18th Century European History

The Eighteenth Century

• The eighteenth century was marked by two unions and was a less turbulent century compared to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
• Two central themes of the century were the development of a stable political regime and commercial rivalry with France.

The Union of Parliaments (1707)

• The Union of Parliaments in 1707 was a union of kingdoms, or 'real' union, where a new state was forged: Great Britain.
• The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh voted to abolish itself, and in return, the Scots obtained representation in the English Parliament at Westminster.
• The union came into force on 1 May 1707.
• Unlike the Anglo-Welsh union of 1536, the Anglo-Scottish union of 1707 was a partnership between two formally equal kingdoms.
• The Scots retained key institutions, including:
  • The Scottish legal system
  • The Church of Scotland
  • The Electoral system
  • The Education system
  • The Scottish system of local government
  • The Scottish banks and banking system

A ‘Polite & Commercial People’

• The eighteenth century was a reaction to the extremism of the 17th century, focusing on politeness in manners and moderation in views.
• This was linked to the emerging Enlightenment philosophy and its emphasis on reason.
• Joint British interest in trade, commerce, and empire-building led to a series of wars with France, most of which were won by Britain.

A Century of Wars with France

• The 'Second Hundred Years War' was a series of conflicts between Britain and France, mainly over trade and colonies.
• The wars began with the Nine Years War (1689-1697) and reached a peak with the Seven Years War (1756-1763).
• The American Revolution (1776) and the American War of Independence (1776-1783) led to British defeat and the colonies in North America gaining independence.

The Hanoverian Succession and Parliamentary Government

• In 1714, George of Hanover succeeded to the throne upon the death of Queen Anne Stuart.
• The First Lord of the Treasury became a permanent post, and whoever held the post led the Cabinet when the King was away.
• Sir Robert Walpole, First Lord of the Treasury from 1715-1717 and 1721-1742, established himself as the first minister in an unprecedented manner.
• Walpole ensured that the government had the backing of a majority in Parliament, setting a standard for the British political system.

Jacobitism

• The Jacobites were supporters of the exiled Stuarts and sought their restoration to the throne.
• Three larger Jacobite rebellions were staged by James II and his direct descendants:
  • 1690: James II's invasion of Ireland, defeated by William III at the Battle of the Boyne River.
  • 1715: James Edward Stuart's rebellion, easily defeated.
  • 1745: Charles Edward Stuart's rebellion, brought to an end at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

The Forging of a British Identity

• The 'Colley thesis' suggests that a new and genuinely British identity was 'forged' over the course of the 18th century, based on:
  • Protestantism
  • War against Catholic France
  • Empire
  • Monarchy
  • England vs Scotland
  • British ruling class
  • Patriotism

French Revolutionary & Napoleonic Wars

• The French Revolution in 1789 was initially welcomed in Britain, but attitudes turned negative following the 'radical turn' of events in France.
• Britain was drawn into the war against the French Republic in 1793, with the war going badly for the British.
• The Peace of Amiens (1802) was a brief respite, but the war resumed with Napoleon's rise to power.
• Britain eventually emerged victorious, with the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) and the Battle of Waterloo (1815).

The Union of 1801

• The Rebellion of 1798, instigated by the Society of United Irishmen, posed a serious threat to British rule in Ireland.
• The rebellion was defeated, and a proposal for the forming of a union between Great Britain and Ireland was set forward.
• On 1 January 1801, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed, but full emancipation for Catholics was resisted by George III.