A Land Of Liberty?: England 1689–1727

New Oxford History of England #10

by Julian Hoppit

The Glorious Revolution of 1688-9 was a decisive moment in England's history; an invading Dutch army forced James II to flee France, and his son-in-law and daughter, William and Mary, were crowned as joint sovereigns. The wider consequences were no less startling: war in Ireland, union with Scotland, Jacobite intrigue, deep involvement in two major European wars, Britain's emergence as a great power, a 'financial revolution', greater religious toleration, a riven Church, and the rapid growth of parliamentary government.

Such changes were only part of the transformation of English society at the time. A torrent of new ideas from such figures as Newton, Defoe, and Addison, spread through newspapers, periodicals, and coffee-houses, provided new views and values that some embraced and others loathed. England's horizons were also growing, especially in the Caribbean and American colonies. For many, however, the benefits were uncertain: the slave trade flourished, inequality widened, and the poor and 'disorderly' were increasingly subject to strictures and statutes. If it was an age of prospects it was also one of anxieties.

This new text provides a truly general overview of England between the Glorious Revolution and the death of George I and Newton. Part of the New Oxford History of England series, it is a wide ranging survey that combines the rich secondary literature with extensive primary research. It looks at politics, religion, economy, society, and culture and seeks to place England in its British, European, and world contexts. It includes an annotated bibliography and will prove invaluable to a wide range of students of the period.

Genres: History, British Literature, Nonfiction, 18th Century, 17th Century

580 pages, Hardcover

First published June 22, 2000

Reviews

[lucy snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very helpful overview of this time period. it was nice and readable, but offered lots of detail too. i did skip the chapters on finance because i have absolutely no interest in that. but there were plenty of harley mentions, so i feel like i have a slightly better idea of his position in the early 18th century government than i had before. how was bro juggling all his book collecting with casually being impeached / basically running the government under anne? i really respect it

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished this. It didn't really take 5 months to read, I just got sidetracked in the middle. It's part of the
New Oxford History of England series , so the same general rules for who the audience is - college course textbook or equivalent. If you don't already know William and Mary, Queen Anne, Marlborough (Churchill) and Dryden, you will find this book heavy going.
Chapters alternate between political and social history. This is a history of England, not Britain, so the only discussion of Scotland, Ireland, America, etc. is from the view of how it affected England.

[C. B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this just to fill in a few blanks, and for that it was very good. That said, I didn't enjoy it as much as other entries in this series — but I suppose that's more a reflection of my love for nineteenth and twentieth century history (at the level of talking about politics, class, and economics, given that I love seventeenth and eighteenth century religious history).

[sube · Rating 4 out of 5]

In-depth history of the period, with a focus on the social & economic situation of England - while also not neglecting the political history. Wars are only covered in one chapter. Sadly a history of England, not the United Kingdom. Some faulty analysis with regards to the Glorious Revolution, but nonetheless an useful introduction in the period I've found.