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Birmingham Facts & Worksheets

Birmingham, England is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom and home to rich culinary heritage and legendary rock music

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Birmingham is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom, located in the greater West Midlands region in England. It is famous for its culinary heritage, legendary rock music, enormous canal networks, amusing culture, and manufacturing roots – the principal industrial city of England during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th-19th century.

See the fact file below for more information on Birmingham, England, or alternatively, you can download our 32-page Birmingham, England worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ETYMOLOGY

  • The name of Birmingham is derived from the word “Beormingas”, which means “Beorma’s people.” It is a tribe that inhabited England during the early medieval period known as the Anglo-Saxon period. Beorma, where the tribe was named after, could have been their forefather, or figurehead.
  • The words ‘ingahām’ added at the end of the name of places is a characteristic of the early established settlements by the Anglo-Saxon republic. This suggests that Birmingham probably existed by the early 6th or 7th century.

GEOGRAPHY

  • The city of Birmingham is located in west-central England, in the West Midlands, with a land area of 267.8 km². The region consists of 200 towns and cities that are divided into ten districts, namely:  Sutton Coldfield, Perry Barr, Erdington, Lady Hood, Hodge Hill, Yardley, Edgbaston, Hallgreen, Selly Oak, and North Field.
  • Birmingham lies in the center of the Birmingham plateau, which lies between the rivers Avon, Severn, and Trent. 
  • It has a temperate climate and experiences four seasons in a year: spring (March-May), summer (June-August), autumn (September-November), and winter (December-February). 

HISTORY

  • In the 6th century, Birmingham was a small settlement held by the de Bermingham family. During this time, the colony started trading with neighboring towns and developing small-scale smithing and metalworking industries. 
  • During the English Civil War (1642–46), Birmingham supplied the parliament with metal weapons such as swords, pikes, and armor, making them known to be the metalworking center of England. At this time, the Battle of Birmingham known as the Battle of Camp Hill took place in 1643.
  • It was after sword makers refused to supply war paraphernalia to King Charles I whom they referred to as the “man of blood.” Furthermore, the residents of Birmingham captured the king’s baggage train consisting of looted combat equipment from their city, which made them feel betrayed.
  • Birmingham supported the adversaries of the King. They supported the parliament, by supplying them with 15,000 swords and other war equipment, which provoked King Charles I to order an attack on the City in 1643. 
  • Prince Rupert launched the attack on Birmingham under the command of King Charles I in March 1643, where they torched houses of locals in the city to punish them for betraying and insulting the King. The battle resulted in a victory of the royalists. 
  • By the beginning of the 18th century, the population of Birmingham had grown to 23, 000 and manufacturing businesses in the area thrived. This marks the beginning of the notable Industrial Revolution.
  • Birmingham continued to develop as the center of production of metal-based goods during the 18th and 19 centuries. Two factors drive this phenomenon. First is the huge local reserves of raw materials such as coal and iron ore. 
  • Second is the existence of a complex local canal network designed by famous engineers James Brindley and Thomas Telford. This resulted in the convenient transportation of raw materials to local factories, and finished goods to the markets all over England.
  • In the mid-19th century, there was a significant change in the transportation and economy of Birmingham with the arrival of the railway system, which led to the decline of the canal network and brought industrial growth to the Birmingham area and throughout the country. 
  • Birmingham was able to produce and transport a wide range of goods making it known  as “the city of a thousand trades.”
  • Birmingham is known for its notable gun-making industry, wherein a total of 1,827,889 muskets, rifles, carbines, and pistols were manufactured during the Napoleonic Wars. The Gun Quarter district of Birmingham is the center of the gun manufacturing industry globally.
  • Birmingham is also known for making high-quality jewelry, where a large portion of the fine jewelry owned by the British Empire was made.
  • The reputation of Birmingham as the center of the manufacturing industry was further enhanced during World War I and World War II. 
  • During consecutive conflicts, Birmingham turned to war production industries that manufacture and supply guns, tanks, aircraft, military vehicles, ammunition, and several types of military equipment.
  • In the 20th century, Birmingham continued its vast economic growth as it started a transition to developing engineering sectors: automotive, mechanical and electrical due to the increasing demand for motor vehicles. 
  • By 1950, Birmingham was the second-largest producer of motor vehicles outside the USA; this value is equivalent to 40% of UK automotive exports. 

