Билет 26. The beginning of the making of the British colonial empire.

England used its allies (Austria and Prussia) as a counterweight to the main enemy – France in order to concentrate on more profitable wars on French colonial possessions. British and French colonies were near each other – in India and in North America.

India - was a source of some valuable products which could not be produced at home; - was an important market for British manufactured goods. The French arrived in India only at the end of 17^th century and, as the British company “East India Co.” was already established, they had to secure their position with the help of the army. India was weak and confused. The French captured Madras in 1746, but returned it according to the treaty which ended the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748). During the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) the rich province of Bengal was conquered by the British after the Battle of Plassey (1757). The war was ended by the Treaty of Paris, according to which England got French possessions in India (+areas in Canada and Louisiana). The French were allowed to hold trading stations, but without fortifying them.

North America British colonies: - English-speaking colonists far outnumbered the French Canadians; - stretched from Maine to Florida; - were unwilling to defend their interests and incapable of uniting in a common policy; - the communication was difficult – the colonies were competiting with each other; - the colonies had never been under feudal or royal discipline. French colonies: - were unite in their obedience to the government; - had 2 main settlements: Canada and Louisiana; - were in close contact with the Red Indian tribes; - tried to occupy the land behind the British colonies (Ohio River and the Great Lakes) to prevent their further penetration.

1753 – the French drove the British traders out of the Ohio valley and built Fort Duquesne to prevent their return. 1755 – fightings began. The British tried to capture Duquesne, but were defeated. 1759 – The Fort is taken and renamed into Pittsburg. 1758-1760 – conquest of Canada, capture of Quebec + conquest of the huge area between the Appalachians and the Misissippi. The French power dissapeared in N.America.

Results The British Empire became the world’s largest. India, North America + French possessions in West Africa and West Indian Archipelago (острова между сев. и юж. америкой)

Билет 27. The Act of Union of 1707.

In 1701 the Act of Settlement had fixed the succession of the throne to the House of Hanover if Queen Anne should die without any children. The fortunes of the political parties depended on this Act, and the succession of the Hanoverians would destroy the Tories power. The Tory leader Bolingbroke started to prepare a conspiracy. He replaced moderate tories by Jacobites in the party leaders, army, navy officers and other officials. Then Queen Anne died and the whole plan collapsed. Jacobitism was politically dead in England after 1715. The Whigs held office without interruption from 1714 till 1783.

But in Scotland Jacobitism had greater political importance, especially in the Highlands, where people wanted to preserve their tribal organisation and culture struggling with clans in bourgeois and partly English Lowlands. There was a struggle between the clan of Campbell, which had long been Whig, and other clans which didn’t want to accept Campbells’ supremacy and hence adopted Jacobitism. 1703 – the Scottish Parliament passed the Act of Security aimed against Hanoverian Succession. The relationships between England and Scotland were very tense and there was a possibility of a complete break with Scotland. 1704 – the Aliens Act banned all the import from Scotland till the Hanoverian Settlement was accepted. This robbed the Scottish cattle breeders, the war was possible. 1707 – the Act of Union was passed. This treaty united the governments of Scotland and England, and the Catholic church was replaced by Protestant. Scotland was controlled by the head of the Campbells.