List of parliaments of Great Britain facts for kids

Have you ever wondered how Great Britain was governed a long time ago? This article is all about the early days of the Parliament of Great Britain. It lists the different periods when Parliament met, called "sessions," and tells you about the elections that chose the people who worked there.

The Parliament of Great Britain was formed when the Kingdom of Great Britain was created in 1707. This happened when the parliaments of England and Scotland joined together. The people who worked in Parliament were called Members of Parliament (MPs). They were elected to the House of Commons of Great Britain, which is a bit like a big meeting room where important decisions were made.

If you want to learn about parliaments that came before this, you can look at the lists for England and Scotland. For parliaments that came after, you can check out the Westminster parliaments of the United Kingdom.

How Parliament Worked

The Parliament of Great Britain was made up of two main parts: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Commons was where elected representatives, called Members of Parliament (MPs), worked. These MPs were chosen by people in elections.

The Role of the Monarch

The monarch (the King or Queen) was the head of the country. They had a lot of power, but Parliament also played a big role in making laws and deciding how the country was run. The monarch would open and close Parliament sessions.

First Lord of the Treasury

The "First Lord of the Treasury" was a very important person. This role was similar to what we call a Prime Minister today. This person was usually the leader of the government and helped the monarch make big decisions.

Political Parties

During this time, there were two main political groups, or "parties," that had a lot of influence:

• The Whigs were generally in favor of Parliament having more power and often supported trade and business.
• The Tories usually supported the monarch having more power and were often linked to the Church of England and landowners.

Parliaments Under Queen Anne

Queen Anne was the first monarch of Great Britain. During her reign, the very first parliaments of Great Britain met.

The First Parliament (1707)

The first Parliament wasn't chosen by a new election. Instead, it was formed by combining members from the old English and Scottish parliaments. This was a big step in bringing the two countries closer together.

Later Parliaments Under Anne

After the first Parliament, elections were held to choose new MPs.

• The second Parliament (1708) was mostly led by the Whig party.
• The third Parliament (1710) and fourth Parliament (1713) saw the Tory party become more powerful. This showed how the political landscape could change with each election.

Parliaments Under King George I

After Queen Anne, George I became king. During his time, the Whig party became very strong and stayed in power for a long time.

The Fifth Parliament (1715)

This Parliament was elected in 1715. The Whig party won this election and continued to be the main party in government.

The Sixth Parliament (1722)

The Whigs won again in 1722. During this Parliament, Robert Walpole became a very important figure. He is often seen as Britain's first unofficial Prime Minister because he led the government for a long time.

Parliaments Under King George II

George II followed his father, George I, as king. The Whig party continued to dominate politics during much of his reign.

Continued Whig Dominance

From the seventh Parliament (1727) to the eleventh Parliament (1754), the Whigs remained in power. Robert Walpole continued to lead the government for many years. Later, other Whig leaders like Henry Pelham and Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle took over. This long period of Whig rule brought a lot of stability to the government.

Parliaments Under King George III

George III became king in 1760. His reign was very long and saw many important changes, including the American Revolution.

Changing Leaders

During George III's time, the leadership of the government changed hands many times.

• The twelfth Parliament (1761) saw several different First Lords of the Treasury, including the Duke of Newcastle and William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham.
• The thirteenth Parliament (1768) was led by figures like Frederick North, Lord North.
• The fourteenth Parliament (1774) and fifteenth Parliament (1780) were largely led by Lord North, who was a Tory. This period included the American War of Independence.

The Rise of William Pitt the Younger

Towards the end of the 1700s, William Pitt the Younger became a very influential First Lord of the Treasury. He was a Tory and led the government for a long time, through the sixteenth (1784), seventeenth (1790), and eighteenth (1796) parliaments. He played a key role in British politics during a time of great change in Europe.

The eighteenth Parliament was the last Parliament of Great Britain. In 1801, Great Britain and Ireland joined to form the United Kingdom, and a new Parliament of the United Kingdom was created.

See also

• Duration of English parliaments before 1660
• Duration of English, British and United Kingdom parliaments from 1660
• List of parliaments of England
• List of parliaments of Scotland
• List of parliaments of the United Kingdom
• List of British governments