PRIDE and

PREJUDICE:
Historical
Background and
Social Context
 Vocabulary Words:
militia gentry

bourgeoisie entails

industrialization regent

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a military force that
is raised from the
civil population to
supplement a regular
army in an
emergency
 people of good
social position,
specifically (in the
UK) the class of
people next below
the nobility in position
and birth
the middle class
 a settlement of the
inheritance of
property over a
number of
generations so that it
remains within a family
or other group.
the development of
industries in a
country or region
on a wide scale
 a person appointed
to administer a
country because the
monarch is a minor
or is absent or
incapacitated.
America and France
- two chief rivals of the British colony
- 1776 signing of declaration marked the
beginning of American Revolution
- 1793-1815 Napoleonic Wars
- British wars with America and France caused
great financial instability

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Regency Period
- King George III presided the empire through
the American revolution and Napoleonic wars
- Started in 1811 when the king suffered from
mental illness and needed a regent to take
over
- His son George, the Prince of Wales, became
a regent until 1820

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Regency Period
- ended when George III died and George was
crowned as George IV
- Followed by the Victorian Era in 1837
- Beginning of industrialisation

- Poverty was prevalent

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Social Classes
- gentry - people who owned lands
- Bourgeoisie - professional classes
- Low level - workers

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Social Context
English lands are concentrated to the hands of a
few
Inheritance laws encouraged the expansion of
states
Wealth and properties were funneled to the
male children or male relatives only - entails

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Social Context
Land ownership is closely tied with courtship and
marriage
Women cannot inherit and are dependent on
marriage for financial survival
Status of female became a means of attaining
greater wealth

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Social Context
Women had high behavioural expectations
Refinement is praised - lack of it is scorned
Females are expected to be knowledgeable of
music, singing, dancing, drawing and modern
languages
Women must possess sophistication on her
manner of walking, tone of voice, her dress and
expression
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