Julian Hoppit - A Land of Liberty England 1689-1727 [2000][A]

Book Description
The Glorious Revolution of 1688-9 was a decisive moment in England's history; an invading Dutch army forced James II to flee to France, and his son-in-law and daughter, William and Mary, were crowned as joint sovereigns. The wider consequences were no less startling: bloody 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 a startling growth of parliamentary government.
Such changes were only part of the transformation of English society at the time. An enriching torrent of new ideas from the likes of 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.

Reviews
Hoppit's book is inclusive. His chapters on the church are excellent, and his vignettes of royal figures - Queen Anne being the most insightful - are delights. This book will stand the test of time. (Canadian Journal of History)

[A] exemplary book...astute and intelligent. (Penelope J. Corfield, Times Literary Supplement)

About the Author
Julian Hoppit is a Professor of British History, University College London.