Questions and Composition Exercises

The Age of Walpole

(1) How was it that George (I) of Hanover became King of England? What was he like when he became king?
(2) Who were the Pretenders? Say what were the chief obstacles to the restoration of the Stuart line.
(3) Give the meaning of (a) Cabinet; (b) Prime Minister.

(1) Give an account of the "Rise of Walpole" under these heads: (a) Early life; (b) Character and tastes; (c) "Sleeping dogs"; (d) Walpole and the South Sea Bubble.

(1) What is meant by (a) Customs; (b) Excise? What had Walpole to do with these?
(2) What do you know of (a) "Turnip Townshend"; (b) "Jenkins's Ear"?

Tell the story of "Bonnie Prince Charlie," as if you had been one of his companions.

The Age of Chatham

(1) "The Age of Chatham was an Age of War": (a) Name the chief wars; (b) Who were the "rivals for Empire," and where? (2) Write notes on (a) The French in America; (b) East India Company; (c) Anson's famous voyage.

(1) Who was called the "Saviour of his country," and how did he earn the title?
(2) Tell the story of the "Year of Victories," 1759, especially of British deeds in India and Canada.

(1) (a) What do you know of "Farmer George"? (b) What is meant by "the king can do no wrong"?
(2) Show how the English and the Americans misunderstood each other. What did the Americans mean by the cry "No taxation without representation"?

(1) Describe briefly the American Rebellion, using headings like the following: (a) Growth of the quarrel (1765-1775); (b) the "Declaration of Independence"; (c) the war.
(2) How came the English to take Gibraltar? Give the date.

The Age of Pitt

(1) Give some account of the "kingdom in the schoolboy's care."

(1) Say what is meant by the "French Revolution," and how it affected England.
(2) "The Darkest Hour" (1797)—why? Was it all dark?
(3) Tell briefly the story of the great naval victories of (a) St. Vincent; (b) the Nile; (c) Copenhagen.

(1) What was the "Great Army for the invasion of England"?
(2) What happened at Waterloo (1815)?

Essays for "The Struggle for Empire" (1756 To 1815)

Read your questions, answers, and notes on the preceding Chapters. Then write an Essay on "The Struggle for Empire" under these headings: (a) The winning of India; (b) The winning of Canada; (c) The loss of the American Colonies; (d) The struggle against Napoleon. (Take care to do justice to Chatham and Pitt as well as to Clive, Wolfe, Nelson, Wellington, etc.)

The Victorian Age

(1) Write brief notes on (a) "Paying the War Bill"; (b) Corn Laws; (c) Catholic Emancipation (what does this mean?) (d) End of Slavery; (e) The old and new Poor Law; (f) Peel, Cobden, Bright, Disraeli, Florence Nightingale; (g) Chartists; (h) Great Exhibition (1851).
(2) Write an Essay on the "Age of Reform (Waterloo to Sevastopol)," using the above as headings.

(1) Write an account of Disraeli, or Gladstone, or Gordon, or the last years of Queen Victoria's reign.
(2) Summarize the events of the reign of Edward the Peace-maker.

Modern England and the Empire

(1) Describe the "Agricultural Revolution," showing what great changes it made.
(2) Write notes on (a) the roads; (b) coaches; (c) "open fields" and "enclosures"; (d) the famous farmers; (e) canals and turnpikes.

(1) Write an Essay on the great economic changes called the Industrial Revolution. Use these headings: (a) The new machines; (b) From South to North; (c) The rise of the Factory; (d) The fate of the labourer and of the yeoman; (e) Factory evils; (f) Factory Acts; (g) Trade Unions.

(1) What is the relation of the King to the Government of England?

(1) Write notes on (a) Prime Minister; (b) Cabinet; (c) Privy Council; (d) Parliament Act of 1911.
(2) Compare the House of Commons before and after 1832.
(3) Write notes on the three Reform Acts and the Ballot Act.

(1) How were towns governed before and after 1835?
(2) Describe the "Local Government Acts," or the work of County Councils.

(1) Give some account of our Law Courts.
(2) Compare English ships now and in the days of Nelson.
(3) Describe the different branches of our Army, including the Territorial Force.
(4) What is meant by "indirect taxes"? Give some examples.
(5) Make a list of the "direct taxes."
(6) For what purposes are (a) rates and (b) taxes used?

(1) Explain carefully what makes the "Irish problem" difficult.
(2) Write notes on (a) Grattan's Parliament; (b) the United Kingdom.
(3) Sketch the history of Ireland from 1800 onwards.

(1) Explain the connection with India of a) Clive, (b) Warren Hastings, (c) Wellesley, (d) Dalhousie.
(2) Describe the siege of Delhi, or the defence of Cawnpore, or the siege of Lucknow, as if you had taken part.

(1) Write notes on (a) Lord Durham's Report; (b) the making of the Dominion of Canada.
(2) Sketch briefly the history of our Australian Colonies up to the making of the Commonwealth.
(3) What were (a) the "Great Trek"; (b) the Cape to Cairo scheme; (c) "Outlanders"; (d) the "black week"?
(4) Give the chief stages in the history of British South Africa up to the formation of the Union.