Life in the UK test study guide
61 key facts the test asks about, by topic. Read them, test yourself with flashcards, then take a practice test. For the full picture, also read the official guide.
Values and principles · 2 facts
Which of these is a fundamental principle of British life?
Democracy
The handbook lists democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, tolerance and participation in community life.
Which of these is a responsibility of people living in the UK?
Respecting and obeying the law
Others include respecting the rights of others, treating others fairly and looking after yourself and your family.
History · 30 facts
Where is Stonehenge?
Wiltshire
Stonehenge, a Stone Age monument, still stands in Wiltshire, England.
Who built Hadrian's Wall?
The Romans
Emperor Hadrian had it built to keep out the Picts (ancestors of the Scots).
When did the Romans leave Britain?
AD 410
They left to defend other parts of their empire.
In which year did the Battle of Hastings take place?
1066
William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold and became William the Conqueror.
What was the Domesday Book?
A record of towns, villages and landowners made by William the Conqueror
It gives a picture of society in England after the Norman Conquest.
In which year did King John agree to Magna Carta?
1215
It limited the king's power and established that he was subject to the law.
Which battle in 1314 did Robert the Bruce win, keeping Scotland unconquered?
The Battle of Bannockburn
Scotland remained independent of England after Bannockburn.
What was the Black Death?
A plague that killed about a third of the population of England in 1348
It led to labour shortages and changes in society.
Which battle in 1415 did King Henry V win against France?
The Battle of Agincourt
Agincourt was a major English victory in the Hundred Years War.
Who became the first Tudor king after the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485?
Henry VII
Henry Tudor defeated Richard III and founded the Tudor dynasty.
How many times did Henry VIII marry?
Six
He married Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr.
Why did Henry VIII establish the Church of England?
So he could divorce his first wife, which the Pope refused
The King became head of the new church.
In which year was the Spanish Armada defeated?
1588
Queen Elizabeth I's navy defeated the Spanish fleet.
Who wrote plays including Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet?
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare (1564–1616) is widely seen as the greatest English playwright.
What is commemorated on Bonfire Night, 5 November?
The failure of a plot to blow up Parliament in 1605
Guy Fawkes and others planned to kill the Protestant King James I.
What was the Glorious Revolution of 1688?
William of Orange replaced James II, with no fighting in England
Parliament's power grew after William and Mary became joint monarchs.
Who led the Parliamentary army (the New Model Army) in the English Civil War?
Oliver Cromwell
After Charles I was executed in 1649, Cromwell became Lord Protector.
In which year did the Act of Union join England and Scotland as the Kingdom of Great Britain?
1707
Scotland kept its own legal and education systems and Presbyterian Church.
Who was the first Prime Minister of Britain?
Sir Robert Walpole
He was Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742.
Which admiral died winning the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805?
Admiral Lord Nelson
Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square commemorates him.
Who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815?
The Duke of Wellington
Wellington later became Prime Minister.
What was the Industrial Revolution?
The rapid development of industry in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries
Machines, coal and steam power transformed manufacturing.
Who campaigned for women to get the vote, using methods such as chaining themselves to railings?
The suffragettes, led by Emmeline Pankhurst
Women over 30 got the vote in 1918, and on the same terms as men in 1928.
In which year did women get the right to vote at the same age as men?
1928
In 1918, women over 30 got the vote; from 1928 they could vote at 21, like men.
Who was the Prime Minister during most of the Second World War?
Winston Churchill
Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940.
When was the National Health Service (NHS) established?
1948
Aneurin (Nye) Bevan led its creation, providing free healthcare for all.
Who was the first woman Prime Minister of the UK?
Margaret Thatcher
She was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.
Who invented the World Wide Web?
Sir Tim Berners-Lee
He put the first website online in 1991.
Who discovered penicillin?
Alexander Fleming
Fleming discovered it in 1928.
Who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection?
Charles Darwin
He published On the Origin of Species in 1859.
A modern, thriving society · 15 facts
What is the capital of Wales?
Cardiff
Cardiff is home to the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament.
What is the capital of Scotland?
Edinburgh
The Scottish Parliament sits in Edinburgh.
What is the capital of Northern Ireland?
Belfast
The Northern Ireland Assembly sits at Stormont in Belfast.
Who is the patron saint of Scotland?
St Andrew
St Andrew's Day is 30 November.
Who is the patron saint of Wales?
St David
St David's Day is 1 March.
When is St George's Day, the day of England's patron saint?
23 April
St Patrick's Day (Northern Ireland) is 17 March.
Which crosses make up the Union Flag?
St George, St Andrew and St Patrick
Wales isn't represented because it was already united with England.
What is the national flower of Wales?
The daffodil
England's is the rose, Scotland's the thistle and Northern Ireland's the shamrock.
What is the highest mountain in the UK?
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is in Scotland.
What is commemorated on Remembrance Day, 11 November?
Those who died fighting for the UK and its allies
People wear poppies and hold a two-minute silence at 11 a.m.
Which famous tennis tournament is held in the UK each summer?
Wimbledon
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
What is the national anthem of the UK?
God Save the King
It is sung at important national occasions.
What is the minimum age to buy alcohol in the UK?
18
It is a crime to sell alcohol to anyone under 18.
Which number do you call in an emergency?
999 or 112
101 is for non-emergency police, and 111 for non-emergency NHS help.
Which of these is a well-known British dish?
Fish and chips
Others include roast beef with Yorkshire puddings and haggis in Scotland.
Government, the law and your role · 14 facts
What type of government does the UK have?
A parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch
The monarch is head of state; the elected government runs the country.
Who is the UK's head of state?
The King
The monarch's role is mostly ceremonial.
What are the two Houses of Parliament?
The House of Commons and the House of Lords
The Commons is elected; members of the Lords are not.
How many Members of Parliament (MPs) are there in the House of Commons?
650
Each MP represents a constituency.
How often must a general election be held?
At least every five years
MPs are elected at a general election.
What is the minimum voting age in UK general elections?
18
In Scotland and Wales, 16-year-olds can vote in some devolved and local elections.
Who chairs debates in the House of Commons?
The Speaker
The Speaker is neutral and keeps order during debates.
Which of these has devolved government?
Wales
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own parliaments or assemblies.
What is the highest court in the UK?
The Supreme Court
It is the final court of appeal for civil cases, and criminal cases outside Scotland.
How many people sit on a jury in England and Wales?
12
In Scotland a jury has 15 people.
What is the Commonwealth?
A voluntary association of countries, most of which were once part of the British Empire
The King is head of the Commonwealth.
Which of these is a way to take part in your community?
Volunteering for a charity
Volunteering, joining a school board or helping neighbours are good ways to get involved.
Which of these is a criminal offence in the UK?
Carrying a weapon such as a knife in public without a good reason
It's illegal to carry an offensive weapon in public.
Who appoints the Prime Minister?
The King, who invites the leader of the party that can command a majority
The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the largest party in the House of Commons.
🃏 Test yourself with flashcards
Who was the Prime Minister during most of the Second World War?
These facts are the topics the Life in the UK test is known to ask about. They come from the official study guide, but they're a summary: read the official guide too. Questions about who currently holds an office are left out because the answers change, so check those yourself before your test. This site isn't affiliated with the Home Office.