Great Britain
18th Century
Leader & Power Structure
Great Britain is lead by the king. The parliament and the king share power, with the parliament having the upper hand.
The Parliament
The Parliament has the power to make laws, levy taxes, pass the budget and indirectly influence the king's ministers. In the eighteenth century, the Parliament was dominated by a landed aristocracy. The landed aristocracy is separated by historians into two groups: the peers, who sat for life in the House of Lords, and the landed gentry, who sat in the House of Commons and served as justices of the peace in the counties.
House of Commons
The King
The King has the power to choose ministers to set policies and guide the Parliament.
King George III
Accomplishments
Enlightenment culminated in the French and American revolutions. Philosophy and science increased in prominence. Philosophers dreamed of a brighter age. This dream turned into a reality with the French Revolution, although it was later compromised by the excesses of the Reign of Terror of Maximilien Robespierre. Another accomplishment that was presented was the given Act of Settlement resolved the issue of the declaring. Great Britain was a rapidly growing nation in the 18th century.
Failures
- American colonists were discontent with the British crown that continued to increase its influence on them. This discontent caused American colonists to rebel and separate from the British crown.
- John Wilkes publicly criticized the king's ministers, identifying himself with liberty.