The "British Constitution" - did you learn about it?

[LARD MONSTER]

As I'm sure many of you are aware we don't have a written constitution compared to the vast number of countries out there, but I was wondering if any of you learnt about it at school in lessons?

I was born and bred in England, and am currently working in Japan, and I've made quite a few good friends with a big mixture of people from English-speaking countries. I've gotten close to an American girl (they're not all that bad, really razz ) and she was telling me how she can relate to their constitution just like that, because she learnt all about it in large detail back in Primary school.

I remember learning certain things about it through History, such as the Magna Carta, but I don't ever remember specifically having any lessons or education on our un-written constitution...or perhaps we don't learn much about it due to being un-written as such?
Or I may have just not paid enough attention in class sweatdrop
All I've learnt about it was through a little bit of independent study (though not enough, I realise!)

What was the situation with everyone else?  

[Invictus_88]

I did, but only because I took an A-Level in Politics! I can't remember anything outside of that...

It's quite a subtle thing to understand, so I suppose it's considered difficult to teach. Expressed in organic terms, it's pretty straightforward though.

"Our 'constitution' is just the natural growth of checks and balances over the centuries, growing and adapting to the given era."  

[Sir_Catherine]

Without a written constitution, I'd think an intro level law course would teach the equivalent, but such a course is not in the usual primary school offerings.

In our 5th grade and then in 9th grade (I live in the U.S.) we had social science and civics, respectively, which essentially taught us about our government. I clearly recall memorizing the preamble of our constitution and the first ten amendments for the 5th grade course. My guess would be any class you might have had would have been similar, only without the preamble and amendments.

Did you learn at some point how your courts of law were set up, about the two houses of Parliament and the role of the monarch and prime minister? I would say if you'd had a written constitution this would have been the point you'd have studied it.  

[LARD MONSTER]

Invictus_88

I did, but only because I took an A-Level in Politics! I can't remember anything outside of that...

It's quite a subtle thing to understand, so I suppose it's considered difficult to teach. Expressed in organic terms, it's pretty straightforward though.

"Our 'constitution' is just the natural growth of checks and balances over the centuries, growing and adapting to the given era."

Ah, I see! I suppose unless you specifically choose to study Politics, perhaps the rest of us British folk would learn less about it.

Thanks for your comment!  

[LARD MONSTER]

Sir_Catherine

Without a written constitution, I'd think an intro level law course would teach the equivalent, but such a course is not in the usual primary school offerings.

In our 5th grade and then in 9th grade (I live in the U.S.) we had social science and civics, respectively, which essentially taught us about our government. I clearly recall memorizing the preamble of our constitution and the first ten amendments for the 5th grade course. My guess would be any class you might have had would have been similar, only without the preamble and amendments.

Did you learn at some point how your courts of law were set up, about the two houses of Parliament and the role of the monarch and prime minister? I would say if you'd had a written constitution this would have been the point you'd have studied it.

Yes, my American friend was telling me how she'd learnt the whole thing, and had to chant it in class. I was amazed! I certainly don't remember doing anything like that.

I briefly recall learning about the houses of Parliament, the monarch and prime minister, but it all seemed to be part of what we learnt in History, and I don't remember having separate, significant lessons on it.

Cheers for your input!  

[Invictus_88]

Did everyone study the Magna Carta at some point in school, or was that just me?  

[LARD MONSTER]

Invictus_88

Did everyone study the Magna Carta at some point in school, or was that just me?

I did in history in Year 6, and we even had a school trip to go and see it...sadly I had tonsillitis and missed it. crying  

[Sir_Catherine]

LARD MONSTER

Invictus_88

Did everyone study the Magna Carta at some point in school, or was that just me?

I did in history in Year 6, and we even had a school trip to go and see it...sadly I had tonsillitis and missed it. crying

You know, it's great that the U.S. is so large I can visit both dessert and mountains, experience blizzards and tornadoes, palm trees and evergreens, etc. but jeepers, it sure makes field trips to touch base with our history rather difficult! I live in the mid-west, a couple days drive from the East coast and many of our most famous and oldest historical places. sad In this matter I envy England's size.  

[g0th_chick_uk]

there isnt a constitution in this country. just a heap of legislation and laws and stuff. and that bloke is right, unless you study law you don't really go into that kind of stuff anyway. school dont do that. you might get an idea of the scheme of things if you do sociology, i hear you can do a GCSE of that now.  

[PZ01]

I always imagined our 'constitution' as a small room, somewhere in Westminster Palace, just full of post-itt notes from the last millennium all just piled up. Every so often, when a new ruling or precedent is set, someone scribbles it on a new post-itt note, opens the door, throws it in, and then closes the door quickly lest all the other notes spill out into the corridor!  

[LARD MONSTER]

PZ01

I always imagined our 'constitution' as a small room, somewhere in Westminster Palace, just full of post-itt notes from the last millennium all just piled up. Every so often, when a new ruling or precedent is set, someone scribbles it on a new post-itt note, opens the door, throws it in, and then closes the door quickly lest all the other notes spill out into the corridor!

Ahaha! I like that idea a lot!  

[JPopShop]

how long you been in Japan?  

[Sierik]

No! Only the american constitution. My heritage is british! But i live in america.... Wisconsin to be exact. My grandma is from Britain. Some small town somewhere i'm not sure where. Anyway no i've never learned it and don't really care to.  

[Sierik]

Invictus_88

Did everyone study the Magna Carta at some point in school, or was that just me?

Did it explain how much england was a d**k to everyone else??  

[Invictus_88]

Sierik

Invictus_88

Did everyone study the Magna Carta at some point in school, or was that just me?

Did it explain how much england was a d**k to everyone else??

Er. No. Why would it?