The first Hanoverian kings, Sintesi del corso di Inglese

Scarica The first Hanoverian kings e più Sintesi del corso in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! The first Hanoverian kings George I and Parliamentary monarchy. With the death of Queen Anne the Protestant branch of the Stuart family was extinguished. The nearest Protestant relation was Elector of Hanover, who became George I. The new situation now caused the ministers to meet without the king and to choose a Prime Minister (representative of whigs or tories). This had important consequences: it laid the foundations for that form of Parliamentary monarchy that has been in existence in England ever since. George II and the Jacobite Rebellion. During the reign of George II the old Anglo-French hostilities were renewed. In 1742, the Stuarts made a last attempt to regain the throne. The Jacobite Rebellion was led by the Stuart pretender to the throne, Charles Edward. They met no opposition and even managed to reach Derby and were decisively beaten at Culloden (1746). This was the end od an Independent Scotland. The Seven Years’ War and Pitt’s ministry. A new European war broke out in 1756. The war lasted seven years and so was called the Seven Years’ War. It was initially very disappointing for Britain. Lord Chatham became Prime Minister in 1756, and he soon proved capable of giving new enthusiasm to the nation. France was forced, in 1763, to sign the Treaty of Paris. France had to give up Senegal, Canada and the territories east of the Mississippi River in North America, and some islands in the Caribbean. The conquest of India. At the beginning of the 18th century Britain had only a few commercial posts in India. French influence was much greater until the middle of the century. The Treaty of Paris also meant the end of French influence in India. Bengal became an East India Company stronghold, and the Company gradually linked itself economically and politically to the major Indian States. These were the foundations of the British Empire. George III and the British Empire. George III was the first native English-speaking Hanoverian king, and so more in touch with spirit of the nation. When he came to the throne Great Britain controlled the seas and was enjoying a period of internal peace. This ended with the rebellion of the American colonies and the War of American Independence, lost by Great Britain. The loss of the 13 American colonies was compensated for by control of the whole Indian continent and by the acquisition of immense new territories in the Pacific.