🇬🇧TBB
Chapter 3

A Global Power

The British Empire, Industrial Revolution, and world influence

Table of Contents

Chapter 3: A Global Power

Constitutional Monarchy and the Bill of Rights

Following the Glorious Revolution, the Bill of Rights (1689) fundamentally changed the balance of power in the UK. It established that:

  • The king would no longer be able to raise taxes or administer justice without agreement from Parliament
  • This created the system of constitutional monarchy still in place today
  • A new constitutional settlement meant that laws were made by Parliament, with the monarch's role becoming increasingly ceremonial

The Act of Union with Scotland

  • In 1707, the Act of Union joined Scotland with England and Wales to create Great Britain
  • Scotland maintained its own separate legal and education systems
  • The Scottish Parliament was dissolved, and Scottish MPs joined the Parliament at Westminster

The Prime Minister

  • Sir Robert Walpole became the first person to be recognised as Prime Minister in 1721
  • He served until 1742, establishing this crucial governmental role
  • The Prime Minister's official residence is 10 Downing Street in London

The Hanoverian Kings

  • The first Hanoverian king, George I, spoke little English and relied on his ministers to govern
  • This led to a growth in the power of the Prime Minister and cabinet
  • The Jacobite rebellions continued in Scotland, with supporters of the Stuart claim to the throne
  • Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) led the last Jacobite uprising in 1745, which was defeated at the Battle of Culloden in 1746

The Enlightenment

The 18th century saw the Scottish Enlightenment, with major contributions from:

  • Adam Smith -- economist who wrote The Wealth of Nations
  • David Hume -- philosopher
  • Scottish thinkers made significant contributions to science, engineering, philosophy, and literature

The Industrial Revolution

Britain was the first country to industrialise on a large scale. The Industrial Revolution transformed the economy through:

  • Machinery and steam power replaced manual labour
  • Employment shifted from agriculture to manufacturing, mining, and factory work
  • New cities and towns grew rapidly around factories and mines

Key Figures

  • Richard Arkwright revolutionised textile production through improvements to the carding machine and the development of steam-powered mills
  • He is sometimes called the "father of the factory system"

Working Conditions

  • Factory and mine conditions were brutal -- workers faced long hours in dangerous environments
  • There were no legal protections for workers
  • Children laboured alongside adults without safeguards
  • Over time, reforms improved conditions, including laws limiting child labour

The Slave Trade

Although slavery was illegal within Britain itself, British traders were heavily involved in the slave trade:

  • Millions of Africans were transported in horrific conditions on British ships to work on plantations in the Americas and Caribbean
  • The trade operated on a triangular route: goods from Britain to Africa, enslaved people from Africa to the Americas, and sugar and tobacco from the Americas back to Britain

Abolition

  • The Quakers were among the first to campaign against slavery
  • William Wilberforce was the leading parliamentary campaigner for abolition
  • The slave trade was abolished in 1807
  • Slavery itself was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1833

The British Empire

The British Empire grew dramatically during the 18th and 19th centuries:

  • By the reign of Queen Victoria (1837--1901), the Empire covered vast territories including India, Australia, large parts of Africa, and the Caribbean
  • Between 1853 and 1913, roughly 13 million British citizens emigrated to other parts of the Empire
  • At the same time, around 120,000 Eastern European Jews and people from colonised territories immigrated to Britain

The Growth of Democracy

Voting rights were gradually expanded during the 19th century:

  • The Reform Act of 1832 increased the number of people who could vote and removed some of the most corrupt parliamentary constituencies (known as "rotten boroughs")
  • The Reform Act of 1867 further extended the franchise
  • However, property ownership remained a requirement for voting
  • Women were still completely excluded from voting

The Suffragettes

  • Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) to campaign for women's right to vote
  • Suffragettes used increasingly militant tactics, including chaining themselves to railings, going on hunger strikes, and disrupting public events
  • Women over 30 gained the right to vote in 1918
  • Women gained equal voting rights with men (at age 21) in 1928

Key Cultural and Scientific Developments

During this period, Britain also saw major advances in science and culture:

  • Charles Dickens wrote novels highlighting social injustice
  • The Bronte sisters (Charlotte, Emily, and Anne) produced classic works of English literature
  • Isambard Kingdom Brunel was a pioneering engineer who designed bridges, tunnels, and ships
  • Britain became the world's leading trading and financial power
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