HISTORY
1. George III is a despotic king. He restores the
Parliament but he manages it.
2. ABROAD: the relationship with the American colonies
were difficult, because they could import only from the
U.K. and they didn’t want to pay duties. The colonies
rebelled “No taxation without representation”.
In 1770, duties were repealed but not on tea. The
colons, dressed as native Americans, threw tea into
Boston harbour (Boston Tea Party).
In 1775, Army raised (l’esercito si ribellò) and on July
4th 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Thomas Jefferson wrote men were equal and had right
to freedom and happiness. Governments must just
rule. The independence was recognised with the
Treaty of Versailles. The first President of the USA was
George Washington.
3. The English intellectuals were on the side of revolution
to bring justice and equality. Ruling classes (coloro che
governavano) were afraid of revolution and led a
repressive policy (portavano avanti una politica
repressiva): the Combination Act banned (vietò)
meetings and Trade Unions (sindacati), as well as
freedom of expression. Reforms and Habeas Corpus1
were suspended. There was the particular situation of
the “Rotten Boroughs”2, places without people having
the right to vote, because of the shift of population
from the country to the industrial towns.
4. Thanks to the Industrial Revolution, the asset of
society changed: there was a growth of population
and greater needs (crescita della popolazione e
maggiori necessità). Transport, canals, wide markets
1 Habeas Corpus: Un cittadino può essere accusato e giudicato solo a fronte di prove certe
della sua colpevolezza.
2 A causa dell’esodo dalle campagne verso le città industriali, esistevano dei piccoli borghi quasi
disabitati che non avevano nessun peso politico, perché non c’erano abbastanza elettori.
1
