fact file on key figures

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William Pitt the Younger- Prime Minister

Born- 28th May 1759 Death- 23 January 1806

Father: William Pitt the elder PM, Earl of Chatham, responsible of victories of 7 years war

Mother: sister of former Whigs PM

Went to Cambridge when he 14 and became a lawyer in 1780 only 19 years old

he got into a place of power via a pocket Borough through his university James Lowther controlling Appleby Although Pitt got a seat of power through the corrupt system, he wanted changes in parliament. His reformers ideas were similar to the Whigs, as he wanted the America revolution to end and saw reforms in finance and administration.

when he was 20, he became the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Lord Shelburne administration. He got his position via his speeches and intelligence drawn attention to him. these months spent in this position would form his opinion on reforms for finance and administration.

In December 1783, King George 3rd appointed the 23 year old Pitt to form an Government after the Whigs downfall. the young man didn't have real parliamentary following or experience and his famous father achievement were not from William Pitt younger action. However, he ;

well spoken- attract attention

gain respect through not accepting royal sinecures

being patriotic ad loyal to the crown

became popular to the larger constituencies electorates

gain support from the independents and later Whigs

forward thinking approach to running the government- income tax

was not a royal mouthpiece

desired for Britain for a cheaper and efficient government

through his administration the most significant administrative achievement were;

the tax reform

surpression acts to surpress the radicals

trading treaties

mutiny bill

changing the old corrupt system of government

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King George 3rd

Born- 4th June 1738 Death- 29th January 1820

Father: Fredrick Prince of Wales

Mother: Augusta of Saxon-Gotha

George 3rd was the first Hanoverian King to be born on British soil. He might of had Porphyria a blood-cell disorder which caused him to have bouts of mental illness. At his death he was the first king to have Britain and Ireland as one nation through the Act of Union in 1801.

He had 15 children and happy marriage with his Queen Charlotte. he was a family man who was interest in agriculture, raising his children away from court and town. this caused his children to despise their father.

throughout his reign, the 7 year war, the America revolution and the French revolution had occurred. beside the success of the seven year war, the other two international events had great impact the George reign. the America Revolution made a mockery of the British and the French Revolution created radical fears and near British revolution.

his relationship with politic was instable. his mentor Earl of Bute as his chief minister, cause isolated the king and causes a stable government to be impossible. the king was also vilified at this period. when he appointed Lord North to be his Prime Minister, it was a more effective administration. however, throughout Lord North administration it was dominated by the America revolution, which bankrupt the country. soon after, there was a power vacuum after the death of Lord Rockingham as there was no real leader raising from the Whigs 'party'. this allowed the king to appoint William Pitt., which gave the nation the stability the country needed.

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King George 4th, Prince regent

Born- 17th August 1762 Death-26 June 1830

Father- King George 3rd- reigning monarch 1760-1820

Mother- Queen Charlotte

as a young child George 3rd put his son on a strict regime to prevent his becoming overweight and to prepare for kingship. however, the father and son relationship were familiar to the Hanoverian dynasty.

In George 4th early adulthood he gamble and sleeping with prostitutes. He spent most of the treasury with his interest, which enraged his father. most of George's early adulthood was to tick his father off. He illegally married a Roman Catholic women call Maria Fritzherbert in 1785, this caused his father to force him into a divorce and pay the Maria Fritzherbert a sum of money to keep her quite. 10 years later, George 4th marries the Princesss Caroline of Brunwick, her dowry payed off his debt to the treasury. he would later on ask Lord Liverpool to introduce a bill which would end the marriage.

George's political influence, was in his younger year he was friends with Charles Fox (whigs) and became with involoved with the Whigs to spite his father. However, in his later year and kingship he became pro-Tory.

During the reign of this father George 3rd, the king had bouts of mental illness. making him not fit for the throne. in these period parliament appointed George 4th to be Prince Regent. this gave him all the responsiblities and none of the power. the Press would later make he Prince regent through his weight and his 'found interests'

his reign as king would end with on successor and the crown was passed to his second eldest brother William 4th.

