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Septennial Act 1715

1716

The law passed under George I that extended the maximum length of a parliament from three to seven years, strengthening Whig control of government.

This act, passed early in George I's reign, secured the Whig dominance his government relied on after the 1715 Jacobite rising.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This is an act of the Parliament of Great Britain passed in 1716. It increased the maximum length of a parliament from three years to seven years, overturning an earlier law from 1694. This limit stayed in place for nearly two centuries.

Why it matters

Passed shortly after the Jacobite rising of 1715, the act was officially meant to reduce the cost and disruption of frequent elections. In practice it helped keep the Whig party, which supported the Hanoverian succession, in power for longer, strengthening the political base that King George I depended on. It shows how laws about parliament's structure could be used to serve the interests of whoever held power.

Look closer

  • Why would reducing the frequency of elections benefit the party already in power?
  • What reasons does the text give for the change, and do you think they are the full story?
  • How might this law have affected ordinary voters' influence over government?

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