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Mar 7, 1500
Eupore Torn Apart by Religous Wars
Ongoing through 1600s. The Church of England was highly latitudinarian, tried to please everybody. The Book of Common Prayer and the 39 Articles standardized liturgy in England. PM appointed bishops. 10% tithe from all citizens. -
East India Company Created
Given monoply over Indian trade. Britain had maritime domincance after defeat of Spanish Armada. Voyages to India, China were incredibly risky - disease, malnutrition, scurvy - but incredibly profitable. Had trading stations only in Bombay, Madras, Calcutta. Periodically fought wars on behalf of local princes, but interested in trade, not political dominance. -
Mughal Empire Dominate India
Dominated north and central India 1400-1700. In decline during 1600s and 1700s. Fought with war elephants. Muslims intermixed with Hindus. -
James I's Ulster Plantations
Began the English settling of England, brought a large Protestant population into the northern counties. -
Massacre of Drogheda
Irish rebelled during English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell put them down at Drogheda, became a symbolic moment of Anglo-Irish resentment, commorated every year. -
Glorious Revolution
Prolonged political stability in Britain ever since. The overthrow of Catholic King James II. -
Battle of Boyne
Protestant William of Orange defeats Catholic James II, intensifies Anglo-Irish and Protestant-Catholic resentments. -
Bank of England Founded
Contributed to onset of industrial revolution. First modern bank, gathered money of London merchants. Those invested in bank had vested interest in current regime. -
Newcomen Invents Steam Engine
Designed to counteract coal-mine flooding. -
Beginning of Warming Trend
Continues through early 19th century, allows increase in agricultural production which creates a surplus labor force which can do other work, which helped lead to the industrial revolution -
UK Population 6 million
Prolonged population growth created both workforce and market -
Only 450 Families Who Could Participate in Elaborate Courtship
Thousands by 1850s -
William Wilberforce Born
Died 1835. Led English evangelical, abolitionist movements. Helped abolish slavery in 1807. -
Robert Clive wins Battle of Plassey
Despite being vastly outnumbered, Clive wins. With the most effective fighting force in the region he is now the dominant power in Bengal. -
Brits Gain Quebec
Eventually get rest of Canada, which they should have given to U.S. after Civil War -
Watt Improves Steam Engine
Designed to counteract coal-mine flooding. Steam engines were front and center of industrial society from 1760s-1900s. The steam engine replaced the water wheel. -
Richard Arkwright Invents Water Frame
Begins industrial-scale spinning at mills in Cromford, Derbyshire. -
First Iron Bridge Built
Town called Ironbridge -
American Revolution
Some thought Americans justified, many thought republic wouldn't last. -
Edmund Cartwright Invents Power-Loom
Industrializes weaving, gradually squeezes out hand weavers -
Eli Whitney Invents Cotton Gin
Facilitated industrialization of cotton production. Invented at the same time as mechanization of textile , led to cotton boom. All cotton produced is sent to UK to feed industry. -
Lord Shaftesbury Born
Tory MP, leader in industrial humanitarian reforms. Pushed through laws keeping kids out of coal mines, eliminating 10+ hour work days. -
Acts of Union
Joined Ireland and Great Britain and one kingdom, allowed Irish to send MPs, but only protestant ones. -
Britain Dominates India
Rule partly directly and partly through princes. Don't completely hold interior. India has first internal peace. Peasant life had been miserable. Brits had systematic rule, honest administration. People take pride in their honesty. Also, nabobs (great men) enriched themselves at India's expense and became influential. EIC introduces uniform currency. Footsoldiers were sepoys (Indians in British army). -
Slave Trade Abolished
Movement led by William Wilberforce, 1750-1835. -
Richard Trevethick Builds "Catch Me Who Can"
A minature steam engine locomotive, it was so heavy that it broke the tracks. -
Britain was not a Democracy
The unwritten constitution evolved in reaction tom periodic crisises. The Glorious Revolution had established the supremacy of Parliament. -
