Edmund Burke
Father of Modern Conservatism
Edmund Burke Early Life:
- Born Dublin, Ireland, January 12th,1729
- Father was a Solicitor
- Born into Christian Family
- Mother: Roman Catholic
- Father: Protestant
Education
- Studied at Trinity College
- Moved to London, 1750, to study Law
Family & Social Life
- Burke married Jane Nugent - 1759
- Burke had one son
- Burke had many distinguished Friends
Political Career
- Enters House of Commons - 1765
- Whig secretary to Marquis of Rockingham
- Entered Parliament in 1766
- One of few Whigs in Parliament
Political Views
- Burke supported the American Revolution
- Strongly opposed the French Revolution
- Believed the Crown was abusing it's power in Colonies
- Accused King George III of misgoverning the Colonies
Important Events
- Burke sought to reform laws barring Catholics from serving in the House of Commons
- Supported Greater trade between Ireland and Britain
- Burke tried to get the many taxes on America repealed
- Burke also wanted to pull many of the Red Coats in the colonies out
- Burke spent much of his later years attempting to improve British rule of India
- Burke also penned the "Reflections of the French Revolution" - one of his most well-known speechs
Quotes
"Society is a contract between the past, the present and those yet unborn.”
"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it”
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”
Final Years & Death
- Burke spent his final year writing about the French Revolution
- Edmund Burke's son died shortly before him
- Edmund Burke died in 1797
- He was 68
Sites
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/burke/#7
http://www.acton.org/pub/religion-liberty/volume-7-number-1/edmund-burke
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/85362/Edmund-Burke
http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/biographies/edmund-burke/
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/burke.htm
http://almostchosenpeople.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/edmund-burke-and-the-american-revolution/
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/makingrev/war/text1/burkereconspeech.pdf
www.edmundburkeinstitute.com