United Kingdom

The United Kingdom consists of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and covers a geographic region roughly the size of Colorado, but at one time it was so large that people said, “The sun never sets on the British Empire.” The widespread use of the English language is due, in part, to the long list of countries formerly known as British colonies, which include not only the United States but also such wide-ranging locales as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India. Explore the historical, cultural, political and economic influence of the United Kingdom through these direct links on The Times Launch Point Web site: https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint

Here are the best sites for getting your schoolwork done or for just having fun.

Level 1

The Flag of the United Kingdom: Ever wonder how the flag of the United Kingdom was created and why it is called the Union Jack? Read about the flag’s history, find out what other flags are used across Britain, and learn about the personal flags of Queen Elizabeth II and other English monarchs.

https://fotw.digibel.be/flags/gb.html

Kid’s Castle: Well-fortified stone buildings called castles were common in Western Europe during the Middle Ages, and today many castles can still be found in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Explore a castle and learn about medieval life by trying some fun activities and listening to authentic music.

https://kotn.ntu.ac.uk/castle/

Virtual Journey of the United Kingdom: Britain is more than fish and chips, perfectly brewed cups of tea and Scottish bagpipes. Meet some kids who live there today, check out a guidebook that provides useful facts and figures, and find out about the cultural contributions of such British citizens as William Shakespeare, Robert Burns and the Beatles.

https://www.ontheline.org.uk/explore/journey/uk/ukindex.htm

Level 2

Life in the Middle Ages: When King John was forced by English barons to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, this revolutionary act limited English monarchs’ powers of taxation and required trials before punishment. View a copy of the Magna Carta and listen to medieval music while you learn about the feudal system and discover what life in the Middle Ages was like.

https://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/

Spartacus Internet Encyclopedia: British History 1700-1950: Charles Dickens was a highly successful novelist whose works often reflected his interest in social reform. Discover British history and culture through this collection of articles, biographies, first-person accounts and archival photographs and artwork.

https://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Britain.html

Britain/USA: News and Events From Around the United Kingdom: Listen to weekly Web casts from the British prime minister at 10 Downing St. and read news articles from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Access useful governmental sites, including the English Parliament site, which has great activities that show how the legislative process works.

https://www.britain-info.org/

Level 3

British History: England, Britain, United Kingdom, Wales, Scotland: Whether you are interested in the legend of King Arthur or the heroics of Sir William Wallace (“Braveheart”), explore British history from the prehistoric era to modern times through this extensive collection of resources. Other features include virtual tours and articles on British life and travel.

https://britannia.com/history/

The Victorian Web: Discover the stunning achievements that occurred during the 19th century when Queen Victoria was in power through this thoughtful presentation of the arts, technology, philosophy, history and politics of the era.

https://landow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/victov.html

Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet: Get acquainted with this well-respected English playwright through this comprehensive site, which takes you on a tour of the Globe Theatre and provides many useful historical and literary materials.

https://daphne.palomar.edu/shakespeare/

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This column was designed by Eric Keith, Carl Mandrioli, Justin Mori and Anna Manring.

EXPLORER’S QUEST

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

After England was conquered in 1066, what two languages contributed to the formation of the English language?

CLUE: See Virtual Journey of the United Kingdom (Guidebook)

Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point now covers more than 100 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

Answer to last week’s Quest: Normal rain is slightly acidic (about 5.6 pH) because naturally present carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere dissolves in raindrops to form carbonic acid.