History of Britain: Georgian Britain

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The Georgian Age was a period of tremendous change: by the end of the eighteenth century the British ruled a huge and strong empire. Cheap raw materials, such as cotton and sugar, flooded into Britain from its colonies. Whilst new machines turned the raw materials into finished goods, new farming methods were used to produce more food to feed the growing population. All this brought a startling change to the british landscape. The old open fields were enclosed with walls and hedges. Coal mines, iron foundries and canals were cut into the countryside. New roads were built. And new towns began to grow up as people came to work in the factories. This book tells the story of the people, events and achievements of Georgian Britain: Captain Cook, industrial and agricultural change, roads, canals and railways, the empire and slavery, the American War of Independence, Nelson's navy, social reforms, and much more.