Wave of Bankrupticies for Army Provisioners
Happenned at end of Napoleonic Wars. It was common at the time for a family to make a huge fortune and then lose it later. The daughters of these families might become governesses, teaching othe rupper-class girls to be well mannered. -
America Felt Culturally Inferior to Britain
Most popular authors in America Walter Scott then Charles Dickens. American writers had to become popular in England first (Longfellow, Emerson). Brit James Smithson left fortune to found Smithonsian. -
Birth of Queen Victoria
Education came from strict German nurse Louise Lehzen, and she had no close friends her own age. -
Francis Trollope Goes to America
Goes to Cincinatti, tough frontier town, goes broke trying to sell high quality clothes, wrote intensely anti-American book which was a best seller. -
Stockton and Darlington Railway Opened by George Stephenson
Used iron rails throughout. The key was to make high quality rails and a flat track bed. It's train the "Locomotion" ran at 2 mph and had to stop frequently. -
Catholic Association
Led by Dan O'Connell. Membership was a penny a week. Irish were paying tithe to the C of E, which they weren't members of. Desired Catholic emancipation. -
Liverpool and Manchester Railway Opens
Characterized by rapid improvements. Robert Stephenson's "Rocket" could go 30 mph for extended times. -
Catholic Emancipation Achieved
Done so witht he help of the D of W. He and Lord Winchelsey dueled over it - DW missed, LW shot up in the air. O'Connell had been elected to parliament earlier, could now take his seat. -
UK Population 13 Million
Prolonged population growth created both workforce and market. -
House of Commons Unrepresentative of Actual Population
Caused by shifts in population and industrialization. Rotten Boroughs (Old Saurm - 4 people, 10 seats) and Pocket Boroughs (noble appoints representative) represented, big industrial cities weren't. No secret balloting, voting restricted to property owners. System defended by Edmund Burke as organic growth, condemned as "Old Corruption" by William Cobbett -
PM Lord Grey Attempts to Reform Parliament
Does so through 1832. Creates a crisis. Introduces legislation in 1831, opposed by Tories Peel and D of W. Asks King to create more lords to help act pass. D of W gives in, reform passes. Rotten, Pocket Boroughs abolished, industrial cities gain seats, voting criteria standardized, principle of reform established. -
Charles Lyell Writes "Principles of Geology"
Provides timescale for Darwin to imagine evolution by showing that different fossils exist in different strata of the earth, and had lived and ceased living. -
British Involvement in Ireland was Violent and Controversial
Had been this way for centuries -
Slavery in British Empire Abolished
Led by William Wilberforce, 2 tears before his death. -
Parliament Burns Down
Rebuilt in Gothic style according to plans of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin -
Lord Napier Goes to China to Negotiate for Increased Trading Rights
Brits only allowed to trade at the single port of Canton. Paid for goods in opium. China ruled by xenophobic Manchu dynasty. Many opium addicts in China. EIC exports over 2 million pounds a year into China. China important market for high quality, low cost British clothe. Trade too lucrative to stop. B/c in China important people arrived late Chinese arrived late for meeting w/ Napier, He insults them, which they stoically accept then begin to stamp down on trade. -
Victoria Becomes Queen
Age 18, her 3 immediate predecessors George III, George IV, William IV had impaired the dignity and popularity of monarchy, a situation Victoria was eager to remedy. PM Lord Melbourne became a surrogate father figure. -
Angela Burdett Coutls Inherits 2 Million Pounds
Frequently proposed to so husband could gain control of her money. -
Anti-Corn Law League Founded
Founded by Richard Cobden and John Bright, liberal industrialists. Corn Laws were trade barriers designed to protect UK grain producers from cheap foreign imports. The ACLL favored free trade and was a big popular movement. Same time as Chartist movement. -
China Bans Opium Trade
Provokes crisis. Opium addicts in China given 1.5 years to break habit or be put to death. British merchants forced to hand over opium, which was then destroyed. -
