Many people believe that British culture is defined by scones and tea, or by Shakespeare's rich

writings; however, this is not the case. There are many customs that British people follow that
Americans or people of other nationalities may find strange. It is true to say this country has a
varied and rich culture, and there are many elements have contributed to the formation of the
UK’s culture alongside the founding and development of this country. However, as far as I am
concerned, its symbols, language, politics are the factors make this country special.
As we all know, The United Kingdom, in other terms the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, which is the heart of Europe, includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. The combined nations' history has influenced British culture, including its historically
Christian religious life, interaction with European cultures, the traditions of England, Wales,
Scotland, and Ireland, and the impact of the British Empire. Although British culture is distinct,
the cultures of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are diverse, with varying degrees
of overlap and distinctiveness.
An indispensable part of the culture is the symbols of that country. One of the UK’s symbols is
the flag. The national flag of the United Kingdom is the Union Jack, also known as the Union
Flag. The design of the Union Jack dates back to the Act of Union 1801 which united the
Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland (previously in personal union) to create
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The flag consists of the red cross of Saint
George (patron saint of England), edged in white, superimposed on the saltire of St Patrick
(patron saint of Ireland), also edged in white, which are superimposed on the saltire of Saint
Andrew (patron saint of Scotland). Wales is not represented in the Union Flag by Wales's patron
saint, Saint David, because the flag was designed while Wales was part of the Kingdom of
England.
When it comes to the UK, we can not ignore its politics. The UK has a parliamentary
government based on the Westminster system that has been emulated around the world – a
legacy of the British Empire. The Parliament of the United Kingdom that meets in the Houses of
Parliament has two houses: an elected House of Commons and an appointed House of Lords, and
any bill passed requires Royal Assent to become law. In additon, Britain is a constitutional
monarchy. This means that the monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State. The
Queen is also head of the judiciary (all judges) and of the Church of England, and Commander-
in-Chief of the armed forces. Her face is on all British banknotes, coins and postage stamps.
However, the Queen's constitutional role is largely symbolic. The real power lies in the hands of
the Prime Minister and his or her Cabinet. The Queen is the one who officially opens Parliament
every autumn, but the speech she delivers from the throne, detailing the government's future
plans, is written for her by politicians. Nothing becomes British law without the signature of the
monarch, but the Queen will never refuse to sign a bill passed by Parliament. It is the Queen
who officially appoints the Prime Minister, but traditionally she has always asked for the leader
of the majority party in the House of Commons. The Queen's most important function is
ceremonial. On big occasions, such as the Opening of Parliament, she was driven through the
streets in a golden chariot, guarded by soldiers. She throws a state party, usually at Buckingham
Palace at her home, when monarchs or foreign heads of state visit Britain and soldiers in
eighteenth-century uniforms will help her welcome them. The Queen is the head of the
Commonwealth (a group of former and present British colonies). As head of the
Commonwealth, she meets and entertains the prime ministers of the member states. Since
Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952, she has represented England on visits to most parts of
the world. Prime Ministers come and go but she continues to be in politics, a symbol of the
British economy. English also shares many similarities with the Romance languages, which are
of Latin origin. The words in the box below came to England with the French-speaking
Normans. Note that the words are associated with power: Norman-French is used as the
language of government. Words of Latin origin are generally longer than words of Germanic
origin and often have a more formal meaning in English than in the original Romance afenSu.
Another terms when talking about culture is language. The Anglo-Saxons, who invaded England
in 350 AD, came from Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands. They spoke a Germanic
language that became the basis of Old English. Even today, words used in modern English for
common objects are mostly of Anglo-Saxon, or Germanic, origin. German languages, such as
Danish, German, Norwegian, and Swedish, have very similar words for the objects in the box
below. Germanic words are, n, usually short (usually just one syllable) and formal in modern
English. Norman-French words did not enter English immediately. When the Normans invaded
in 1066, the common people still spoke Old English. Imagine a Norman party. The British
looked after the animals and cooked the meat, still calling the animals by their Old English
names. The Normans, when they see the meat cooked to the table, they will use French meat.
This explains why the English language now has different words for animal and meat.
Finally, after some extensive research, I would say that culture is a broad term. There are
numerous factors that influence culture. Although every culture is unique, I believe that writing
this paper has provided me with a wealth of information. I believe I have met my objective of
analyzing four categories or aspects of British culture. I also believe I have adequately covered
British culture's history, ethnicity, customs, and future direction. The history, ethnicity, customs,
and future direction of British culture are all very rich. Right now, it appears that British culture
is evolving into a very rich and distinct position of power.