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Lord North -Prime Minister

Born- 13th April 1732 Death- 5th August 1792

educated at Eton and Trinity college, Oxford,

elected as MP for Banbury at the age of 22 (and stayed in this position for 40 years).

became Lord of the treasuray in Duke of Newcastle administration 1759- held position through two administration unit 1766

member of Privy council

Chancellor of the Exchequer- after death of Charles Townshend

PM in 1770 and was there for 12 years

through his administration the lose of the american colonies and the America revolution dominated this ministry

oratorical Edmund Burke and Charles Fox oppose North in House of Commons

although formed a coalition with Fox in 1780's

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Charles Fox

Born- 24th January 1749 Death- 13th September 1806

Father-Lord Holland

Mother- Lady Caroline Lennox

Uncle- Marquess of Rockingham, leading Whigs leader

Know for womanising, gambling and drinking, became a MP through a Pocket Borough Midhurst, Sussex. Was a reformer Whigs, how dislike the war with America and supported the French Revolution. Was good friends with the Prince Regent and was dislike by King George 3rd. As, fox believed in constitution power rather than Monarchy.

He became foreign secretary during other administration, although not Lord Shelburne. Fox and Lord North created a coalition to get rid of Shelbrune administration (this although divide the whigs Party). He return back to politics in the Fox and North coalition, but King George 3rd dismissed the coalition and appointed William Pitt.

The Whigs 'party' after this period struggled to return to power as:

they were divided after death of Lord Rockingham

the ideas for government were outdated

the King dislike of Pitt caused others not to support him as the king had great influence on who was PM

supporting the French revolution

his exaggerated speeches were seen as extreme

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Jeremy Bentham- philosopher

Born-15th Feburary 1748 Death- 6th June 1832

child prodigy:

toddler read multi-volume history of England

age 3, studied Latin

age 12, was sent to queens college oxford- studying to be attorney

after his father death became independent finacially, started to writing about law, producing 10 and 20 sheet of manuscript a day. Greatest work was his principle 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number' and his Utilitarianism. His work critique society aims to test

usefulness of the institution,

advocating reform,

established doctrines on Natural Law and contractarianism, utilitarian democracy,

universal suffrage

decriminalisation of homosexuality

prison reform, religion, poor relief, international law

became influential and widely respected by the 1820's. His philosophies inspired and influenced the great reform act.

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Adam Smith- Philosopher and writer

Born- ? Baptism 5 June 1723 Death- 17th July 1790

studies: Glasgow and Oxford

Career:

1748 gave public lectures in Edinburgh, got a reputation

1751 appointed Professor logic at Glasgow

later Professor of morals

1764 traveled and became Tutor- as traveling meet leading European intellectual Voltaire, Rousseau, Quesmay

1776 moved to London published his most popular works 'Inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nation'- agrued against regulation of trade and competition allowed flourish wealth, freedom in the public would, free trade market be prosperity in economic

1778 became commissioner of custom in Edinburgh

1783 founding member of Royal of society Edinburgh

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Thomas Paine- author and philosopher

Born- 29th January 1737 Death- 8th June 1809

Corset maker and sailor King of Prussia, serving the 7 year war

1772 wrote his first pamphlet- argued work condition of excise officers- 400 copies sent to MP

1774 met Benjamin Franklin- persuading Paine emigrate to America, 3 months later emigrate nearly dying of scurvy, became journalism in Philadelphia

1776 Paine wrote common sense, crucial role in convincing America upraising against British- America needed to freely trade with others European nation

1777 was secretary of congressional committee for Foreign Affairs

1791 and 1792 published Rights of man, advocating rights of freedom- 1790 Paine traveled to France at the beginning of French Revolution

1793 Paine arrested for treason nearly executed-

when detained wrote The Age of Reason was published in 1794, 1795 and 1802 in America where he died.

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Edmund Burke Philosopher

Born- 12th January 1729 Death- 9th July 1797

Education: Trinity College, studied Law in London

Scottish born

PM 1765- linked to debates over limiting king power, patronage, expenditure

believed gov should: cooperate rulers and citizen/subjects, willingness adapt

associated with Fox and Whigs

believed in America revolution and opposed east India company

1789 French Revolution, express hostility 'Reflection on the Revolution in France', empathasised danger of mob, revolution destorying France society and commented British values, tradition- response Thomas Paine Rights of Man

1794 retired from parliament- continued writing his political ideas, regarded as founders of British Conservative tradition

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Thomas Malthaus

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David Ricardo

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Edward Chadwick