Introduction
Below is a brief overview of the Kings of England from Queen Anne in 1702, the last of the Stuarts and the first ruler of Great Britain, to the reign of George III and the upheavals of the French Revolution in 1789 and American independence in 1776.
EARLY in Anne’s reign, the crowns of Scotland and England, each inherited separately from her great-grandfather James VI and I, were combined into one, and the Scottish Parliament was merged with Westminster’s. Thus when she died without issue in 1714, her second cousin George, Elector of Hanover in Germany, became King George I of Great Britain.
The Act of Settlement in 1701 had disqualified James Stuart, son of James II, and Anne’s half-brother, because he was a Catholic. Rebellions by his supporters, the Jacobites, in 1715 and 1745, stirred much romantic feeling, but had little effect.
George II’s son Frederick died before inheriting the crown; but Frederick’s son George III came to the throne in 1760 with Britain enjoying an unprecedented prosperity: her Industrial Revolution was gaining momentum, and trade with India’s princes was almost a monopoly. The loss of the American colonies to independence in 1776, however, and the news of a bloodthirsty republican revolution in France in 1789, left Britain shaken and on edge.
Précis
The Act of Settlement banned Catholics from the English throne, so on Anne’s death in 1714 her closest Protestant relative, George of Hanover, became King of Great Britain (the Scottish and English crowns merged in 1707). By George III’s accession in 1760, Britain was a world-leader in industry and trade, but revolutions in America and France left the nation anxious. (60 / 60 words)
The Act of Settlement banned Catholics from the English throne, so on Anne’s death in 1714 her closest Protestant relative, George of Hanover, became King of Great Britain (the Scottish and English crowns merged in 1707). By George III’s accession in 1760, Britain was a world-leader in industry and trade, but revolutions in America and France left the nation anxious.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: because, if, just, not, unless, whereas, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Before. Edge. Settlement.
2 Disqualify. Romantic. Separate.
3 Cousin. Into. King.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Issue. 2 Leave. 3 Shake. 4 Edge. 5 Become. 6 Enjoy. 7 Act. 8 Gain. 9 Trade.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Brotherly. 2 Little. 3 Greatest. 4 Shaken. 5 Princely. 6 Lesser. 7 Romantic. 8 Industrial. 9 Republican.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
pttng (5)
patting. petting. pitting. potting. putting.
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