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Roman Rule The Romans invaded in the early part of the First Century AD. They established the city by building roads and bridges. They are also responsible for introducing Catholicism to Great Britain. Dark Ages Not much is known of London during the Dark Ages, around the Sixth Century. Trade with other parts of the Roman Empire waned and the city went into a virtual slumber. Elizabethan London From 1558 to 1603, Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, reigned over England and the period known as the Renaissance. She had a keen interest in the arts and it is in part due to her support that theatre and literature exploded. It is during this time that Shakespeare saw his plays come to life on the stage of the Globe Theatre in London. The Plague For almost one-hundred years, the plague, or Black Death as it was commonly called, reeked havoc on the citizens of London due to close living quarters and unhygienic ways. In 1665 more than half of the deaths in the city were a result of plague; over 60,000 people lost their lives. The Great Fire One year after London saw the highest number of deaths from the plague, the city burned to the ground. Most of the city wall was destroyed and thousands of homes were lost. The London Bridge, Cathedral of Old St. Paul, Royal Exchange, and Custom House were all destroyed. Years later plans to rebuild the city included designs for brick houses, instead of wood, and wider streets. These plans shaped the London into the city that we enjoy today. Victorian London With the British Empire thriving, London inhabitants felt they were living in the centre of the world during Victorian times. This period saw great wealth and even greater poverty. Many museums and exhibition halls were erected and railroads were built to connect London with other major cities in Great Britain. Wars of the early 20th Century The Great War saw thousands of young London lads dying on the battlefields of France and Belgium. Many of the Zeppelin bombs landed outside the city, but were still a great cause of sadness and frustration. Bombing campaigns during the Second World War were more on target and changed London dramatically. The east side of the city was most affected and London again was faced with major reconstruction. |