Expansion and Exploration

A Free Press

From 1695, publishers were no longer required to hold a government licence before printing a newspaper. As the number of titles in circulation grew, a genuinely free press took hold – one in which editorial content operates without government control.

A Growing Population

Britain’s colonial territories across the globe, America among them, continued to grow in size and population. Back home, the domestic population was climbing too. New communities were putting down roots in the UK, including Huguenots (Protestant refugees who had fled France) and Jews. These skilled arrivals made valuable contributions across sectors such as science, banking, and weaving.