Clearing up "The U.K."
The United Kingdom (U.K.)... England... Britain.
"Why all the titles-- what's the difference? England is its own country, right? But what about Canadians and Australians-- aren't they 'subjects of the queen' as well?"
These are the secret questions I had when we began considering our move across the pond.
First, the official name of this region is:
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
So, saying "the U.K." is like saying "the U.S." and saying "Britain" is like saying "America."
The terms each refer to the same respective sovereignty.
The United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The United States (US) of America
The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Scotland and Wales which are all located on the island of Great Britain; and Northern Ireland.
Each country has their own leaders with varying responsibilities in their capital, but England has the greatest administrative power. We'll go over why there is both a Queen and a Prime Minister at another time.
There are fourteen British overseas territories, such as Bermuda and Gibraltar, and there are also nearby islands merely considered "Crown dependancies." These rely on the UK for political protection and political representation on a world-scale.
Like many other other modern day countries, Canada started out as a British territory.
You can visit the British Museum in London and see for yourself how good the Brits were at scooping up land and keeping the "good stuff" for themselves.
Two thousand year old Lycian tomb built to look like a temple, ancient by their own standards? Sure, looks like a great souvenir to load up on the ship and take home.
Canada is its own sovereign country but it does share a monarch with the United Kingdom. Technically, Queen Elizabeth is also the Queen of Canada. But, she lives in England and rarely visits. So, the prime minister picks a governor general who green-lights all Canadian legislation.
Before the second half of the 20th Century, a Canadian could petition for British citizenship, but this is no longer an option. Some Canadian money features the Queen's image, however.
Canada joins 17 other independent countries (like Australia) to make up the Commonwealth of Nations. Their only connection is their shared monarch (currently Queen Elizabeth).
So, hopefully this helps clear the issue up for someone else. Or was I the only one confused?
And maybe even a little more confused after a little knowledge...
"Why all the titles-- what's the difference? England is its own country, right? But what about Canadians and Australians-- aren't they 'subjects of the queen' as well?"
These are the secret questions I had when we began considering our move across the pond.
First, the official name of this region is:
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
So, saying "the U.K." is like saying "the U.S." and saying "Britain" is like saying "America."
The terms each refer to the same respective sovereignty.
The United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The United States (US) of America
The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Scotland and Wales which are all located on the island of Great Britain; and Northern Ireland.
Each country has their own leaders with varying responsibilities in their capital, but England has the greatest administrative power. We'll go over why there is both a Queen and a Prime Minister at another time.
There are fourteen British overseas territories, such as Bermuda and Gibraltar, and there are also nearby islands merely considered "Crown dependancies." These rely on the UK for political protection and political representation on a world-scale.
Like many other other modern day countries, Canada started out as a British territory.
You can visit the British Museum in London and see for yourself how good the Brits were at scooping up land and keeping the "good stuff" for themselves.
Canada is its own sovereign country but it does share a monarch with the United Kingdom. Technically, Queen Elizabeth is also the Queen of Canada. But, she lives in England and rarely visits. So, the prime minister picks a governor general who green-lights all Canadian legislation.
Before the second half of the 20th Century, a Canadian could petition for British citizenship, but this is no longer an option. Some Canadian money features the Queen's image, however.
Canada joins 17 other independent countries (like Australia) to make up the Commonwealth of Nations. Their only connection is their shared monarch (currently Queen Elizabeth).
So, hopefully this helps clear the issue up for someone else. Or was I the only one confused?
And maybe even a little more confused after a little knowledge...
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