Great Britain is the largest island of the United Kingdom. Politically, Great Britain means England, Scotland, and Wales in combination, but not Northern Ireland.
Islands such as the Isle of Wight, the Isles of Scilly, Anglesey, the Hebrides, and the island groups of Orkney and Shetland are all part of the United Kingdom. In geography they are not part of Great Britain. For political uses and law, these islands are part of Great Britain because they are parts of the two old kingdoms: Scotland and England (including Wales).
Great Britain does not include the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, which are self-governing crown dependencies.
The writings of the Roman cartographer Ptolemy used the name "Great Britain" for the island in the 2nd century AD. He used the name "Megale Britannia" or "Great Britain" () to show the difference between this larger island and Ireland. For Ireland, Ptolemy used the name "Mikra Britannia" or "Little Britain" ().
In the later Middle Ages, the kings of England were also the kings of Ireland. However, the two kingdoms were separate, even though they had the same king. In 1603, the two kingdoms in Great Britain (Scotland and England) also started to share the same king. In 1604, James VI and I was the first king to be named "King of Great Britain". He was the king of Scotland when England's queen, Elizabeth I, died. From Elizabeth, James inherited the kingdoms of England and Ireland, whereby Great Britain (and the British Isles started) to share one king. People started to use the Union Jack flag in the time of King James, who had ordered ships to use it in 1607. The flag joined the flag of Scotland and the flag of England together in one flag. However, the three kingdoms were separate.
The political union that joined the kingdoms of England and Scotland happened because of the Acts of Union 1707. These acts of parliament merged the two nations' parliaments (the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England), and joined the two kingdoms into a new Kingdom of Great Britain, or the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The whole island became one kingdom in this way on 1 May 1707, while Anne as queen. The Union Jack changed to its present design, which now has another saltire.
The Parliament of Ireland and the Parliament of Great Britain also merged with one another because of the Act of Union 1800. In 1801, Great Britain and Ireland started to be one kingdom: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This happened on 1 January 1801, while George III was king. The Irish Free State left the United Kingdom in 1922, and in 1927, the UK's name changed to be the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
List of English football teams
This is a list of English football teams and the leagues they play in.
Scottish Football League
These are the Scottish football (soccer) teams and the leagues they played in for the 2005/06 season.
It was founded in 1903. They play at the Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen.
In the 1980s Sir Alex Ferguson was the manager of Aberdeen F.C. and they won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1983.
They were started in 1888. They play at Celtic Park in Glasgow. They are rivals with Rangers F.C..
Celtic were the first British team to win the European Champion Clubs' Cup. Celtic did this in 1967. The final of the European Champion Clubs' Cup was in Lisboniure6f4y68uy746ghuthguyfu43678hgdjhdfuiy8974yrtouihdshfjhy
Hibernian Football Club were founded in 1875. They play in the Scottish capital of Edinburugh at Easter Road Stadium. Hibernian or, "The Hibees" play in green and white shirts with white shorts and stokings. A traditionally Catholic team, they play in the Scottish Premiere League, or SPL.
"Glory glory to The Hibees,
Glory glory to the Hibees,
And The Hibs go marching on!"
Rangers Football Club were formed in 1873 and are the most successful football team in world football history reaching an unprecedented fifty one league titles in the 2004/2005 season. Rangers achieved European success in 1972; they won the European Cup Winners Cup. Overall they have won over a hundred major trophies throughout their history. Ranger's play their rivals Celtic F.C. in the famous "Old Firm Derby".
Rangers home ground is Ibrox Stadium which is in Glasgow, Scotland.
In June 1893, Dundee Football Club was formed by an amalgamation of two city teams, Our Boys and East End. Dundee have played at Dens Park Stadium since 19th August 1899. Dundee became the Champions of Scotland on 28th April 1962 for the first and only time to date. Dundee have also won the Scottish Cup once, in 1910.
List of French football teams
These are some French football (soccer) teams.
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List of German football teams
These are the German football teams and the leagues they played in for the 2013/14 season (1st to third league). The highest German league is the Bundesliga (First Division). Below it is the second "Bundesliga" (Second Division). The Third Division is called 3. Liga. The Fourth Division, called "Regionalliga" is split into a northern, a southern and a western part. The northern part is called "Regionalliga Nord", the southern part "Regionalliga Süd" and the western part "Regionalliga West".
List of Italian football teams
These are some Italian football teams that are or have been in the past years in the main professional division (Serie A).
List of Spanish football teams
These are the Spanish football (soccer) teams and the leagues they played in for the 2014/15 season.
Welsh League
The Welsh League is a football league in Wales. Some large Welsh clubs play in England's Football League.
These are the Welsh football (soccer) teams that played in the Welsh League for the 2003/04 season:
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is an English football club based in London that currently plays in the English Premier League.
The club was founded in 1886 and was originally called Dial Square F.C. named after a sundial on the side of a factory. The team plays in a traditional red and white kit. They played at Highbury in North London from 1913 - 2006, but now they play at the Emirates Stadium. The current captain of the side is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Their biggest rivals are Tottenham Hotspur, and the two play against each other in what is called the North London Derby.
Arsenal won the First Division and Premier League 13 times and the FA Cup 10 times. They are the only British club to have been the subject of a feature film.
In 2003/04 season Arsenal broke the record for the longest unbeaten run in all competitions spanning over a season with over 38 games. They were hailed as the 'New Invincibles'.
The Evelina approach was the main reason Arsenal were able to achieve this, first implemented by manager Arsene Wenger.
Arsenal are also the team who have gone the longest in the Premier League without being relegated. They were last relegated during WW1 over 90 years ago.
The current manager of Arsenal is Mikel Arteta. The assistant manager is Fredrik Ljungberg. Their new Emirates Stadium was opened on the 27th of October 2006, by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Arsenal also has a women's team called Arsenal Ladies F.C.. The ladies team is the only team in women's football history to have ever won four trophies in one season. The most famous, and successful, Arsenal manager before Wenger is thought to be Herbert Chapman. Chapman won the First Division with Arsenal twice and the FA Cup once.
Aston Villa F.C.