The First World War
The First World War lasted from 1914 to 1918. Britain fought with the Allied powers against the Central Powers. Millions served in the armed forces and the conflict caused enormous loss of life.
The war affected civilian life as well as the battlefield. Women took on a wider range of jobs while many men were away fighting. Remembrance Day, held on 11 November, commemorates those who died in the First World War and later conflicts.
Voting rights
Campaigners for women’s suffrage included suffragists and suffragettes. Emmeline Pankhurst was a leading figure in the Women’s Social and Political Union.
The Representation of the People Act 1918 extended the parliamentary vote to all men over 21 and to some women over 30 who met property qualifications. In 1928 women gained voting rights on the same terms as men.
The Second World War
The Second World War lasted from 1939 to 1945. Britain declared war on Germany after the invasion of Poland. Winston Churchill became prime minister in 1940 and led the wartime coalition government for most of the conflict.
The Battle of Britain was fought in the skies in 1940. British cities were bombed during the Blitz, and civilians contributed to the war effort in many ways. Allied forces landed in Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944. The war in Europe ended in May 1945.
Post-war Britain
After the war, the government led by Clement Attlee introduced major welfare reforms. The National Health Service was established in 1948 to provide healthcare based on need rather than ability to pay.
Post-war Britain experienced immigration from the Commonwealth and other parts of the world. The arrival of HMT Empire Windrush in 1948 became an important symbol of post-war Caribbean migration. Migration has contributed to the diverse society of the UK today.
The second half of the 20th century brought major social and economic change. Britain’s empire was largely dismantled as colonies became independent. The UK joined the European Economic Community in 1973 and left the European Union in 2020.
Key 20th-century dates
Build a simple timeline around these dates.
- ✓1914–1918 — First World War
- ✓1918 — voting rights expanded
- ✓1928 — equal voting terms for women and men
- ✓1939–1945 — Second World War
- ✓1944 — D-Day
- ✓1948 — NHS established and Empire Windrush arrives
- ✓1973 — UK joins the EEC
- ✓2020 — UK leaves the EU