This is the story of how the territory of the British nation was won and parts of it were lost. It was the English who by conquest, treaty and ruthless colonisation won sovereignty over what are known as the British Islands - the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. It was Englands aggressive predations which led to the formation of the uneasy union with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, perhaps explaining the commonplace confusion between "English" and "British". The looser federal relationship with the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands perhaps explains why they are happier with their lot.
