Jane Austen

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Key Dates In History...

**    1775-1783   
American War of Independence: colonies fight Britain for  independence
 
**   1783
First free flight in balloon designed by French papermakers, brothers Jacques Etienne and Joseph Michel Montgolfier
 
**  1789
George Washington elected first president of U.S.
 
**  1789-1799
French Revolution: French people revolt against monarchy
 
**  1793
King Louis, XVI executed; France becomes a Republic
 
**  1798-1799
French general Napoleon Bonaparte invades Egypt
 
**  1801
Thomas Jefferson elected president
 
**  1804
Napoleon crowns himself emperor of France
 
**  1804
English inventor and engineer Richard Trevithick builds first steam locomotive to run on rails
 
**   1807
Robert Fulton launches first successful steamboat in America
 
**  1808
Congress prohibits importation of slaves
 
**  1812
Napoleon invades Russia and is forced to retreat
 
**  1812-14
War of 1812: U.S. fights Britain
 
** 1814
British troops capture of Washington, DC
 
**  1815
Napoleon defeated at Waterloo (Belgium)
 
 
 

In the Background: Napoleon Ignored
While Darcy and Elizabeth moved tentatively towards a mutual understanding, Britain was embroiled in a bloody war with France - as Napoleon Bonaparte sought to conquer Europe. Soldiers do appear in Pride and Prejudice, but they are figures of seductive gallantry, not fighting men. Austen was well aware of the war - one brother was in the army and two in the navy - but she had no first-hand experience of it, and so wrote nothing of it. For her, the dangers of military manoeuvres lie in making love, not war.