18 th Century British History By: Mikaela Davis

Restoration The Restoration refers to the restoration of the monarchy of Charles II to the throne of England. Prior to restoration was an eleven-year Commonwealth period during which the country was governed by Parliament under the direction of the Puritan General Oliver Cromwell. Restoration coincides with (and to some extent is responsible for) changes in the literary, scientific, and cultural life of Britain.

1701- The War of Spanish Succession Britain, Portugal, and the Netherlands sided with the Holy Roman Empire against Spain and France. France and Spain lost the conflict in Due to their victory, Britain expanded their territorial possessions. From France, Britain gained Newfoundland and Acadia From Spain, Gibraltar and Minorca. Gibraltar became a critical naval base and allowed Britain to control the Atlantic entry and exit point to the Mediterranean.

1707-Treaty of Union May 1st, 1707 was one of the first steps toward uniting the Kingdom of Great Britain. On this day, Scotland and England approved the Acts of Union that combined the two parliaments and the two royal titles. Uniting Britain and Scotland was a key policy of Queen Anne during the time period. The Acts of Union received royal assent in 1707, uniting the separate Parliaments and crowns of England and Scotland and forming the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Jacobite Risings ( ) The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by Parliament during the Glorious Revolution. James VII was deposed in 1688 and the thrones were claimed by his daughter Mary II jointly with her husband. After the House of Hanover succeeded to the throne in 1714, the risings continued, and intensified. They continued until the last Rebellion in They were soundly defeated at the Battle of Culloden in This ended any realistic hope of a Stuart restoration.

1756- The Seven Years’ War The Seven Years' War was waged on a global scale, fought in Europe, India, North America, the Caribbean, the Philippines and coastal Africa. War in Europe began in 1756 with the French siege of British Minorca in the Mediterranean, and Frederick the Great of Prussia's invasion of Saxony on the continent. The major development to come out of the Seven Years' War was that concessions made in the 1763 Treaty of Paris ended France's position as a major colonial power in the Americas. France lost most of its possessions on the mainland of North America, in addition to some West Indian islands. Great Britain strengthened its territories in India and North America, confirming its status as the dominant colonial power.

Conflict With the Colonies In the 1760s and 1770s, relations between the thirteen American colonies and Britain became increasingly strained. This was primarily due to resentment of the British Parliament's heavy taxation of American colonists without their consent. American colonists demanded "no taxation without representation" but Britain refused.

Conflict with the Colonies (cont.) Disagreement resulted in violence and in 1775 the Revolutionary War began. The following year, the colonists issued the Declaration of Independence from Britain. America received economic and military aid from France, and eventually won the war in The Treaty of Paris officially ended the Revolutionary War and was signed on September 3, 1783.

Shift of Focus After losing the colonies in America, British focus shifted from territory in America to Asia, the Pacific, and Africa. British trade began to grow, and the British focused more on trade and less on territorial possessions. The British East India Company was established to trade with nations for goods and supplies. However, company interests turned from trade to territory during the 18th century. British defeated the French and their Indian allies, which left the British East India Company in control of Bengal, and a major military and political power in India. In the following decades it gradually increased the size of the territories under its control.

Timeline of Major Events 1714 Accession of George I Whigs win the British General Election, 1727 Accession of George II Final Jacobite rising crushed at Battle of Culloden Accession of George III Britain is victorious in the Seven Years' War. The Treaty of Paris grants Britain vast new territories around the globe 1765 The Stamp Act passed by parliament of Great Britain 1775 Revolutionary War begins in the Thirteen Colonies 1783 British recognition of American independence as Treaty of Paris is signed by David Hartley representing George III.