20. The years of self-confidence in Britain: industrial power, towns and the rise of the middle class.

After the defeat of Napoleon, Britain enjoyed a strong place in Europe. Especially powerful it was in the navy. It kept ships of its navy almost in every ocean of the world.

The pride of Britain was its railway system. The first trains were goods trains. They made transporting goods faster and cheaper. Railways connected not only the industrial towns with London, but also economically unimportant towns.

As a result of industrial revolution, in the 19’th century Britain was a “workshop” of the world. British factories were producing more than any other country in the world.

In the 19’th century the number of people belonging to the middle class increased. Now the middle class was made-up of people of different social position and kinds of work. It included those who worked in the church, the law, the medicine, banks and also in the army and navy. Typical of the middle class were self-made men, who came from poor families. They believed in hard work and were careful with money.

22. Social and economic changes in Britain between 1876 and 1914.

Many people from Britain’s army returned home and were looking for jobs which made the number of unemployed still greater.

Poor people did not receive enough help from the government. Only those who lived in the workhouses were given any help. Many people moved to the towns hoping for a better life there. The cities were overcrowded and unhealthy. Very few houses had water supply. The water was dirty and it caused epidemics. But in the middle of the century the administration of many towns began to appoint health officers. It helped to improve the situation. Libraries, parks and public baths began to appear.

Since 1838 the worker’s unions worked out a document called a People’s Charter. The Charter demanded rights that are now accepted by everyone: the vote for all adults, the right for a man without property to be a Member of Parliament, secret voting and payment for the Members of Parliament.

The great changes were also made by the Prime Minister Robert Peel. He turned his attention to the crime problem. He established a regular police force in London.

In the 19’th century Britain created many colonies in different countries in order to establish its power there.

Britain had one reason for creating colonies. The population of Britain was increasing and soon the small territory of the British Isles would not hold all population. The solution to the problem was found in the development of colonies for British settlers in different parts of the world.

21. The years of self-confidence: population, politics, the British Empire and life in Ireland.

Many people from Britain’s army returned home and were looking for jobs which made the number of unemployed still greater.

Poor people did not receive enough help from the government. Only those who lived in the workhouses were given any help. Many people moved to the towns hoping for a better life there. The cities were overcrowded and unhealthy. Very few houses had water supply. The water was dirty and it caused epidemics. But in the middle of the century the administration of many towns began to appoint health officers. It helped to improve the situation. Libraries, parks and public baths began to appear.

Since 1838 the worker’s unions worked out a document called a People’s Charter. The Charter demanded rights that are now accepted by everyone: the vote for all adults, the right for a man without property to be a Member of Parliament, secret voting and payment for the Members of Parliament.

The great changes were also made by the Prime Minister Robert Peel. He turned his attention to the crime problem. He established a regular police force in London.

In the 19’th century Britain created many colonies in different countries in order to establish its power there.

Britain had one reason for creating colonies. The population of Britain was increasing and soon the small territory of the British Isles would not hold all population. The solution to the problem was found in the development of colonies for British settlers in different parts of the world.

In the 19’th century most of the Irish depended on agriculture indeed, most of them depended on simple potato farming for their survival. The poor peasants made their living from tiny pieces of land and had to pay high rents for this land. Potatoes were their main food and when the potato harvest was bad for four years in succession, there was a terrible famine in the country.

Before the First World War Britain agreed to give Ireland self-government. There were some people who were not satisfied with the idea of self-government. They formed a republican party and demanded a full independence from Britain.

People in the south of Ireland blamed British rule for their poverty and suffering, the people of Ulster found that union with Britain had brought them prosperity and markets for their industrial products.

During the attempts between 1886 and 1914 to get Home Rule for Ireland the people of Ulster resisted strongly and said they would fight rather than give up union with Britain.

After a long and violent struggle, the southern part of Ireland finally became a free state in 1921 with the capital Dublin. Ulster chose to remain part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This division is known as Partition.

The Anglo-Irish Treaty, which was concluded in 1921, did not bring peace to Ireland. A civil war started between the Irish themselves, because the republicans insisted that all Ireland including Northern Ireland should be an independent state.

The Irish Free State declared it a republic in 1949 and is now known as the Irish Republic or Eire. It is completely separated and independent from Britain and Northern Ireland and its government is in the capital Dublin.