4 ms·

Trick question. They didn't. Britain didn't exist until 1707.

by brainwipe 4y ago

__alexs 4y ago
Britain or Britannia has been used as the name of the place since at least the 1st century.
- hprotagonist 4y ago
  “‘oo are the bwitons?!”
- zhte415 4y ago
  At least since 300 BCE, or before, according to the travels of Pytheas discovering (documenting) Bretannikē: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pytheas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pytheas
- ZanyProgrammer 4y ago
  When James VI/I wanted to call himself King of Great Britain, he was basically by himself in wanting to do that.
kmlx 4y ago
> Britain didn't exist until 1707. Great Britain is an island that is a lot older than 1707 :) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
blibble 4y ago
you're thinking of the Kingdom of Great Britain Britain is an island
Turing_Machine 4y ago
You're talking about the Kingdom of Great Britain, a political entity. The island itself has been called Great Britain for a very long time. Great Britain: the island that contains the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales (throw in Cornwall as a separate country if you're of a mind, I'm fine with that). Less Britain: an old name for Brittany in what is now France. The native language there is Breton, a Celtic language related to Welsh. England: One country within Great Britain. United Kingdom: The countries of Great Britain, plus Northern Ireland, plus some of the surrounding islands -- but not all! Ireland (excluding Northern Ireland) is obviously not part of the United Kingdom, nor are the Channel Islands (in some of which Queen Elizabeth is the Duke of Normandy, rather than the Queen per se), nor numerous others. The British Isles: Great Britain, Ireland, and all of the surrounding islands. This is a geographic designation, not a political one, as there is no unitary government. Yes, it's confusing.
azangru 4y ago
I am actually wondering whether "people" existed. Sapiens is younger than 950k years.
- Tagbert 4y ago
  No, Homo sapiens sapiens did not exist yet, but Homo Erectus would have been around then and possibly Homo heidelbergensis (who gave rise to Neanderthals).
brainwipe 4y ago
The title says Britain, not Great Britain. I was making a pithy remark based on that. But seeing as everyone's in the mood for educating me, here's the logic behind it: Britain was an invention of a King that wanted rule of the whole. Great Britain is the island (which didn't exist when you could walk to it). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island is the political entity. The Romans called it Brittania. After the Romans left, it stopped being called Britain (as it was separate countries and principalities) until the act of Union in 1707 removed Scottish parliament and the King proclaimed that it came under a single rule for the first time.

Trick question. They didn't. Britain didn't exist until 1707.

__alexs 4y ago

Britain or Britannia has been used as the name of the place since at least the 1st century.

hprotagonist 4y ago
“‘oo are the bwitons?!”
zhte415 4y ago
At least since 300 BCE, or before, according to the travels of Pytheas discovering (documenting) Bretannikē: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pytheas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pytheas
ZanyProgrammer 4y ago
When James VI/I wanted to call himself King of Great Britain, he was basically by himself in wanting to do that.

kmlx 4y ago

> Britain didn't exist until 1707. Great Britain is an island that is a lot older than 1707 :) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

blibble 4y ago

you're thinking of the Kingdom of Great Britain Britain is an island

Turing_Machine 4y ago

You're talking about the Kingdom of Great Britain, a political entity. The island itself has been called Great Britain for a very long time. Great Britain: the island that contains the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales (throw in Cornwall as a separate country if you're of a mind, I'm fine with that). Less Britain: an old name for Brittany in what is now France. The native language there is Breton, a Celtic language related to Welsh. England: One country within Great Britain. United Kingdom: The countries of Great Britain, plus Northern Ireland, plus some of the surrounding islands -- but not all! Ireland (excluding Northern Ireland) is obviously not part of the United Kingdom, nor are the Channel Islands (in some of which Queen Elizabeth is the Duke of Normandy, rather than the Queen per se), nor numerous others. The British Isles: Great Britain, Ireland, and all of the surrounding islands. This is a geographic designation, not a political one, as there is no unitary government. Yes, it's confusing.

azangru 4y ago

I am actually wondering whether "people" existed. Sapiens is younger than 950k years.

Tagbert 4y ago
No, Homo sapiens sapiens did not exist yet, but Homo Erectus would have been around then and possibly Homo heidelbergensis (who gave rise to Neanderthals).

brainwipe 4y ago

The title says Britain, not Great Britain. I was making a pithy remark based on that. But seeing as everyone's in the mood for educating me, here's the logic behind it: Britain was an invention of a King that wanted rule of the whole. Great Britain is the island (which didn't exist when you could walk to it). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island is the political entity. The Romans called it Brittania. After the Romans left, it stopped being called Britain (as it was separate countries and principalities) until the act of Union in 1707 removed Scottish parliament and the King proclaimed that it came under a single rule for the first time.