Thursday, March 24, 2011

George Washington's World - A King but not a Ruler


(King George did NOT look like this!)


King George was not a ruler.  Parliament ruled instead of him.  Parliament was made up of two houses.  Number One was the House of Lords which was the older type. Number two was the House of Commons which was the more powerful type.  The House of Commons had more problems than the House of Lords because the Prime Minister argued with them a lot more, since they were more powerful and he wanted to be powerful too.  The House of Lords did not have that many problems - it was made up of old Lords with their castles and things.  The House of Commons was made up of very dependable bankers and goldsmiths and people like that.

William Pitt made enemies of the King and the Prime Minister by denouncing everything that they did.  When he rose to his full height and began to speak, everyone listened.  He had a winning way and a piercing stare.  No one who ever met him could ever forget him could forget his long hooked nose, his sharp steel eyes or his commanding voice.  By the time William Pitt made his first exciting speech in the House of Commons and King Frederick II had become King, Prince George was just three years old.  He was growing into a stout and dull boy.  His mother was a Germanic princess and felt that the English way of government was silly.  "When you get to be King, George, " she told her son, "BE KING!".

"That's right," echoed George.  "When I get to be King, I'll BE KING, and a good one too!"

But it was a while before he got to be king.

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