Invades Afganistan
Wanted to stop Russia from getting it. Captured but couldn't hold it. Exterminated while retreating - only 1 survived, left as message. Decentralized, tribal, no loyalty to state, tradition of frontier fighting. -
Bedchamber Crisis
Forces Victoria to reckon with the limits of her power. Robert Peel refuses to form a government if he can't pick his cronies as ladies-in-waiting. Victoria calls his bluff, and Melbourne remains PM. -
Chartist Uprising in Newport
Movement came from limitations in Great Reform Act. Demanded equal-sized parliamentary constituencies, secret ballot, no property qualifications for MPs, payment of MPs, annual parliaments, universal male suffrage. All demands but one met by early 20th century. -
Victoria Marries Albert
Determined to be monarch as well as wife. Her uncle King Leopold of Belgium had groomed Albert for match. Though in the background at first, Albert eventually won the respect of senior politicians. They had 9 children who intermarried with four European royal families. They welcomed new technologies. -
Trains Beginning to Run at 30-40 MPH
Goods can now be sold through the whole country. Cities become dirtier and gloomier. Liable to crash, need good signalling and maintainance. Different people meet at train stations, 1st, 2nd, 3rd classes, British Post Office developed. -
Tithes Commuted to Cash Payments
Very unpopular system, many people felt that they weren't getting a good value for their money, especially non CofE members. -
Irish Population 8 Million
Once potatoes were introduced population grew steadily. Potatoes, which originate in the Andes, are great for the Irish climate, grow more densely than other crops, and one can live fairly well off them. Population is now 6.4 million. -
William Lovett Begins Advocating Peaceful Resolution of Social Conflict
Abandoned politics for advocating workers' education. Believed literacy goes side by side with industrialization. Wanted to eliminate corporal punishment from education, make little world of love. -
Brits Seize Tinghai and Canton
Retaliation for destroying opium. Send troops from India who crush Chinese, kill 500. B/c of Napoleonic wars British troops were better trained, better equipped, had better ships. War unfolded slowly b/c it took time for news to travel back and forth. -
Britian Controls All of India
Expands to remote areas. Chronically afraid of Russians so move into NW provinces. -
Missionaries Enter India
Evangelical revival going on in Britain. Custom of widow burning (sati) horrifies Brits. Tiny English minority governing India - some want to stamp out heathen customs, others want to live and let live. Thugs - Indian religous cult, strangled innocent travelers. Steamships let missionaries, women come. -
"Tract 90" Written by John Henry Newman
Newman wrote the "Tracts for the Times" with John Keble and Hurrell Froude, from 1833-1841. "Tract 90" argued for the compatibility of the 39 Articles with Catholic doctrine, scandalized Oxford, and led him to Catholic conversion. Thought it unlikely that God has chosen England alone. Conversion was incredible thing to do in day and age of intense anti-Catholicism. Many others followed Newman, including Henry Manning, both of whom became Cardinals. Also many Irish Catholic immigrants. -
Treaty of Nanking
Opens 5 new ports, give Britain Hong kong which they held until 1997, Chinese paid $21 million for destroyed opium. Opium isn't mentioned in treaty. Brits also get extra-territorial rights in China. -
Irish Potato Famine
Through 1848. A monoculture is very unstable. The potatoes were attacked by a fungus. The Irish had been living very close to subsistence, with families sharing a room with farm animals. 100,000s emigrated or starved. Govt. relief efforts were inadequate. Memory of famine remains vivid. Population fell b/c of deaths, malnutrition and infertility in survivors. Food was exported from Ireland during famine. Coincided with debate of free trade and protectionism. -
Corn Laws Repealed
Done so by Tory PM Robert Peel in 1846. It split the Tory party, and Whigs won next election. Ireland enjoyed little immediate benefit from repeal. Tariff barriers are a vicious cycle, and Ireland is the graveyard of the English politicians' hopes. -
Dalhousie Becomes Gov. Gen.
