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English Romanticism — History / Politics

Monarchy

George III: 1760-1820

Visit The Spartacus Internet Encyclopedia page on George III
George IV: 1820-1830

Visit The Spartacus Internet Encyclopedia page on George IV
William IV: 1830-1837

Visit The Spartacus Internet Encyclopedia page on William IV

 


Timelines

 


Richard Carlile

Richard Carlile

Biographical Info
Born: 1790
Died: 1843

  • English publisher and journalist who protested English monarchy and promoted the parliamentary system

Major Works

  • Reprinted Tom Paine's political pamphlets
  • Published Sherwin's Political Register, a journal contributed to by, among others, Percy Shelley and Lord Byron
  • Published The Republican, which publicized the Peterloo Massacre

 


William Cobbett

William Cobbett

Biographical Info
Born: 1763
Died: 1835

  • English journalist who promoted the parliamentary system, free speech, and the rights of the poor

Major Works

  • Published Political Register, a newspaper and later a pamphlet (changed to escape the rising newspaper taxes) which was the main newspaper read by the working class
  • 1832-1835: Member of Parliament, attacked corruption in the government and its poor laws

 


Thomas Babington Macaulay

Thomas Babington Macaulay

Biographical Info
Born: 1800
Died: 1859

  • Whig Politician
  • 1832: Earl Grey appointed Macaulay as a commissioner of the Board of Control
  • Supreme Council of India
  • 1839: elected to represent Edinburgh in the House of Commons, appointed Secretary of War
  • 1857: Lord Palmerston granted Macaulay the title Baron Macaulay of Rothley

Major Works

  • 1823-1833: Member, Anti-Slavery Society (Society was disbanded after Abolition of Slavery Act was passed in 1833)
  • Interested in utilitarianism and was influenced by the ideas of Jeremy Bentham and Joseph Priestley
  • Regular contributor to the Edinburgh Review, a journal formed by Whig politician, Henry Brougham
  • Supported the 1832 Reform Act
  • 1848, 1855: wrote History of England

 


William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce

Biographical Info
Born: 1759
Died: 1833

Major Works

  • Member of Parliament, 1780-1825
  • Founded Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade in 1787
  • Founded Anti-Slavery Society in 1823
  • Slavery Abolition Act passed August 1833