Frederick North: Difference between revisions
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13th April 1732–5th August 1792. | 13th April 1732–5th August 1792. British politician and Prime Minister. | ||
North the son of the 1st Earl of Guildford and descended from a family who belonged to the peerage since the sixteenth century. He was educated at Eton College and received his master’s degree at Trinity College, Oxford. | |||
In 1770 he succeeded his cousin Grafton as the new Prime Minister. | In 1754 at the age of twenty two he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Banbury which he represented for almost forty years. In 1759 he was made a Lord of the Treasury by the current Prime Minister, the Duke of Newcastle, and held this office until 1765. In 1766 he became a member of the Privy Council and the Duke of Grafton, who was North’s cousin and Prime Minister at that time, made him Paymaster General. In the following year he became Chancellor of the Exchequer. | ||
In 1770 he succeeded his cousin Grafton as the new Prime Minister. He held the office for the next twelve years until 1782. The first years were quite hard because of the problems with America. One of the first acts of his ministry was the response to the [[Boston Tea Party]], namely the [[Coercive Acts]] of 1774. | |||
After Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown in 1782 Lord North also wished to resign because he thought the war was hopeless and impolitic. When the King accepted his resignation, North and his relatives were being rewarded by honours and sinecures. Still, one year afterwards he formed a coalition with Fox, who was a member of the Whigs, and joined the opposition. They supported the Duke of Portland under whom North became Home Secretary. | After Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown in 1782 Lord North also wished to resign because he thought the war was hopeless and impolitic. When the King accepted his resignation, North and his relatives were being rewarded by honours and sinecures. Still, one year afterwards he formed a coalition with Fox, who was a member of the Whigs, and joined the opposition. They supported the Duke of Portland under whom North became Home Secretary. | ||
When North began to lose his eyesight he had to retire from politics but still belonged to the House of Lords for the last two years of his life. He became the 2nd Earl of Guildford in 1790. | When North began to lose his eyesight he had to retire from politics but still belonged to the House of Lords for the last two years of his life. He became the 2nd Earl of Guildford in 1790. Today he is still known for his unstable leadership during the American Revolution which eventually led to the loss of Great Britain’s colonies. | ||
Today he is still known for his unstable leadership during the American Revolution which eventually led to the loss of Great Britain’s colonies. | |||
Revision as of 15:36, 8 November 2013
13th April 1732–5th August 1792. British politician and Prime Minister.
North the son of the 1st Earl of Guildford and descended from a family who belonged to the peerage since the sixteenth century. He was educated at Eton College and received his master’s degree at Trinity College, Oxford.
In 1754 at the age of twenty two he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Banbury which he represented for almost forty years. In 1759 he was made a Lord of the Treasury by the current Prime Minister, the Duke of Newcastle, and held this office until 1765. In 1766 he became a member of the Privy Council and the Duke of Grafton, who was North’s cousin and Prime Minister at that time, made him Paymaster General. In the following year he became Chancellor of the Exchequer.
In 1770 he succeeded his cousin Grafton as the new Prime Minister. He held the office for the next twelve years until 1782. The first years were quite hard because of the problems with America. One of the first acts of his ministry was the response to the Boston Tea Party, namely the Coercive Acts of 1774.
After Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown in 1782 Lord North also wished to resign because he thought the war was hopeless and impolitic. When the King accepted his resignation, North and his relatives were being rewarded by honours and sinecures. Still, one year afterwards he formed a coalition with Fox, who was a member of the Whigs, and joined the opposition. They supported the Duke of Portland under whom North became Home Secretary.
When North began to lose his eyesight he had to retire from politics but still belonged to the House of Lords for the last two years of his life. He became the 2nd Earl of Guildford in 1790. Today he is still known for his unstable leadership during the American Revolution which eventually led to the loss of Great Britain’s colonies.
References
James, Lawrence. The Rise and Fall of the British Empire. London: Little, Brown and Company, 1994.
http://www.archontology.org/nations/uk/bpm/north.php
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/419312/Frederick-North-Lord-North-of-Kirtling
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/585122/Tea-Act#ref253632