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The Glorious Revolution
The catholic king James II was replaced by his protestan daugther Mary and her husband William of Orange. -
James II defeated by William of Orange
Irish people were deeply affected by the defeat of James II leading to changes and laws made in the Dublin parliament through the years. These laws prevented the Catholics to participate or become part of ireland, these were created to treat catholics like 2nd class citizens: they couldn't vote, couldn't become lawyers or MP, couldn't vote, go to university or join the navy. Also, some laws divided families allowing protestant son to take over his catholics parents' property. -
Creation of the Bank of England
A group of financiers created The Bank of England, the goverment will exclusively borrow money from this bank.
The bank could print "bank notes", a trading method used hundred of years before and an ancestor of modern cheques. -
Tea became a national drink
50,000kg were imported each year -
Death of Queen Anne
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George I reign
Became king at the age of 54 and died because of a stroke in a trip to Hannover. -
James III rebelilion against George I
James' army was defeated -
South Sea Company offered to pay off the goverment's national debt
the South Sea Company wanted to monopolize the rights to trading in south seas in exchange of paying the goverment's national debt. This created excitement and lots of investers which increased the value of the shares, but with the lost of interest the value also decreased, leading to investors loosing everything. This was called the South Sea Bubble. -
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Robert Walpole
Known as the de facto first Prime Minister of Great Britain, made sure the power of the king would be limited by the constitution. Such limits were: the king could not be a catholic, the king could not remove or change laws, the king was dependent of the parliament.
Walpole wanted to avoid wars, increase taxes and pay the national debt. -
France and Spain made an alliance
Fearing that this alliance would give advantage to France and Spain, Chatham made the descision to increase the power of the British Navy and take over frace's trading posts. -
Bonny Prince Charlie invasion to Britain
The Stuarts tried several times to get back their throne. Prince Charles Edward Stuart also known as "Bonnie Prince Charlie" convinced several clan chiefs from scotland to join him. They succeded in the first battle, defeating the british army in a surprise attack, but soon he realized that english men wouldn't support him. they moved back to scotland and were defeated by the English army which was cruel, killing inocents, burning their homes and forbidding their clothes and traditions. -
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Seven Years' War
Britain was in war against france. Prusia, Britain's ally, was fighting in Europe while the british attacked in different places of the world, such as Canada and India. -
Seven Years' War ended
George III did not want to continue with an expensive war, leaving Prusia fighting alone. -
John Wilkes Arrested
Wilkes was a MP and journalist who was an advocate of freedom of speech. He dissaproved king's decision to end the war with france without telling his ally Prusia. After he printed on his own newspaper an attack to the goverment, the king arrested him and other 49 people, but Wilkes won his case on court and became the most popular man in London because he demostrated that freedom of speech is most important than the interest of the state. Politics was now a public matter. -
Quarrel between Britain and American colonies
Colonies in America didn't want to pay taxes without representation. The king considered this a rebellion, but the opinion in Britain was divided, some tought the tax was necesary for defense of the colonies, other agreed with the colonists. -
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William Pitt "The Elder"
Served as Prime Minister, he was the informal leader of the British Cabinet from 1756 to 1761. He was also known as The Great Commoner because of his long standing refusal to acept a title until 1766. -
The Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists didn't want to continue paying taxes so they threw a shipload of tea to the sea. Britain answered closing the port but then colonist prevented all access of British goods to america. The situation became more unstable between the colonies and the British goverment. -
War of Independence
The friction between Britain and the colonist grew up becoming a war. The British goverment didnt respect or expect much from the colonist, loosing everything in the war except Canada. Many British politicians were in the colonists' side, giving strenght to the ideas of democracy and independence. -
The United Kindom of Great Britain and Ireland
Ireland united with Britain and the Dublin parliament closed. Catholics were promised equal voting and rights but George II refused to let this happen. -
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George III reign
