Social history and political context
22 mayo, 2013 by Bego
The nineteenth century began with the reign of George III, during which Great Britain obtained the victory in the Seven Years War, lost the American colonies, coincided with the French Revolution, after which Britain stands as one of the most important European powers is unified the United Kingdom, with the addition of Ireland to the British Crown in 1800 and the Napoleonic wars occur confronting the United Kingdom to the expansionist policy of the government of Napoleon. It is a time of great political agitation, are poured continuous criticism of the government and English radicalism emerges. When dying George III was succeeded by his oldest son, who reigned first as prince regent and, since 1820, as George IV, but in 1830, died without descendants, and ascended the throne his brother William IV, and with it comes to power a cabinet of predominantly Whig ministers, chaired by Charles Grey.
In 1837 the old man William IV was succeeded by his granddaughter, will reign with the name Victoria. She and her husband Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha come to symbolize the Victorian virtues: a very close family life, the sense of public duty and social respectability.
Victorian beliefs and attitudes were also shaped by the revival of evangelical religion and utilitarian notions of efficiency and honest in business practice.
In the religious sphere is a time of doubt. God is not the answer to human problems. Nevertheless, there are still religious who refuse to progress and try to suppress the formation of man applying censorship.
In politics and society, highlighting the democratic movement, feminism, the union of workers, socialism and Marxism, among others. Thus, it is an era marked by the rise of the bourgeoisie and the reaffirmation of women. This is inserted in the workplace due to industrialization, the husband is financially independent, have access to culture and start editing and writing. In 1866 begin operating two women’s university colleges, and since 1880, the law allows married women to own their own property. But still think they are inferior to men and are not really free, what will happen later in the transition from the Victorian era to the twentieth century.
In the scientific field, the discovery of evolution makes it possible to explain the dynamics of the Universe, which overthrew what the Church proposed, as well as, low popularity and knowledge begins to focus on science, not superstition.
As regards the spirit of the Whig reform began in the reign of William IV, falls under the government of Lord Melbourne (1835-1841), and the economic depression of 1837 causing the appearance of two powerful organizations of protest. Supporters of Chartism, demand the immediate adoption of the People’s Charter, which would transform the UK in almost a political democracy with universal suffrage for men. The Conservative government of Sir Robert Peel (1841-1846) British tariffs reduces but increases the income tax to offset the losses, causing the split between the Conservatives and the return of the Whigs to power led by John Russell (1846 ). During the years of Peel and Russell the trend toward free trade continues, reinforced by the repeal of the Navigation Acts (1849).
On foreign policy, the alliance with the king of France, Napoleon III causes the UK to participate in the Crimean War in 1854. In 1857 and 1858, suffocates the Sepoy Mutiny, after which India becomes a British crown colony. In contrast, it stimulates autonomy colonized by white British possessions: Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Cape Colony (South Africa).
The United Kingdom maintains its leadership as the first boat builder and maximum commercial and financial power in the world and a big part of British workers increases their purchasing power.
Despite high levels of emigration to the British colonies and the United States more than 200,000 people each year between 1880 and 1890 , the population of England and Wales doubled between 1851 and 1911 (over 36 million) and the Scotland grows more than 60% (up to about five million). In Ireland, emigration reduced the population to about two million people, between 1847 and 1861, the years after the famine, more than two million people across the Atlantic to the United States.
In 1901, Queen Victoria dies and her son becomes king, Edward VII. With the end of the reign of the latter and the First World War can be seen that, despite not matching dates, ending the nineteenth century, and not until this time, in 1919 to get the vote for women.
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