🇬🇧The Making of the United Kingdom

How England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland were joined together.

1. Wales joins England

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   During the reign of Henry VIII, Wales became formally united with England by the Act for the Government of Wales, and the Welsh legal system was reformed.

2. Shared monarch 1603

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   When Elizabeth I died in 1603, her heir was James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England, Wales and Ireland. Scotland remained a separate country.

   then

3. Union with Scotland 1707

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   The Act of Union, known as the Treaty of Union in Scotland, was agreed in 1707, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain. Scotland kept its own legal and education systems.

   a century later

4. Union with Ireland 1801

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   In 1801, after the Act of Union of 1800, Ireland became unified with England, Scotland and Wales, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

   and then

5. The Union Flag

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   The Union Flag combined the crosses of St George for England, St Andrew for Scotland and St Patrick for Ireland. It is still the official flag of the UK.