Establishes rail, telegraph lines, reformed who brings in new methods. Brits wonder are we going to stay here permanently? Conservatives said yes, liberals like Dalhousie said they were stewards. -
Thousands of Families Who Could Participate in Elaborate Courtship
Only 450 in 1750 -
Dueling Abolished
The evangelical revival has influenced British life. Victoria seeks to set high moral standard. Intense humorlessness in revival. Clergymen were younger sons of aristocrats, upwardly mobile lower classes. -
Re-Establishment of the Catholic Hierarchy
Re-created Catholic dioceses in England. Led to outburst of anti-Catholic rioting. -
Sustained Period of Economic Growth Begins
Intense optimism after the "hungry forties." -
Taiping Rebellion
Provoked a period of warfare inside China. -
Great Exibition
Headed up by Prince Albert. Joseph Paxton, a gardener, built the "Crystal Palace," a giant glass and iron-frame building. It was prefabricated, a masterpiece of standardization and big enough to contain trees. Some thought fair was good idea, others thought it would bring foreign rabble. It symbolized a new world era, from war to business. 14000 exhibits. Rail took people to expo quickly and cheaply, began tourism. Significan profits used for poblic works. Everyone at expo well behaved. -
Titus Salt Founds Saltaire
Utopian industrial community based on manufacture of worsted (wool/cotton). Mill surrounded by workers' housing, chapel, meeting rooms, almshouse, all run on temperance principles. Workers treated incredibly well. First fully integrated factory - from wool & cotton to dress in same place. Salt was teetotaler, and expected workers to be. Aware of critics of bourgeois, trying to prove theory of class conflict wrong. Conflict v. Harmony. -
Florence Nightingale Begins Nursing in the Crimean War
Nurses used to have low status. She trained in Germany, brought those nursing practices to England, helped create basic conditions of sanitation, nutrition. -
Crimean War
Britain's chronic fear of Russia capturing India led to war. Allied with the Turks and French, they tried to stop Russian movement into Europe and Dardanelles to restrict access to Mediteranean. British Army mismanaged, poorly led, corrupt, out of date. Haven't fought since Waterloo. Com in Ch Lord Raglan 75, other commanders 70+. Russian army worse. Equipment unsuited to Nebraska-like climate of Crimea. Hoped to let the Turks do the fighting. First war we have photos of. -
Florence Nightingale Serves in Crimea
She trained as a nurse in Germany. The military hospital was in Istanbul, horrible conditions. She improved them - seperated wounded and sick, started sanitation, washing, convalesence. Death rates fell, she argued with doctors, and transformed the social status of nursing. -
William Howard Russell Sends Dispatches to Times
First war with foreign correspondents. B/c of govt. red tape, reports were published before govt. knew about them. Stories damned conduct of British officials, leads to public outcry and resignation of PM Lord Aberdeen. Press is now major political force. System blamed but individuals exonerated. Future increases in command, intelligence, contingencies, logistics, maps, uniforms, food, etc. Become better led, better prepared. -
Charge of the Light Brigade
Ordered to recapture guns, go after wrong guns. 400 of 600 men die in 2 minutes. Lord Cardigan brave, reckless, 60+, brought yacht and mistress to Crimea, survived charge, met Queen and she couldn't believe he had a mistress. War then was baded on visible uniforms to terrify enemy, high powered rifles, artillery, cavalry charges. -
Treaty of Paris Ends Crimean War
In war, Brits were a mess but Russians were worse. Russians never reached Meditteranean. Czar Alexander II must relinquish claims in Eastern Danube and destroy Black Sea naval bases. Victoria creates Victorian Cross, first medal for men in the ranks. -
Direct Rule of India
Britain was dismayed by Indian mutiny, had made concessions to colonies after America. After revolt they dissolved EIC, direct rule until 1947. Centralization, railway building, segregation formal policies. High class Indians trained to be administrators. Independence in 1947. -
Indian Mutiny
