La Regina Vittoria d'Inghilterra e l'Età Vittoriana, Appunti di Inglese

Scarica La Regina Vittoria d'Inghilterra e l'Età Vittoriana e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! Queen Victoria of Hanover - " Fate of a woman, fate of a Nation ": Succession line: [George I (German king)-II-III-IV; William IV; Victoria]. Queen Victoria is George III’s granddaughter, first in line after William, since neither him nor George IV had heirs; she is the second longest-reigning queen in British History (1837-1901) after Queen Elizabeth II; she is generally beloved by the people, led the United Kingdom through a mostly peaceful period of prosperity and expansion. Early ears and marriage: Queen Victoria rose to the throne very young and inexperienced, was then given in political marriage to Albert of Saxe-Coburg Gotha (Prince Albert) which was her cousin. They married to keep good relationships with Germany (she was a Hanover) and initially, she was not happy at the idea. Eventually, they learned to love each other and are remembered today as one of the most in-love couples of history. They had NINE children, all of whom survived to adulthood and married European nobility, strengthening the UK’s relationships. Albert died in 1861 and Victoria wore black until the day she died and celebrated her husband by having memorials erected in his honor (Victoria and Albert Museum and Albert Memorial). The Victorian Age - An age of industry and reforms: Introduction to Reform Bills: Agriculture was the basis for industry, that had suffered in the last century due to the Enclosure Acts, (forbid free exploitation of farmlands) and the Corn Laws (raised the price of corn, to limit its importation and help internal agriculture. Anyway, the B. monarchy was still in favor of free market and tried not to intervene in trade too much. Due to the development of industry (brought by the Industrial Revolution), thousands of people migrated to towns in search of a better life and this caused voting imbalances; the main issue was that the political districts had not changed, but the people had moved; the few people left in the farmland districts had incredible voting power, while the city people’s votes were suddenly less important (town districts overcrowded). Charist movement and the first Reform Bill: Queen Victoria comes to the throne during a difficult period, characterised by violent protests due to the Reform Bill (=political reforms that tried to create more equality in voting and fight corruption) of 1832 which has done nothing useful for the working class, since it had just re-drawn the districts to make them balanced again. The largest workers movement was that of the Chartist, so called since they drew up a People’s Charter (1838) asking for the extension of the right to vote to the working class. In fact, before the industrial revolution the districts are balanced and each square contains a similar amount of people but after it they are imbalanced now because lots of farmers have gone to the city to work (districts with fewer people have more voting power). Second and third Reform Bill: The Second Reform Bill is passed in 1864 and gives the right to vote to the town workers; miners and agriculture workers were finally granted franchise only with the Third Reform Bill (1884), which extended suffrage to all male workers. Free trade and the Great Exibition: After 1846 after the abandonment of protectionism, Britain adopts free trade, which helped in avoiding armed revolutions (that break out all over Europe). In 1851, The Great International Exhibition of London displays the wonders of science and industry (artifacts from all British colonies) to the rest of the world, showing Britain’s economic and political power). The Crystal Palace which hosted the Exhibition stood for decades but was finally destroyed in a fire in 1936. Industry and science: The success of industry corresponds with two important inventions: the steam locomotive (which links Britain with America and the rest of the world) and the development of the railways. Scientifical research is no longer just theoretical and Samuel Morse, thanks to to the study of electricity, invents the telegraph; Gas lighting in city street is introduced in London in 1816 and the invention of the first underground system represents another crucial step towards the progress. The poor – Urban slums: After the new Poor Law (1834) the living conditions of the poor get worse and they are amassed in workhouses where they work in change of food and shelter. In larger cities, urban slums became a synonym with the Industrial revolution. The poor conditions, the misery and the moral degradation are evidenced by multiple newspapers and novels, paintings and engravings. Social reforms: During the Victorian Age several important reforms are carried out beside the three Reform Bills. •The Mines Act (1862): forbids the employment of women and children in mines; •The Emancipation of Religious Sects (1871): allows Catholics to hold government jobs and enter the universities of Oxford and Cambridge; •The TradeE Union (1875): legalizes the activities of the unions of workers, which play an important role determining internal policy. New political parties: Britain’s modern day-parties are born during the Victorian Age: the Conservatives (evolved from the old Tories) and the Liberals (evolved from the Whigs), which alternate in power; the foundation of the Labour Party (1900) allows workers representatives to sit in the parliament for the first time. The British Empire: Irish question: Relations with Ireland becomes more difficult due to the potato blight (1845), that obligates the Irish population to emigrate to the US or England (their diet and economy are based on potatoes; this is the only alternative to starvation). At the same time, Charles S. Parnell, heading a movement for Irish independence, askes for Home Rule (=self-government) for Ireland but, even with Prime Minister Gladstone’s help in the Houses of Parliament, the Irish Home Rule Bill is rejected two times. European policy: From 1831 to 1851, Britain’s European policy is shaped by the Liberal Lord Palmerston (Britain’s foreign minister), who is convinced that British interests (liberalism and free trade) are opposed to those of European monarchies such as Austria and Russia (absolutist). As a result of this difference, Britain decides to set herself at the head of the liberal forces in Europe. Crimean War (1854-56): A short war known as The Crimean war begins (Crimea=a peninsula in the Black Sea) in 1854 due to a conflict between Russia and Turkey (regarding their border) and to some religious contrasts and Russia eventually lost to an alliance of Britain, France, Ottoman Empire and Sardinia. Sadly, this war causes damage to Britain both morally and economically, since it the past years it was involved in previous wars (Greek war of Independence, Serbian Revolution, Latin American wars). One of the main figures of the war, there is Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), an Englishwoman that goes to Crimea to organize hospitals and help soldiers and ends up becoming the most admired figure in Britain (founds the RED CROSS, 1864). Australia, New Zealand and Canada: During the Victorian Age, the British Empire grows out of the desire to strengthen overseas markets and the surplus of population at home. After the Queen’s death (1901), the Empire has acquired new territories, strongholds across Africa, the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and consolidated its possessions in the Indian sub- continent, the Caribbean, Canada (partly occupied by the French, receive most of the population and Australia and New Zealand (become flourishing centres for cattle and sheep raising). India and Africa: • India (controlled by the East India Company and GB) ends up under Britain’s control; in 1876, Queen Victoria became Empress of India (the jewel in the crown) ruling over India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. • Africa: the British occupies Uganda, Kenya, Rhodesia, and the Niger territories, obtaining the majority of the shares of the Suez Canal, a crucial rout between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. The Boer War: The relations between the Dutch colonies (called Boers) and the British ones in the Cape Colony (South Africa) were never good and a war broke out in 1899-1902. This conflict was won by Britain, which gained control over the provinces of Orange and Transvaal (rich in gold and diamonds). Celebration of the Empire and the Jubilees: During the Victorian Age the British Empire is at its greatest (geographically, commercially and politically). Until the First World War, the Empire is important for Britain (a large portion of all industrial exports goes to the Empire). The last part of the Age is characterised by prosperity and splendour, as shown by the Victoria’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees (celebrated the 50th and the 60th anniversaries of the Queen’s accession), the perfect occasion to make the word understand Britain’s greatness. Rivalry with Germany and US: