History of Wales
Wales has been inhabited for round 29,000 years, but has been continually inhabited from 8000BC. Wales has some of its old history remains still around from the Neolithic Period which mainly consist of old tombs and old copper mines. When the Roman arrived in 48D, this is when the history of Wales began to be documented. The Romans ruled Wales and the UK until 400.
During the medieval times in Wales was divided into different kingdom, and these kingdoms boarders would regularly change. By the mid 11th century Gruffydd ap Llywelyn had managed to gain control of all of Wales and some areas of England by defeating and combining his nearby kingdoms. Throughout the 11th to 13th century English kingdoms struggled to gain back their kingdoms and Wales, and finally in 1282 with the death of Gruffydd ap Llwywelyn caused Wales to be defeated and gained by England. in the 15th century Owain Glyndwr managed to gain Wales back for a few more years till again England managed to gain back control. In the 16th century legalisation was passed and Wales became part of England.
In the 1700s the Methodist revival and Industrial Revolution began. Wales saw a huge rise in population. In the 1966 Plaid Cymru won its first seat at Westminster and devolution became an item on the political agenda. A referendum on devolution in 1979 resulted in a “no” vote, but the issue reappeared towards the end of the century. A second referendum in 1997 resulted in a “yes” vote by a narrow margin and led to the Welsh Assembly being established in Cardiff.
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