Hindis and Muslims thought cartridge was greased with beef, pig fat. False rumors. When soldiers refused to use them 10 were jailed, the rest mutinied. Began in Meerut, spread to Delhi. 82 year old Mughal Bagadur Shah declared new Mughal Emperor. Garrisons at Lucknow, Kanpur besieged. Brits massacred while surrendering at Kanpor, atrocities shock Brits. Gen. Campbell leads counter-attack. Vindicative reprisals by Brits. Revolt confined to Dehli area. -
Samuel Smiles Writes Self-Help
Eugolizes hardworking, self-helping man. Biographied industrialists, self-starters. Believed that people should pull themselves up by their own bootstraps but government intervention was sometimes necessary, for instance in public health issues. -
Huxley-Wilberforce Debate
Huxley invented the word agnostic. Says bible doesn't give reliable historical info. Wilberforce says you can't choose which bits of it to follow. -
Albert Dies
Victoria enters a prolonged depression and the monarchy is threatened when she refuses to attend to her official duties. Their was a brief republican movement in the 1860s led by Charles Dilke. -
Trent Affair
Diplomatic recognition of CS by GB major issue. CS sends Mason, Slidell to GB on HMS Trent. Union stops ships, captures them. GB claims this is piracy. US allows M & S to go to GB, sends Charles Francis and Henry Adams, who prevent GB recognizing CS. -
Civil War Begins
Could stay neutral, ally w/ US, CS. Idea of romantic nationalism, CS should be independent if they wanted like Italy, Hungary. Also, cotton from south fed factories. But GB was against slavery. Manufactures stockpiled cotton, hoped for quick end to war, GB was neutral. -
CSS Alabama
Neutral Britain built gunboats for CS. Alabama did huge amount of damage, blockade runner, sunk in 1865. U.S. wanted Canada in compensation, got $15.5 million instead. -
Contagious Diseases Act
Joesphine Butler led campaign against double standard. 10000s of prostitutes in Victorian Britain, who couold have a good life if they attached themselves to an aristocrat. She believed men should be help accountable for prostitution as well, since they were responsible for the demand. -
Bill Giving Women Votes Introduced in Parliament
Done so by J.S. Mill. Opposed totally by Queen Victoria. -
Lincoln Dies
His leadership was widely admired in GB. Victoria mourned his death, sent letter to MTL. -
Second Reform Act
Same time as end of Civil War. Now more men can vote. Before this, ex-slaves could vote in America but workingmen and women couldn't in England. -
New Work Possibilities Open Up for Women
Including nursing, elementary teaching, shop work, typing. Offered possibility of friendship and limited independence. -
Affter Civil War Brits Emigrate to America
Found it easy to assimilate. Samuel Gompers founded AFL. Andrew Carnegie became extremely rich. Bell invented telephone. British Lords start marrying American heiresses, Winston Churchill child of one of these unions. -
Secret Ballot Established
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Salvation Army Founded by William Booth
Working classes were becoming increasingly alienated from the C of E. Only went for christening, marriage, funeral. Booth wanted to make church more fun. Led evangelical reform movement in London slums, gave church members uniforms and instruments. Synchrotism - adopting popular customs to religion. Thousands were attracted to this puritanical movement, it gave people sobriety, hard work, fun. Complete temperance movement begins. -
Compulosry Education in England
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British Empire Continues to Grow
Despite suffering a major defeat from America, the British Empire continued to grow until late 1800s. It was a trading business. -
4'8.5" gauge for Railroads Standardized
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who also pioneered the building of ocean-going ships, tried a 7' gauge and failed. -
Diamond Jubilee
Great celebration of national unity and the empire, and restored credibility of the monarchy. -
Death in Childbirth Still Common
Remained common until 20th century, happened as often as 1/10 of the time -
Women Given Suffrage
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Crystal Palace Burned Down
Profits from expo had gone to build Natural History Musuem, Royal Albert Hall, Imperial College, Albert Memorial. After expo palace was moved to and reassembled in South London. -
Oxford Becomes Co-Ed