Glasgow: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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The site of present day Glasgow has been found to have hosted communities for centuries, with the [[River Clyde]] provided a natural location for fishing. The [[Romans]] later built outposts in the area, and constructed the [[Antonine Wall]], remains of which can still be seen in Glasgow today, to keep Roman [[Britannia]] separate from the [[Celtic|Celt]] and [[Pictish|Picts]] [[Caledonia]].

Glasgow itself was founded by the [[Christian]] [[missionary]] [[Saint Mungo]] (also known as Saint Kentigern) in 6th [[6th Common Era|CEcentury]]. He established a church on the [[Molendinar Burn]]

where the present cathedral stands, and in the following years Glasgow became a religious centre. The miracles that Saint Mungo performed now adorn the city's [[Coat of Arms]].

===The Cathedral City===

The history of Glasgow is vague until the creation of the cathedral in Glasgow. By the [[12th century CE]] Glasgow had been granted the status of what can now be called a city and was the seat of the [[Bishops and Archbishops of Glasgow]]. The construction of a cathedral was commenced.

In [[1451]] the [[University of Glasgow]] was founded by Papal decree. By the start of the [[16th century CE]], Glasgow had become an important religious and academic city.

===Trade & The Industrial Revolution===

By the [[16th century CE]], the city's trades and craftsmen had begun to weild significant power, at the expense of the church. Glasgow became an ideal trading centre - the [[River Clyde|Clyde]] provided an ideal location for the movement of goods throughout the world through ships. The city was also a gateway to [[Edinburgh]] and the rest of [[Scotland]], and natural resources could be moved around the world through the city's [[dock]]s.

Scotland's position as near the centre of the [[British Empire]] allowed Glasgow to become a focal point of trading with the colonies. The easy access to the Atlantic allowed the importation of American tobacco which was then resold onto Europe. Trade with the [[Caribbean]] allowed sugar to be imported into the country.

The de-[[silt]]ing of the River in the [[1770s]] allowed bigger ships to move further down the river, thus laying the foundations for industry and shipbuilding in Glasgow during the [[19th century CE]].

The abundance of [[coal]] and [[iron]] in [[Lanarkshire]] allowed Glasgow to become a industrial city - eventually being termed 'The Second City of the Empire'. [[Cotton]] factories and textiles became a large employer in Glasgow.

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===Decline of Industry & the Post-War Period===

After the [[First World War]], serious economic hardship occurred in the world, and this did not escape Glasgow. Although ships and trains were still being built on the [[River Clyde|Clyde]], cheap labour abroad reduced the competitiveness of Glasgow's industries. By the [[1960s]] Glasgow had gone into economic decline. The major shipbuilders in Glasgow began to close down, but not before building the last great ships of the Clyde such as [[Cunard]]'s 'Queen Elizabeth 2'. By the turn of the millennium, only two shipyards remained on the Clyde, both of them relying on [[Government]] defence contracts to remain in business.

The [[1970s]] and early [[1980s]] were dark periods in the city, as steelworks, coal mines, engine factories and other heavy industries went bust. This lead to mass unemployment and epidemic levels of urban decay. The ruthless policies of successive [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] governments in London had little sympathy for Glasgow's plight and the city continued to slide downhill. Since the mid-80s however, the city has slowly undergone a painful rebirth - a "financial district" made up from a raft of swish new office buildings has sprung up in the western end of the city centre, and this has become home to many well-known banks, consultancy firms, I.T, legal practices, and [[insurance]] companies. In the suburbs, numerous leisure and retail developments have been built on the former sites of factories and heavy industries. Critics argue however, that the sustainability such new developments is fragile, owing to their dependence on the service sector, rather than manufacturing.

===Modern Glasgow===

In the [[1990s]] Glasgow has rebuilt itself and tried to move away from the industries that it was once famous for. It was awarded the European City of Culture in [[1990]], which was followed by the award of City of Architecture and Design in [[1999]]. It has also been the European Capital of Sport in [[2003]].

Glasgow is at the capital of new music in Scotland, and has many venues and clubs which promote new bands & DJs etc such as the Barfly, and the famous King Tut’s. Additionally, it is home to some of the most well known and respected artists in the UK, with bands such as Snow Patrol, Franz Ferdinand etc., as well as, ''regrettably'', a few of pop’s most prized.