HISTORY BRITISH EMPIRE

for exams

WHAT WAS THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION? WHAT CHANGED?

James 2 was a Catholic in a mainly Protestant country and he ignored Parliament + suspended laws. Birth of a Catholic son raised fears of a Catholic dynasty. A small group of Protestant Parliamentarians secretly invited William of Orange to intervene; he landed in England w an army and James fled to France. William + Mary 2 become monarchs, accepted limits on their power (Bill of Rights).

AFTERMATH OF GLORIOUS REVOLUTION?

James’ cousin encouraged him to fight back. Jacobites formed an army led by Richard Talbot. James returned to Ireland bringing 6000 French troops. He passed a law giving confiscated land back to Catholic owners + declared Parliament had no right to pass laws in Ireland, he gained support in Ireland. Jacobite forces surrounded Protestant residents in April 1689 forcing William to take action. Next 2 yrs: war between Jacobites and Williamites.

WHAT IS THE DARIEN SCHEME? WHY DID IT FAIL?

1695, William Paterson suggested formation of a Scottish colony in Panama. Scottish nobles invested £400k (almost 80 mil today), even ordinary people. This was nealry ¼ of Scotland’s cash wealth. Failed - poor supplies, lack of fresh water, Spanish hostility. Humid marshland, disease, malnutrition. Opposition from King William + withdrawal of support from English backers.

WHY DID PPL EMIGRATE (1688-1730)

CONVICT TRANSPORTATION - 1718 transportation act allowing shipment of convicted criminals to ease overcrowded prision, get rid of: prostitutes + political enemies etc).
INDENTURED SERVANTS - working unpaid for 4-8 yrs then freed with passage food, clothing + shelter.
BANISHMENT - British authorities brought Scottish rebels to London to stand trial. Many petitioned to avoid execution, instead, transported.

WHY DID EIC START? PROBLEMS?

To break Spanish monopoly + make a trading body for Eng merchants. Problems: merchants + businessmen excluded by James 2 wanted their share, hoping to end monopoly. EIC resisted change and Parliament said ‘all should have equal right to trade in East Indies'.’ Mean’t all charters made up by Parliament not King. EIC monopoly? Nope lol.

RAC WHY START? PROBLEMS? END?

Created by Stuart Royal family for personal gain. Royal charter → gave RAC a monopoly on Eng trade w Africa. Profit → King Charles 2 + his bro. Problems: when James 2 was desposed in Glorious Rev, businessmen + Eng merchants saw their chance to end the monopoly. Power moved away from monarch → merchants + priv entrepeneurs. Argued that if independent companies could join, business would boom + more profits. RAC lost → triangular trade opened up + slave trade opened up.

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF BRITISH EMPIRE

• slave trade expanision: after RAC monopoly end merchants flooded the market

• consumerism: coffee houses

• port cities: London, Bristol + Liverpool as hubs for trade grew rich

• imperial expansion: Act of Union 1707

WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN COFFEE HOUSES? PROBLEMS? NATURE?

Business deals + political discussions. Men came to socialise, do business + exchange ideas (RAC monopoly, EIC corruption), forcing politicians to respond and justify themselves. Problems: relatively cheap and became an addiction. Even women’s petition saying → made men lazy + s3xu@lly impotent. Nature: Moll + Tom King’s coffee house - appeared as a coffee house but served as a meeting place for pr0st!tut3s + their customers.