) gained legislative autonomy; The only connection between the Constitution and the irrelevant people is the Royal Government. However, the parliament only represents a few Anglo-Irish privileged classes, and Catholics are excluded. 1798 There was an uprising, but it didn't succeed. 180 1 year, Ireland and Great Britain were unified into one.

Although the national uprising in Dublin was suppressed in 19 16, at the end of World War I, a guerrilla named Irish Peace Army began to take military action against the British authorities. /kloc-the Irish government bill passed in 0/920 provides for the establishment of two local self-government committees, one in Dublin and the other in Belfast. The Act was implemented in Northern Ireland on 192 1. Six of the nine counties in the province have accepted their own parliaments, and at the same time, they still enjoy seats in the British Parliament, which is under the highest jurisdiction of the British Parliament. However, the Irish peace forces continued to struggle for independence from the British authorities in the south. 192 1 After the armistice agreement was signed in June, it was established in the Irish Free State according to the Anglo-Irish Treaty concluded in February of the same year, and the Free State became the Republic of Ireland in June of 1949.

Although the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man do not belong to Britain, they have a special relationship with Britain. The Channel Islands were once a part of the Principality of Normandy in 10 century and 1 10 century. The isle of man was nominally exercised by Norway until 1266, and finally came under the direct jurisdiction of the Royal Government until 1765. Today, both the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man have their own legislatures and legal systems, and the British government is responsible for national defense and international relations there. As the main victor of World War I and World War II, Britain is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and has veto power over bills. Britain is also a member of the European Union and a founding member of NATO. British custom The British are famous for their conservatism. In English, conservatism has not only conformism and stupid accidents, but also the connotation of caution, stability and not rashness. When we observe and understand the daily life, way of thinking and social development of the British, we can't forget this. The British are very conservative. They tend to accept familiar things, but they are always suspicious of novelty or foreign things. They said, "British people are generally more conservative, or a little more conservative than people in most other countries." This self-evaluation is also conservative, because in the eyes of foreigners, the British are simply too conservative. Although the British are conservative, they have a good sense of humor and are famous for their sense of humor. Implicitness, caution and humor are part of British nature. The British are famous for their manners, so when you go to England, you must observe their manners.

When you visit an Englishman, you must knock at the door first. You can't go in until he says "come in". Mr. Wang must take off his hat when he comes in. No matter what occasion the British people have, even if the family is having dinner, the father always asks his son to send something with the word "please" in front of it, and he never forgets to say "thank you" afterwards. In Britain, when you meet someone, you always say something like "It's a nice day today" or "It looks like rain". If you use the domestic "have you eaten?" This is very impolite.

Three taboos

British people have the habit of queuing, and jumping the queue is abhorrent.

You can't ask a lady's age. British people hate to talk about men's wages and women's ages, and even how much the furniture in his house is worth. In Britain, there is nothing better than a middle-aged woman saying, "You look so young".

No bargaining. When shopping in Britain, the most taboo is bargaining, which is considered to be very shameful. If you think the price of a commodity is right, buy it, if not, walk away.

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Social customs and habits

On Sundays in London, shops are closed, and all theaters and most cinemas are closed. Because Londoners like to go out for an outing on Sunday.

In Britain, it is best to give a lighter gift when giving a gift. Because the cost is not much, it will not be mistaken for bribery. The British are like most other Europeans. I like high-grade chocolate, famous wine and flowers. Most of them don't appreciate the guests' gifts with the company logo.

Drinking tea, which is deeply loved by people from all walks of life in Britain, can almost be called Britain's national drink, especially women's addiction to tea. English people like fresh strong tea, with one or two lumps of sugar and a little cold milk.

Afternoon tea in rural areas, also called meat tea, or whole tea, replaces dinner with fish, meat and other dishes.

There is also five o'clock tea in Britain, which is a social activity for pro-class women. Instead of drinking tea, it is better to meet friends at five o'clock in the afternoon to chat, which is equivalent to a coffee reception for women in continental Europe.

British people don't like to talk about private affairs when they meet, but love to talk about the weather, otherwise they will be given a cold shoulder.

In Britain, giving a thumbs-up means asking for a ride.

In Britain, if you wear a mask in the street, people will think that an infectious disease has escaped and maybe someone will call an ambulance.

-Clothing:

British people still pay more attention to clothes, so they still wear suits and ties when receiving visitors, visiting or attending cocktail parties, banquets and parties. You can wear a short-sleeved shirt without a suit in summer, but you should also wear a tie.

