Great Britian,
He entered Parliament in 1741, one of the “cousinhood” of men interrelated by blood or marriage and further united in their opposition to Sir Robert Walpole, who held power from 1721 to 1742 and practiced a policy of salutary neglect toward the American colonies. After holding a number of ministerial appointments, Grenville was recommended to George III by Lord Bute to be his successor as first lord of the Treasury (prime minister).Grenville’s ministry (1763–65) was unhappy and disastrous, largely because of his lack of finesse, eloquence, and imagination and his determination to control all crown patronage. His relationship with the king suffered from George III’s habit of continual consultation with Bute. Apart from American taxation, other notable incidents during the Grenville administration included the prosecution of John Wilkes for seditious libel and the clumsy handling of the Regency Act of 1765 that had been introduced as a result of a severe illness the king had suffered. This bumbling finally alienated the king and led to the fall of the ministry.In opposition after 1765, Grenville castigated politicians opposed to American taxation and helped to bring about the passage of the Townshend Acts of 1767, which renewed tension between Britain and the colonies.LEARN MORE in these related articles:in United States: The tax controversyGeorge Grenville, who was named prime minister in 1763, was soon looking to meet the costs of defense by raising revenue in the colonies. The first measure was the Plantation Act of 1764, usually called the Revenue, or Sugar, Act, which reduced to a mere threepence the duty on imported foreign molasses but linked with this a high duty on refined sugar and a prohibition on foreign rum (the needs...READ MOREin United Kingdom: Political instability in Britain...to share power with the royal favourite, John Stuart, earl of Bute. In May 1762 Newcastle too resigned, and Bute alone led the government until his resignation in April 1763. Bute was replaced by George Grenville, who was in turn dismissed in July 1765. For the next year Charles Watson-Wentworth, marquess of Rockingham, served as first lord of the treasury. But in July 1766 Rockingham was...READ MOREin George III: Political instability, 1760–70George realized too late that his clumsiness had destroyed one political combination and made any other difficult to assemble. He turned to George Grenville, to his uncle, William Augustus, duke of Cumberland, to Pitt, and to the 3rd duke of Grafton for help. All failed him. The first decade of the reign was one of such ministerial instability that little was done to solve the basic financial...READ MOREMORE ABOUT George Grenville8 REFERENCES FOUND IN BRITANNICA ARTICLESAssorted Referenceimposition of Stamp Act (in Stamp Act (Great Britain [1765])) (in salutary neglect)association withBute (in John Stuart, 3rd earl of Bute)George III (in George III: Political instability, 1760–70)Pitt (in William Pitt, the Elder: Background and education)Wilkes (in John Wilkes: The North Briton.)history ofAmerican colonies (in United States: The tax controversy)United Kingdom (in United Kingdom: Political instability in Britain)EXTERNAL LINKSThe History of Parliament - Biography of George GrenvilleThe Victorian Web - Biography of George GrenvilleBRITANNICA WEB SITES
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
George Grenville - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)(1712-70). English politician George Grenville served as prime minister of Great Britain from 1763 to 1765. During his tenure, his policy of taxing the American colonies started the series of events that led to the American Revolution.ARTICLE HISTORY FEEDBACKCorrections? Updates? Help us improve this article!Contact our editors with your feedback.
