William Pitt the Younger was born in 1759 to William Pitt the Elder, the Earl of Chatham, an important politician of his time, but eclipsed by his son. Pitt the Younger's career could perhaps be paralleled with the present Republican and Democratic American Presidential hopefuls.
Pitt was trained at an early age to be a powerful orator, and spent much of his spare time during schooling at Parliamentary debates. At the age of 19, he was present when his father collapsed while making a speech in the House of Lords and helped to carry his dying father from the chamber.
Pitt was involved in parliamentary reform, working towards limiting the amount of influence the monarchy had Parliament. Pitt became a protege of Charles Fox, the leading Whig politician of that era, but they came to differences over Fox's India Bill. Of this bill, Pitt famously said "Necessity is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." Afterwards, Pitt declared himself an independent, and the two became bitter enemies.
King George III, who opposed the India Bill, appointed Pitt as prime minister. Pitt was 24, and the news of his appointment was received in the House of Commons with derisive laughter.
Pitt faced a lot of opposition in Parliament, but early in his government was favoured by the populace, and used this to gain seats in Parliament. He combated smuggling by reducing duties levied on goods to make this enterprise less profitable.
The subsequent war in 1793 with France eventually ruined Pitt. He suspended Habeas Corpus, imprisoning Thomas Hardy and Thomas Muir. He increased taxes, which destroyed his earlier public popularity. When going to open parliament in October 1795, George III was greeted with cries of 'Bread', 'Peace' and 'no Pitt'. Missiles were also thrown and so Pitt immediately decided to pass a new Sedition Bill that redefined the law of treason.
By 1797, Pitt was in danger from angry mobs, and newspapers were reporting that he was insane, to which Pitt responded by passing new laws supressing newspapers. A few years later, in dealing with Irish uprising, Pitt believed the only solution was an Act of Union, and forced all of Ireland and Britain into one Parliament.
Pitt had a brief respite from his late troubles when he formed a coalition with Russia, Austria and Sweden against Napoleon invasion of Europe. He was named a savior of Europe when France was defeated in the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805. However, when Napoleon rallied and was victorious in Austerlitz, Pitt fell seriously ill, dying in 1806, so heavily in debt that the House of Commons had to pay off his creditors.
information from various sources with historical discrepencies.
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