Britain at mid-century

Chapter 5 section 3pp. 154-157

Setting the scene• Supporters of mercantilism found success in

England. In the mid-1600s, a mercantilist wrote “Foreign trade is… the honor of the kingdom, the noble profession of the merchant,… the means of our treasure, the sinews of our wars, the terror of our enemies!”

• Over the next century, Britain embraced mercantilism and built a colonial and commercial empire that reached around the world. At the same time, Britain developed a constitutional monarch, a political system somewhere between the absolute monarchies of Europe and later democracies.

1a Act of Union• 1707 Joined Scotland and England

they became the United Kingdom of Great Britain, free trade created a larger market for goods eventually the growing prosperity made the union acceptable to most.

1b Tories

• Land owning aristocrats

• They wanted to keep the old ways

• They supported royal powers and the Anglican Church.

1C Whigs

• Backed policies of the Glorious Revolution

• Most likely to reflect urban business interests

• Supported religious toleration

• Favored Parliament over the Crown.

1d Robert WalpoleA “whig” politician• Said to be the first British Prime

Minister although he was not given that title and was chosen by the King and not Parliament

• Organized the cabinet and became the chief official of the British government from 1720-1742

• Unified the cabinet by making members agree on major issues.

1676-1745

1e George III• Ruled England for 59

yrs 3 months and 2 days

• Believed that the King should have all the power

• Dissolved the cabinet• Made colonists in

America pay for war debts from the French and Indian War

• Eventually was discredited and suffered bouts of mental illness.

1738-1820

2a Constitutional Govt.• A government whose power is defined

and limited by law, a Constitution

2b Cabinet• A handful of parliamentary advisers that set policy

they were called cabinet because they met in a small room or “cabinet”

2c Prime Minister• Leader of the

majority party in Parliament

• the chief official of the British government.

David Cameron05/11/10-

Arthur Balfour1902-1905

2d Oligarchy• A government in which the ruling power belongs to a

few people. Like in Great Britain during the 1700,s and 1800’s.

3 Explain how each of the following contributed to Britain’s rise to Global Power.

• A. Geography- Britain’s island location helped it to control trade and build a global empire.

• B. Success in war- Military successes won Britain more overseas territories and a monopoly on the slave trade in Spanish America.

• C. Attitudes toward business and commerce- The British government promoted business by imposing fewer trade restrictions than other nations

4 how did the British cabinet and office of prime minister develop?

• George I and II needed advisory help in Parliament because they were from a German state and did not speak English.

• This body became known as the cabinet and eventually gained official status.

• The head of the cabinet was the minister, leader of the majority party.

5 Wheat goals did King George III have when he became king?

• To reassert Royal power by ending Whig domination

• To choose his own ministers• To dissolve the cabinet system• And to gain control of Parliment

6 How did the British political system affect most people in Britain?

• WHAT ARE “YOUR” THOUGHTS???

7 How might people in Ireland and the American colonies react to British attempts to increase control over those

regions?

• WHAT ARE “YOUR” THOUGHTS???