18 th Century British History

1. 18th Century British History By: Mikaela Davis

2. Timeline of Major Historic Events • Restoration of King Charles II to the throne. • 1701 The War of Spanish Succession • 1707 Treaty of Union • 1746 Final Jacobite rising crushed at Battle of Culloden. • 1756 Seven Years War Begins • 1763 Britain is victorious in the Seven Years' War. The Treaty of Paris grants Britain vast new territories around the globe • 1765 The Stamp Act passed by parliament of Great Britain • 1775 Revolutionary War begins in the Thirteen Colonies • 1783 British recognition of American independence as Treaty of Paris is signed by David Hartley representing George III.

3. Major Themes of the 18th Century • Rebellion and change in the government • Nature and new lands because of all the new colonies • Prosperity because of the new lands, unity with Scotland, and flourishing trade.

4. Poem: “Sound and Sense” True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, 
As those move easiest who have learned to dance. 
'Tis not enough no harshness gives offense, 
The sound must seem an echo to the sense: 
Soft is the strain when Zephyr gently blows, 
And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows; 
But when loud surges lash the sounding shore, 
The hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar; 
When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw, 
The line too labors, and the words move slow; 
Not so, when swift Camilla scours the plain, 
Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main. 
Hear how Timotheus' varied lays surprise, 
And bid alternate passions fall and rise! 

Alexander Pope

5. Poem’s Connection • One of the major unifying principles of art and literature in the 18th century was nature. This poem relies heavily on nature metaphors and imagery from nature. • The poem has imagery of smooth streams, ocean shores, and plains of corn. All of these images are inspired by the nature that was found in the new territories.