-Date:

The British have a strong sense of time. Be sure to keep the appointment on time. It is impolite to be late for no reason, and it is unnecessary to arrive too early. If the appointment is postponed or temporarily cancelled for some reason, try to call the other party. In Britain, direct telephone calls can be made to all parts of the country and many cities in the world.

-Negotiation habits:

British businessmen don't like long-term bargaining. They hope to have a conversation once or twice. Except for important negotiations, one hour is usually enough. They sometimes discuss business over lunch. You can attend if the other party invites you.

It is very important to pay attention to the negotiation methods and strategies when talking with the British. For important business negotiations, we should discuss with the decision makers of the company such as the chairman, executive director and general manager and make an appointment in advance. The British pay attention to etiquette, remain reserved and don't show their feelings very much. Therefore, when doing business with the British, we should be neat, polite and dignified.

British businessmen are conservative and changeable in the negotiations. We should be neither humble nor humble, grasp the heat and strive for an agreement between the two sides. Sometimes, during the negotiation, a businessman suddenly changes his mind, especially if he doesn't sign the contract in time after the negotiation, and he will go back on his word according to the agreed terms. Therefore, it is a trick to seize the opportunity and sign the contract in time.

Generally speaking, English people are not sociable, but sometimes they do some necessary socializing for business needs. And this kind of entertainment is more conservative and quaint.

The British never associate time with money. Holidays in Britain are inviolable. It is their vacation time from the end of July to the beginning of September every year, so it is best to avoid this time when going abroad for negotiations. Politeness is very particular in negotiations with the British. Don't use the word "Englishman" when talking about "Englishman", otherwise it will cause dissatisfaction among other nationalities. In the eyes of the British, the queen is the supreme status and the symbol of the country. Therefore, there must be no rude words against the queen during the dinner. When both sides of the business negotiation are satisfied, the British businessman will invite you to his home, and you should attend the party on time. Flowers, chocolates and wine can be used as gifts when attending a party. Christmas, New Year and each other's birthdays, sending greeting cards to each other will also strengthen the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two sides and promote business.

-Exhibition:

There are many trade fairs and exhibitions in Britain every year, so it is best to visit them at the same time with your peers, so that you can understand the British market and know a lot of businessmen. Such exhibitions rarely last more than a week. The catalogue printed by the Expo has the names of exhibitors and exhibits, which is very helpful for business.

-Holidays:

Most British businessmen work five days a week, and Saturday and Sunday are holidays. It's best not to go to England in August, because most people have gone on holiday. In addition, avoid the period from February 20th of 10 to February 2nd of the following year 10, because people are preparing for Christmas and New Year. Easter is from the end of March to the middle of April. There are holidays in May and August.

British people usually drink beer and whisky without ice. In addition, they like to travel in groups to distant places. Therefore, this festival is very important to the British. They must eat an almond pudding first, and then eat something else. If you receive a gift from someone else within this week and feel inappropriate or dissatisfied, you can also take the gift to the original store and exchange it for something you like at a similar price. In this way, people who send and receive gifts will find it very convenient.

Coal When visiting other people's homes in the New Year, the British must put a piece of coal in their own stove as a gift to celebrate the New Year. At the same time, I also said a blessing: "I wish your coal will burn forever."

tip

Whether to tip depends on the situation. General service industry tips 10%. Every room in the hotel costs about 20 pence a day, and the tip for superior rooms should be slightly increased. You can give 10% for lunch and dinner. Porters at stations and airports properly tip about a pound. There are cars at the station and the airport. You can borrow the car to promote luggage. The taxi tip is also 10%, and long-distance car rental can give two to three pounds a day. This standard can also be added with a price inflation index of 20%.

Office hours:

Government agencies: 09:- 17: 30

Company line number: 09:- 17: 30

Bank: 1) England: Monday to Friday 9: 30- 15: 30 (some large branches are also open on Saturdays at 09: 30- 12: 00).

2) Wales: Monday to Friday 9: 30- 15: 30.

3) Scotland: Business hours are Monday to Wednesday from 09: 30- 12: 30 and 13: 30- 15: 30, and Thursday from 09: 30- 12: 30 and13.

4) Northern Ireland: Business hours are Monday to Friday 10: 00- 12: 30 and 13: 30- 15: 30;

General stores and department stores are open from 9: 00 to 17:00. Many stores are extended to 19: 00 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and closed at 13: 00 on Saturdays, but the department stores near Oxford Street and Sterling Street are open until17: 00, and almost all of them are open on Sundays.