William Pitt the Elder

Born in London on November 15, 1708, William Pitt was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Oxford. Entering Parliament in 1735, Pitt quickly distinguished himself as 'The Great Commoner' for his electrifying oratory and staunch refusal to enrich himself through public office. When the Seven Years' War (known in North America as the French and Indian War) broke out, Britain faced catastrophic early defeats. Appointed Secretary of State in 1756, Pitt took absolute control of military strategy. He financed Frederick the Great of Prussia on the European continent while focusing British naval and expeditionary might on seizing French colonial possessions across Canada, the Caribbean, and India. The spectacular triumphs of 'Annus Mirabilis' in 1759 (including Wolfe's capture of Quebec) established Britain as the preeminent global superpower. Serving as Prime Minister from 1766 to 1768 as the 1st Earl of Chatham, Pitt vigorously defended the American colonists against unconstitutional taxation, famously declaring in Parliament: 'I rejoice that America has resisted!' Collapsing in the House of Lords during a final, impassioned debate on American reconciliation in April 1778, Pitt died on May 11, 1778, buried with national honors in Westminster Abbey.