Animal Farm , written by George Orwell , is a political fable that tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their cruel human master, hoping to create a society where all animals are equal, free, and happy. Inspired by the dream of the wise old pig Old Major, the animals overthrow the farmer Mr. Jones and take control of the farm, renaming it Animal Farm. At first, the animals work together to build an egalitarian community based on the principles of Animalism, summarized in the Seven Commandments painted on the barn wall. However, over time, the pigs—led by the cunning and power-hungry Napoleon—begin to seize control. They gradually assume privileges, manipulate language and truth, and use fear and propaganda to maintain power. Eventually, they become indistinguishable from the humans they once overthrew. This allegory clearly reflects the events of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the rise of Stalinism. The animals represent different social and political groups...
After Oliver Cromwell's death, from 1658 to 1660 there was a period called Restoration because it implied as form of government the passage from Republic to Monarchy.
For this reason, king Charles II (Charles I 's son) ruled England.
He decided to reassert the predominance of the Church of England and also dissolved Parliament.
The early ages of the Restoration were characterized by two important events: the Great Plague (1665), which caused the death of 70.000 Londoners, and the Great Fire of London (1666), which led to most of the City.
They enjoyed themselves in Old and new forms of entertainment and their love of pleasure was exemplified in Charles II’s nickname: the “Merry Monarch”. After the Great Fire of 1666, it was the rebuilding of London.
It became a modern cultural and political centre of the country.
During the rebuilding of London many secular buildings were rebuilt or restored according to the Baroque. Sir Christopher Wien was the greatest English baroque architect.
Meanwhile, science and philosophy became a social concern.
In 1660 was founded the Royal Society for the Advancement of Learning and it included astronomers like Edmund Halley and mathematicians and physicists like Isaac Newton, artists and writers like Jonathan Swift and empirical philosophers like John Locke, whose empirical method is based on direct experience.
After Charles II' s death, his son James II, a Catholic king, claimed the divine right of kings to decide without consulting Parliament.
He, putting Catholics in high positions of power, accelerated a secret plan to call in William of Orange, one of the supporters of Protestant cause in Europe and Mary's husband (James II 's daughter).
With several and cruelty wars defined Glorious Revolution, William of Orange and Mary were both crowned sovereigns of England in 1689 as William III and Mary II.
After Mary II's death, William III reigned alone.
During his reign some laws were introduced which defined the modern Parliamentary England:
- Bill of Rights: the Crown don't be able to make decisions without Parliament;
- Toleration Act: guarantees the freedom of religion and worship to all citizens;
- Act of Settlement: only Protestant members of royal family can access to the throne;
- Act of Union: establishes the union of Scotland and England under the name of Great Britain.
Queen Anne, James II's daughter, was Protestant and the ruler of Great Britain.
Great Britain took part in War of the Spanish succession with Holland and Prussia against France, Spain and Portugal.
This war ended with Treaty of Utrecht and Great Britain retained Gibraltar and Minorca, important for their influence in Mediterranean, and gained: Acadia and Hudson Bay for the maritime control of Canada; then, the permission to send a ship every year to tread with the South-American colonies, as well as the monopoly of the African slave trade in North American colonies.
In 1694 the Bank of England had been founded, a national bank whose solidity was guaranteed by the State.
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