Halloween

Halloween was called Samhain by the Irish. It came to be known as Halloween sometime around the fifth century A.D. .

Samhain took place on October 31 through to November 1. During this period, it was believed that the boundaries between our world and the world of the dead were weakened, allowing spirits of the recently dead to cross over and possess the living.

To celibrate the festival, the Irish would dress up in bizarre costumes and parade through their villages， causing destruction and saying "Trick-or-Treat", in order to scare off any recently departed souls who might be prowling for bodies to inhabit.

This yearly festival was later brought to the other regions of the world, including continental Europe and North America. Irish immigrants brought several customs with them, including one of the symbols most commonly associated with Halloween -- the "Jack Lantern".

According to Irish folklore, there once lived a man named Jack who was known for being a drunk and a prankster. One night Jack tricked the devil into climbing a tree, and quickly carved an image of a cross on the trunk, trapping the devil. Jack then made him promise that, in exchange for letting him out of the tree, the Devil would never tempt him to sin again. He reluctantly agreed, but was able to exact his revenge upon Jack's death. Because of his mischievous ways in life, Jack was barred from entering heaven and because of his earlier trick; he was also barred from hell. So he was doomed to wander the earth until the end of time, with only a "Jack Lanterns" to warm him.

In Ireland, they originally used turnips for their "Jack Lanterns", but upon arriving in north America, they discovered that pumpkins were abundant and easier to carve out.

EU Timeline

For centuries, Europe was the scene of frequent and bloody wars. In the period 1870 to 1945, France and Germany fought each other three times, with terrible loss of life. A number of European leaders became convinced that the only way to secure a lasting peace between their countries was to unite them economically and politically.
1946-1949
19 January 1946, the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill calls for a "kind of United States of Europe" in a speech he gives at the Zurich University. 1949, France, Great Britain and the Benelux countries decide to set into place a Council of Europe and ask Denmark, Ireland, Italy Norway and Switzerland to help them prepare the statute of such Council.
1961
July, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Denmark formally apply to join the European Communities.
1981
1 January, Greece becomes the 10th member of the European Community. November, France and the Federal Republic of Germany present the Genscher-Colombo Plan, a project of "European Act" to improve institutional mechanisms.
1991
1 July, Sweden formally applies to join the European Communities.21 October, the Council reaches an agreement on the establishment of the European Economic Area (EEA) between the EEC and EFTA countries.9-10 December, a European Council is held in Maastricht, The Netherlands. It reaches an agreement on the draft Treaty on the European Union.
2000
15 January, the opening session of the Ministerial Intergovernemental Conferences for accession negotiations of Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria, is held in Brussels, Belgium. 28 September, Denmark holds a referendum on the euro. The majority rejects joining the single European currency.7-9 December, The European Council in Nice, France reaches a political agreement on the Treaty of Nice.In the margins of the European Council, the Presidents of Parliament, the European Council and the Commission formally proclaim the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
2006
1 February, the European Commission launches a Communication policy White Paper “Debating Europe - involving citizens” as the foundation of a European Union Communication Policy.
2007
1 January, Bulgaria and Romania join the European Union bringing membership up to 27. 1 January, Slovenia becomes the 13th member of the eurozone.
20081 January, Cyprus and Malta join the Eurozone.1 January, Akrotiri and Dhekelia adopt the euro.1 January, Slovenia starts the presidency of European Union as the first of the new Member States.29 March, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia implement the Schengen Agreement for airports. June 2008, Ireland's voters rejected Lisbon Treaty. The governments of more than a dozen states have ratified the treaty. 1 July, France takes over the Presidency from Slovenia. 2009
1 January, the Czech Republic assumes the Presidency for the first time.1 January, Slovakia adopts the euro and becomes the 16th member of the Eurozone.1 January, Deadline by which goods in all member states of the European Union must be sold in metric units (this has already been completed everywhere, except in the United Kingdom).

the four nations different

England on behalf of flower is rose,athe national flag is st George's cross.wales flower is leek and daffodil.the national flag is Dragon of Cadwallader.Scotland flower is thistle,the national flag is st andrew's cross and lion rampant.the ireland flower is shamrock,the national flag is st patrick's cross and republic of ireland it's green.People in Ireland,Wales and highland scotland belonged to the celtic race;those in england and lowland scotland were mainly of germanic origin.This difference was reflected in the languages they spoke.
Although there is only one governmentand people use the same passport ,moreover,pople feel their identity very strongly.

