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Class of 2016
You could say that the Oxford Fellowship was lucky—not only because we had the opportunity to visit some extraordinary places in Edinburgh, Oxford, and London, but also because the timing of our trip could not have been any better. 2015 is already a historic year for the nation, but the two weeks in which we visited were particularly so. We happened to be in the U.K. at the same time as several milestones: the birth of the new royal baby, the eight-hundredth anniversary of the Magna Carta, a history-making general election, and the seventieth anniversary of VE Day. The extra sense of history gained from these happenings enhanced our experiences greatly.
The eight-hundredth anniversary of the Magna Carta was certainly enriching to our experience. We had the chance to visit a special exhibit in the British Library in honor of the anniversary, and to be in the same room as the document that has influenced Britain’s political and cultural heritage, as well as that of the United States and many other countries, was awe-inspiring. Also, I expected all of the U.K. to be in a flurry of excitement regarding the birth of William and Kate’s daughter, Charlotte, but interestingly it was not as heavily a topic of conversation as I imagined. The lack of excessive celebration in Great Britain itself made me realize the humor in how much Americans adore and are fascinated by the sagas of the royal family (myself included!).
The general election, which occurred on the first night of our stay in London, was a fascinating and surprising one. We had the unique opportunity of sitting in on a debate regarding minimum wage in the chambers of the Scottish Parliament, and even got to meet and take a picture with one of the debaters (a member of the Labour Party) as we were leaving. With an unanticipated win by the Conservative Party in the general election, it will be intriguing to watch how Parliament handles its challenges over the coming years.
Being in London during the seventieth anniversary of VE Day was a happy coincidence, and Mary Elizabeth, Kevin and I enjoyed the witnessing the parades, concerts, and celebrations taking places in the streets on that day. Appropriately, we visited the Churchill War Rooms, where a great deal of World War II was fought in the underground bunkers, and at 3 p.m. we experienced a two minute observation of silence in honor of the anniversary. It was very moving, and being there put the impact of the Victory in Europe Day in perspective.
Anniversaries such as these, as well as contemporary historic moments, put into view the ways in which Britain’s history has informed and shaped its current political atmosphere and heritage. The history of the UK provides a greater understanding of its national identity, and commemorating the events of the past provides insight to where the country will go in the future. This being so, we were very fortunate during our brief journey to honor some of the UK’s history, as well as witness some ourselves.
Natalie Smith, of Elizabethtown, Ky., is a senior McConnell Scholar studying English and political science.