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Dictionary definition: Pitt, William
- Article from:
- A Dictionary of British History
- Author:
Copyright© A Dictionary of British History 2004, originally published by Oxford University Press 2004. (Hide copyright information)
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Pitt, William
(1759–1806), known as Pitt the Younger. Prime minister. The second son of William
Pitt
, earl of Chatham, was educated privately and at Cambridge. From an early age, his father supervised his upbringing, paying particular attention to skill in public speaking. He entered Parliament in 1781 and soon made his mark in the Commons. He was a critic of
North
, whom he blamed for the loss of America, and advocated both economical and parliamentary reform. He was keenly interested in financial and commercial questions and knew the writings of Adam
Smith
and Richard Price. When North fell in 1782, Pitt refused a merely subordinate station in
Rockingham's
ministry. After ...