British Culture - User contributions [en]

Robert Hooke

2009-06-03T10:17:30Z

Tweety:

== Robert Hooke ==

A British scientist, born 1635 in Freshwater, Isle of Wight and died 1703 in London. He discovered the law of elasticity and did researches in a remarkable variety of fields.

1655 he was employed by [[Robert Boyle]]. Five years later he discovered his law of elasticity, “which states the stretching of a solid body (e.g., metal, wood) is proportional to the force applied to it." (Encyclopædia Britannica)
In September of 1664 he discovers the fifth star in the Orion trapezium.
1665 Hooke published Micrographia, a seminal work on microscope. This publication brings him “well deserved worldwide scientific acclaim.” (www.roberthooke.com)
After the [[Great Fire]] of 1666 he redesigned the Bethlem Hospital.
In 1678 he was involved in the invention of the watch. He applied the spiral spring.
Robert Hooke a member of the [[Royal Society]] of London. 1662 he was appointed curator of experiments, he is elected Fellow of the Royal Society (FSR) in 1663. He replaced Henry Oldenburg as Royal Society secretary in 1677. In 1682 he resigned as secretary.

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'''Literature:'''

www.roberthooke.com

The new Encyclopædia Britannica,in 32 vol.[1974],Encyclopædia Britannica

Arnold-Baker, Charles: The companion to British history, 1996.

Act of Settlement

2009-06-03T09:39:56Z

Tweety:

== Act of Settlement ==

Act of Parliament that since 1701 has regulated the succession to the throne of Great Britain.(Encyclopædia Britannica)

In fall of 1700 [[William III]]. was ill and had no children who could inherit the throne. [[Anne]], his sister-in-law, had just lost her last surviving son and the group of supporters for the exiled king [[James II]]. was growing. The need for this law was obvious, “to provide for a stable executive branch for the British government.”
The law enacted, that the crown was to pass to Sophia, granddaughter of [[James I]]. and electress of Hanover, who was a Protestant.

Besides this succession of the throne of Great Britain, the act also contained some more important legal regulations:

1. all future monarchs must join in communion with the church of England

2. if a future monarch is not a native of England, England is not obligated to engage an any war for the defense of territories (e.g., Hanover) not belonging to the crown of England

3. judges were not hold office during good behavior rather than at the sovereign’s pleasure, though they are subject to impeachment by both houses of Parliament

4. impeachments by House of Commons are not subject to pardon under the Great Seal of England (i.e., by the sovereign)
(Encyclopædia Britannica)

Originally there were four other clauses, which were either repealed or seriously modified.

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'''Literature:'''

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A695441

''The new Encyclopædia Britannica'',in 32 vol.[1974],Encyclopædia Britannica

Arnold-Baker, Charles:''The companion to British history'', 1996.

George I

2009-05-29T19:47:57Z

Tweety:

'''George I.'''

George I. Ludwig was born 1660 in Hanover and died 1727 in Osnabrück. He was the oldest son of Sophia, Electress of Hanover and granddaughter of James I., and her husband Ernest, Elector of Hanover.

After the death of the last Stuart, Queen Anne in 1714, George I. inherited the throne of England and Ireland under the Act of Settlement (1701) and became the first king of the House of Hanover.

He was chosen to be king because he was brought up a Protestant. “The other alternative was the Catholic son of James II by Mary of Modena, James Edward Stuart.” (http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon53.html)
During his reign, the power shifted more and more to the Parliament, because the king did not speak fluent English and was in Hanover most of the time. At that time the Whigs dominated Parliament.
“After the South Sea Bubble crises of 1720, Robert Walpole took over. The most able of George’s ministers and known as the first ‘Prime Minister’. Walpole’s was the longest running administration in British history (1721-42).”
(http://www.royal.gov.uk/HistoryoftheMonarchy/KingsandQueensoftheUnitedKingdom/TheHanoverians/GeorgeI.aspx)

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'''Literature:'''
http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon53.html
http://www.royal.gov.uk/HistoryoftheMonarchy/KingsandQueensoftheUnitedKingdom/TheHanoverians/GeorgeI.aspx