Recent surveys have shown that, as a nation, our knowledge of British history is sketchy at best. A 2001 poll found that 30% of 11–18 year olds thought that Oliver Cromwell fought at the Battle of Hastings and a similar number had no idea in which century the First World War occurred. And the rest of us are no better. Many of us remember important dates and events only if there is a handy rhyme – ‘In 1492 Colombus sailed the ocean blue’ – or a charming folk story to accompany them. As a result Henry VIII is remembered for his wives rather than the Reformation and Charles I, who was publicly executed during the Civil War, is famous for climbing a tree!

Here, in What Happened When, Tim Taylor and the expert archaeologists and historians behind the hit Channel 4 series Time Team will set us straight. Each member of the team will select the events they believe had a major impact on our society and set out to justify their choices. Sixty key events will be discussed with 15 given ‘star status’. Key technologies will be featured, together with photographs from Chris Bennett and illustrations from Time Team's own Victor Ambrus. So, whether you want a quick foray into the past or a definitive guide to British history, this book will give you and your family an accurate chronology of the events that shaped our society and a clear picture of exactly what happened when.

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