WILLIAM IV (1830-37)

Younger brother of George IV. He was not trained, he had no idea how to rule the country. He was 64 when he got the throne (oldest monarch to be crowned).

1830 - Tory Government, believed that only property owners should be in Parliament. They wanted no reforms.

Whigs - they believed there is need to reform. 1832 - Reform Bill was accepted by Lords. It was political revolution:

1. Number of voters increased 50%

2. New industrial towns were now represented in parliament (urban society)

3. It did not improve everything - distribution of MPs was still not fair

VICTORIA (1837-1901)

Personal union Britain-Hanover ended with her reign because in Hanover Salic Law was recognized (throne cannot be inherited by woman). She had German husband: Albert of Saxe-Cobourg Gotha, he had title of Prince Consort (książę małżonek).

1861 - happy marriage ended with dead of her husband. Period of semi-mourning (depression). She was called “Widow of Windsor”, because Windsor Castle was her home. She refused to be seen in public (it was dangerous, many criticized her, persuaded her to take more interest in country. By the time she died, monarchy was better loved among British.

She was writing a diary “Our life in the Highlands” - it contributed to her popularity too, because for the first time ordinary people could know something about life of their monarch.

She was less powerful than previous monarchs, but had more respect, ruled more lands and more people.

VICTORIA'S REIGN:

Age of political and social reforms - period of peace, Enlightenment

National Petition 1839 - signed by chartists, demands in the document were refused by the House of Commons. Politicians were not ready yet, all changes happened, but much later.

Still riots of workers (they wanted to be better paid, work in better conditions). Parliament acted against them and punished rioters severely, because they still remembered French revolution.

PRIME MINISTER: ROBERT PEEL

He made some good decisions which saved the government, there were not rapid changes

1. 1846 - abolished Corn Law of 1815 - it was heavy blow for poor people because price of corn had been really high and their diet consisted on corn in those days

2. Problem of crime - he established regular police forces in London. From his nick “Bob” - British police are nicknamed “Bobbies”

3. Peel was a Tory - but Tories felt betrayed by him, he was too independent

1846-65 - Lord Palmerston (Whig=liberal)

1885 - 2 Prime Ministers:

1. Benjamin Disraeli - Jew, Tory, favourite of Victoria

2. William Ewart Gladstone - Victoria disliked him

MODERN STATE 1860s-1870s

1. Number of voters increased (even workers), voting was made secret, number of trade union grew

2. Regular civil service (public administration) - carefully chosen

3. Army reorganized, as well as local governments

4. Education Acts - all children up to the age of 13 had to attend compulsory schools

5. “Redbrick” Universities - more science and technology

6. Factory Acts - improvement in public health. 1875-1914 - condition of poor greatly improved, prices fell, wages doubled (zarobki).

7. Britain was nice place to live.

DURING REIGN OF VICTORIA:

1. Newspapers cheaper and more accessible - parties could organize things more loudly

2. “democracy” didn't scare anybody so much - now it was spreading

3. Height of British power and self-confidence country chosen of God

4. Great Exhibition of the Industries of All Nations 1851 in the Crystal Palace (palace made from steel and glass) - it was huge success

5. Massive network of railway lines

6. Many daughters married European Royal Houses - Victoria called “Grandmother of Europe”

7. She died in 1901 - she was longest serving British sovereign

EDWARD VII (1901-1910)

He had surname of his dad - Saxe-Cobourg Gotha dynasty. Only one who belonged to German dynasty was his son George V.

GEORGE V (1910-36)- son of Edward VII. He abdicated because he fell in love with American woman, who was twice divorced.

GEORGE VI - brother of George V.

ELISABETH II - present Queen.

WHY BRITAIN WAS SO POWERFUL:

1. Industrial, economic, commercial power

2. Navy in almost every ocean of the world

3. Domestic market and colonies

4. Imported rare materials (cotton), produced goods and exported them back to colonies as completed products, colonies HAD TO buy it

5. Demand for uniforms, equipment, weapons - Britain could produce it because they had peace

6. Imperial power (colonial) - final defeat of Napoleon. Britain most successful international power, ¼ of world's population and 1/3 of world's area

7. A scientific power Charles Darwin “On the origin of species” 1859 - his theory was later used to talk about better and worse races

8. 1884 - Fabian society in London George Bernard Show (Irish playwright)

9. H. G. Wells - English science-fiction author

10. Emmeline Pankhurst - wanted right to vote for women

11. The country avoided a revolution

NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS:

1. John Wesley - Methodism - gave ordinary people sense of dignity and purpose. Talked to them, taught them to be hard-working, honest, to accept their life the way it is - it also helped to avoid revolution.

2. Quakers - simple faith based on the Bible - sociable concern, refusal to fight in war

3. Salvation Army - made war on poverty, religious awakening, evangelical revival (odrodzenie) brought many people back to Christianity

4. Britain become the envy of the world in 19^th century

HISTORIA - WYKŁAD - 12.01.2012

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