Edwardian England
When Queen Victoria died in 1901, her son, Edward VII, came to the throne. During this time, France and Germany posed challenges to Britain with technical innovations. For example, Germany built a navy to challenge Britain's supremacy at sea. In response, King Edward signed an agreement with France, the Entente Cordiale (1904), which allowed Britain to pursue its interests in Egypt, and France in Morocco. A few years later, an alliance (the Triple Entente) among Britain, France, and Russia against Germany, Austria, and Italy was formed. The society during the Edwardian Age was similar to the Victorian one, characterized by well-defined class distinctions, and poverty affected a large proportion of the population. However, the societal rebellion started during this period.
Welfare State
The political landscape started to change during this time period. The Labour Representation Committee was developed into the Labour Party in 1906, which included the Trade Unions and socialist associations that defended the rights of workers. The general election in the same year was won by the Liberals, who were divided into two groups. They had differing views on traditional liberal values of laissez-faire and self-help, and certain forms of State intervention in social life, known as New Liberalism. The Welfare State began through the introduction of new reforms (1909-1911) to help children from poor families, old people, and workers.
The Suffragettes
At the beginning of the twentieth century, suffrage was limited to men only. The Suffragettes, women of all social classes, started large protest marches and violent protests in London to demand the right to vote. After years of struggle, women over 30 gained the right to vote in 1918 after World War I, while women over 21 could vote from 1928 onwards.
The Outbreak of the War
In 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria triggered a series of events that led to the outbreak of World War I. Germany invaded neutral Belgium, causing Britain to declare war against Germany and join the fight on the Western Front.
Britain at War
During World War I, there was an idealization of the war and people were very patriotic. The soldiers fought in trenches, which was a new and stressful way of fighting compared to previous wars. New weapons such as submarines, machine guns, gasses, airplanes, tanks, barbed wire, and shells were used. The war also had a significant impact on societal roles, with women replacing men in their civilian jobs, leading to their fight for suffrage.
The Easter Rising in Ireland
The Easter Rising in Ireland in 1916 was a pivotal event in the fight for Irish Independence. The Irish Question, regarding the promise of home rule to Ireland, was postponed due to the war. This led to a rebellion in Dublin, known as the "Easter Rising."
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