HISTORICAL LANDMARKS

  • Birmingham Town hall was built in 1834 and is considered one of the most remarkable buildings of the 19th century. It became famous for hosting Charles Dickens’ first public readings in 1853. It is located in Victoria Square in downtown Birmingham.
  • St. Philip’s Cathedral was built in the early 18th century and is one of the most impressive and historic establishments in Birmingham. It is a baroque architectural-designed church with magnificent glasses. It is located in Colmore row.
  • Aston Hall was built in 1618, and is one of the most significant structures in Birmingham,  as it’s one of the last great Jacobean houses that was established. It is located in a public park north of Birmingham.
  • St. Martin in the Bull Ring was completed in 1873, is the oldest church in the city, and is considered the best example of Victorian architecture. The church is located in Edgbaston St, Birmingham. 
  • Birmingham Back to Backs is a legacy of the Industrial Revolution. It is the last back-to-back house built during the late 18th to early 19th century in response to the growing population of England at the time. It is located in Hurst Street, Birmingham. 

INTERESTING FACTS

  • Birmingham was the heart of the industrial and commercial industries during the 18th and 19th century – the city where the Industrial Revolution started.
  • The city is the home of great scientists and inventors such as Matthew Boulton, James Watt, and William Murdoch, which led the city to be the first manufacturing town in the world. Watt’s steam engine is still used for operating factory machinery.
  • Matthew Boulton, the wealthiest man during the late 18th century, is from Birmingham.  He was an engineer who financed and introduced the steam engine invented by James Watt. He died in Birmingham on  August 17, 1809, at the age of 81.
  • The famous chocolate brand Cadbury is made in Birmingham. One can visit Cadbury World in Birmingham, where you can take a self-guided tour. This landmark is located in Linden Road, Birmingham B30 1JR, United Kingdom. 
  • Birmingham has a 35-mile canal network which is more than any Venice has. Thus, the city also holds the most number of canals on the entire Europe continent.  Canals are the primary transportation system in the town before the emergence of railways.

BIRMINGHAM TODAY

  • Birmingham’s economy began to move forward in the early 21st century, after the economic recession during WWII. The city began to develop a strong service-based economy, which generated economic growth in the West Midland region. 
  • In fact, in 2008, Birmingham had the second-largest city economy in the United Kingdom, after London, and ranked 72nd in the global ranking. 
  • The center of the commercial industry in Birmingham lies in Colmore Business District (CBD), where professional services, high-end restaurants, and notable historical landmarks are located.
  • Today, the population of Birmingham is 1,140,500, and their largest sectors are health and social work. The city also continues its legacy in the manufacturing, retail, wholesale, and service industries. Products continuously produced by Birmingham include: metal tools, plastics, electrical machinery, chemicals, and glassware.
  • The engineering sector arising in Birmingham in the early 20th century continuously developed, as the city worked with advanced automotive technology. This allowed the people to benefit from both local and global automotive supply chains.
  • The geographic location of Birmingham, as well as its affordable cost of living, excellent public services, and infrastructure attracted foreign investors and overseas skilled workers.

Birmingham, England Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Birmingham, England across 32 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets on Birmingham, which is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom and home to rich culinary heritage and legendary rock music.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Birmingham, England Facts 
  • Be a Geographer
  • Map-It
  • Dora-Clues
  • Time Machine
  • Think and Fill
  • Who’s Who
  • Read and Match
  • Pick-Draw and Share
  • Which is Which
  • Then and Now

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Birmingham get its name?

The name of Birmingham is derived from the word “Beormingas”, which means “Beorma’s people.” It is a tribe that inhabited England during the early medieval period known as the Anglo-Saxon period. Beorma, where the tribe was named after, could have been their forefather, or figurehead.

What historical landmarks are in Birmingham, England?

The name of Birmingham is derived from the word “Beormingas”, which means “Beorma’s people.” It is a tribe that inhabited England during the early medieval period known as the Anglo-Saxon period. Beorma, where the tribe was named after, could have been their forefather, or figurehead.

What historical events happened in Birmingham, England?

Birmingham was the heart of England’s industrial revolution. Thus, it was home to notable scientists like Matthew Boulton, James Watt, and William Murdoch which meant steam engines and gas-powered light, which were significant leaps in technology.

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Link will appear as Birmingham Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 15, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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