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The "British people" (usually '''BritishBritons''' refers to a person being a or, informally, '''Brits''') are the subjects<ref>The term "citizen " is increasingly used for the more technically correct "subject."</ref> of the [[United Kingdom]]. It is not They usually used as an expression of nationality by British citizens, as many will prefer to use the expressions "call themselves ''[[English"]]'', "''[[Scottish"]]'', or "''[[Welsh", ]]'' or ''Northern Irish''/''[[Irish]]'' referring to which constituent country of the UK they self-identify with. An exception to this is its use in In [[Northern Ireland]] by "British" is usually associated with the Unionist community, with [[Unionist|Unionistsnationalists]] to show their support for the continued inclusion of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdomand republicans generally regarding themselves as exclusively ''Irish''.

Historically, Until the 1960s the word "English" was commonly used instead of "British." was also This annoyed the name given Scots and Irish so much that "English" is today more narrowly confined to the largest empire language and to the world has ever seen, administered in the United Kingdom in the name country of England (which comprises most of the British monarchpopulation). ==British colonies were established all over the worldEmpire==Historically, covering roughly a quarter of the world's land surface area in 1921, even after losing much of its North American territory after the [[American Revolutionary WarBritish Empire]]. The large empire from 1600 to 1997 was possible because Britain "ruled the seas" through largest empire the stong domination of the [[Royal Navy]]world has ever seen, and used this to ensure free trading for British interestsadministered from London. With up to a quarter of the world as British subjects, the Empire was also settlements and dependencies—usually called "colonies"—were established all over the world's foremost military power. For many centuries, populations lived under a period of relative peace and prosperity There was never any doubt that was the ''Pax Brittannica'', though from a modern perspective, British were the methods used to control rulers and ensure this superiority on occasion the locals were on occasion particularly viciousmere subjects.

Sadly, the empire no longer exists, though its legacy can still be appreciated today, be In terms of size it through peaked in the popularity of traditional British sports such as soccer1920s, cricket, rugby and golf; or from covering a quarter of the status world's land surface area. Most of [[English]] as the current global growth came after 1783 when Britain lost America after losing the [[lingua francaAmerican Revolutionary War]]; or from . The large empire was possible because Britain "ruled the use seas" through the strong domination of the [[Westminster systemRoyal Navy]] of government , and English common law around used this to ensure free trading for British interests. With up to a quarter of the worldas British subjects, the Empire was also the world's foremost military power. For many centuries, populations lived under a period of relative peace and prosperity that was the ''Pax Brittannica'', though from a modern perspective, the methods used to control and ensure this superiority on occasion were on occasion particularly vicious.

The Empire's successor is empire as such no longer exists, though its legacy can still be appreciated today, be it through the [[Commonwealth popularity of Nations]]traditional British sports such as football, which still features cricket, rugby and golf; or from the British monarch status of [[Queen Elizabeth IIEnglish]] as the current global [[Head of the Commonwealthlingua franca]]. The commonwealth consists ; or from the use of the UK, [[Commonwealth RealmsWestminster system]] which still have the British monarch as Head of State, government and republicsEnglish common law around the world.

RecentlyThe Empire's successor is the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], Australians which still features the British monarch [[Queen Elizabeth II]] as the Head of the Commonwealth. The commonwealth consists of the UK, [[Commonwealth Realms]] which still have the British monarch as Head of State, and republics. In 1999, [[Australia]]ns voted in a referendum to retain the British monarch as their [[Head of State]], rather than declare Australia a republic.<ref>Leduc, L. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bawKFKxDFZoC&lpg=PA73&dq=Australian%20republic%20referendum&pg=PA73#v=onepage&q=%22The%20Australian%20republic%20referendum%22&f=false ''The Politics of Direct Democracy: Referendums in Global Perspective'']; Broadview Press; Ontario. Page 73, (2003)</ref> ==References==<references/> ==See also== [[Category:United Kingdom]][[Category:British History]][[Category:British Empire]]