UK railway

1825 The Stockton and Darlington Railway is inaugurated on 27 September when George Stephenson's Locomotion steams 21 miles from Shildon. Carrying up to 600 passengers on 38 wagons, it could travel at 15 mph.1829 In October, concerned that the current locomotives were not very efficient, the directors of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway hold a competition to determine the best performer over 70 miles. Stephenson's Rocket claims the £500 prize, in front of 15,000 spectators.1830 The Liverpool and Manchester line opens on 15 September. Within three months, over half the stage coaches running that route are taken off the road due to lack of business. Railway mania begins.1842 Over 2000 miles of rail track is in operation throughout the country.1846 By April, no fewer than 519 railway bills had been passed by government.1850 The east coast route from Kings Cross to Scotland is completed by Stephenson's bridges at Newcastle and Berwick.1876 Nigel Gresley and William Stanier are born. Both would later be knighted for their roles as chief mechanical engineers for LNER (London North Eastern Railway) and LMS (London Midland and Scotland) respectively.1888 The first great race to the north. East and west rail companies compete to deliver the fastest express service to Edinburgh.1895 The race to the north continues as companies steam ahead to Aberdeen. On 22 August the LNWR (London North Western Railway) express Hardwicke speeds from Crewe to Carlisle, completing the 141 miles in 126 minutes.1896 Derailment of the night tourist train at Preston leads to an agreement to limit the speeds of express trains to the north.1914 By the First World War, 130 rail companies or joint committees operate 21,331 miles of track. The Railway Executive Committee takes control until 1921.1921 The Railway Act of 1921 begins to re-organize the 130 companies into four groups.1923 The new grouping takes effect on 1 January. Railways are now controlled by LMS (London Midland Scottish), LNER (London North Eastern Railway), GWR (Great Western Railway) and Southern Railway.1927 LNER launch a non-stop Kings Cross to Newcastle express – the Flying Scotsman. LMS retaliates with the Royal Scot express train to Glasgow.1932 LMS and LNER revoke the previous agreement to limit speed to the north.1934 On 30 November, Flying Scotsman becomes the first train to reach 100 mph.1935 LNER's new streamlined 'A4 Pacific' train Silver Link leaves Kings Cross on 29 September on its inaugural journey. It touches 112 mph, breaking the record.1937 LMS also launches a new streamlined class of train, the 'Princess Coronation'. On 29 June, Princess Coronation train the Coronation Scot makes its inaugural run, reaching speeds of 114 mph.1938 LNER A4 Pacific Mallard is taken on high-speed brake tests on 3 July. Driver Joe Duddington takes her to 126 mph, attaining a new speed record for a steam train that would never be broken.1939 Re-modernization of the railways comes to a halt with the outbreak of the Second World War. The streamliners are stripped of their streamlining and the luxury coaches are placed in storage.1948 Britain's railways are nationalized by Atlee's Transport Act. June heralds the birth of British Rail (then known as British Railways).1965 Dr Beeching's report 'The Reshaping of British Railways' is implemented, closing 5000 miles of track and 2350 stations.1968 British Rail ran its last steam trains on 11 August. Diesel and electric power had put an end to the age of steam.1976 A new high-speed train is introduced to haul the InterCity 125. The fleet services both the east and west coast mainlines to Scotland.1996 British Rail is broken up and the west coast route is taken over by Richard Branson's Virgin. The lines are controlled and owned by Railtrack.1996 GNER (Greater North Eastern Railway) wins the franchise to control the east coast route2003 Virgin trains introduce their Pendolino fleet, tilting trains that travel up to 140 mph.2003 A Eurostar train breaks the UK rail speed record travelling at 186 mph through Kent on its way to the Eurotunnel.