1. A Dangerous Fortune
KEN FOLLET

3. The setting: London, Britain
Terrain: Low hills and plains.
Climate: Hot and humid in summers and cold in
winters.
Geography: borders Staines, Dartford, Watford, Saint
Albans, Slough, Brentwood.

4. Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution, one of the most vital periods
of change in Great Britain, occurred because of the
stable economic, social, and political stance of the
country, as well as brought lasting effects in Britain in
each of these areas. With its fast growing monopoly
on ocean trade, its renewed interest in scientific
discovery, and its system of national banks holding
tight to its financial security, Britain was, at the time
of the Industrial Revolution, ripe for change.

5. Due to its sturdy financial and economic conditions,
Great Britain was the leading figure in the Industrial
Revolution. First of all, its domination of the seas via
a strong military force gave it control of ocean
transportation and trade. Ongoing British trade of
tobacco, sugar, tea, and slaves internationally was
largely a result of this control. Secondly, Britain’s
national banking system provided it with capital from
investments and a surplus of finances for which to
use in commerce on the international scale.

6. The positive outcomes of the Industrial Revolution
rivaled the damage of its more negative effects.
Britain obtained much capital from its many new
international trading ventures with major nations, all
largely dealing with the exchange of new and
improved industrial machinery. Thus, Great Britain
grew to become the most powerful manufacturing
nation and the strongest economically, in all of
Europe. As Britain’s incoming finances grew and
increased, citizens were able to move up the rungs
of the social class ladder in British society, thus
improving their financial and educational statuses.

7. Politics
Though every other aspect of British life in the 19th
century was transformed by industrial, social and
cultural development, the country's rulers seemed
somehow to avoid the mistakes of their continental
counterparts. When Britain was at the peak of its
imperial power at the end of the 19th century,
historians charted the country's rise to greatness
over the preceding hundred years or so. They were
inclined to stress British genius for avoiding
fundamental conflict between classes and social
groups, and the country's ability to manage
evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, political
change.

8. During the winter of 1831-32, the nation stood on a
knife-edge. In the spring, the Lords showed signs of
renewed recalcitrance, and the King, as a
desperation measure, invited the Duke of Wellington
back to form a government. In response, reform
leaders made plans to bring the country to a halt by
having their supporters withdraw funds from the
banks, using the slogan: 'To stop the Duke, go for
Gold'.The crisis was averted. The Lords backed
down and the Reform Bill was passed.

9. Historians will always debate 'might-have-beens' and
no one can prove things one way or the other.
However, the potential for revolution in 1831-32 is
clear. Public support for parliamentary reform had
never been greater. Outside London, no professional
police force was in place and the mechanisms of
control available to the authorities were old-
fashioned and creaky. There was as yet no railway
network to move troops rapidly to areas that were
out of control. Revolutions have been mounted
elsewhere on less.

10. Economy
During the 19th century possessed a dominant role in
the global economy. From the late 19th century the
Second Industrial Revolution in the United States
and the German Empire presented an increasing
challenge to Britain's role as leader of the global
economy. Despite victory, the costs of fighting both
the First World War and Second World War further
weakened the relative economic position of the UK,
and by 1945 Britain had been superseded by the
United States as the world's dominant economic
power. However the UK still maintains a significant
role in the world economy.

11. In the latter decades of the 19th century, when the
ultimate control and direction of large industry came
into the hands of financiers, industrial capitalism
gave way to financial capitalism and the corporation.

12. Long-term economic trends led Britain, and to a lesser
extent, other industrialising nations such as the United
States and Germany, to be more receptive to the desires
of prospective overseas investment. Through their
investments in industry, banks were able to exert a great
deal of control over the British economy and politics. Cut-
throat competition in the mid-19th century caused the
creation of super corporations and conglomerates. Many
companies borrowed heavily to achieve the vast sums of
money required to take over their rivals, resulting in a
new capitalist stage of development.By the 1870s,
financial houses in London had achieved an
unprecedented level of control over industry.

13. How does it relate?
 In the beginning of A Dangerous Fortune, we get to
know that the banks in Britain are failing and Britain
is facing an economical downfall and many working
people are left jobless. America is now the leading
country in the world at the moment.
 In the later half, the Pilaster Bank is closed like
several other banks around the country but unlike
other banks this bank gives the money back to it’s
people instead of refusing it.

14. Judaism
Judaism is an Abrahamic religion -- a faith which
recognizes Abraham as a Patriarch. Others
includeChristianity Islam, and the Baha'i Faith.
Although Jews comprise only about 0.2% of the
human race, Jewish influence on the world has been
vast -- far more than their numbers would indicate.

15. Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity
represented by a number of denominations and
organizations, claiming a total of approximately
seventy million adherents worldwide.[

16. Racial Conflict
In the 19th century, the majority race in London is of
Christians and minorities are the Jews. The
Christians have a hostile attitude towards the Jews
and are not letting them have any important
positions in the social circle. They are degraded as
much as possible.

17. Characters
 Hugh- The odd one in the Pilaster family and the
main character.
 Augusta- A sly woman interested in getting as much
wealthy as she can.
 Edward- Augusta’s son, who is Hugh’s elder cousin
but does not has interests in banking. He does what
his mother and his friend Micky says.
 Micky- Edward’s friend who uses murder and
blackmail to gain his family a good position and
eventually is one of the main reasons why Pilaster
Bank failed.

18. Essential Questions in daybook
 Is it right to get in a person’s personal life?
 Is it right to decide what a person deserves and steer
someone’s life the way you want to?
 Is friendship about deceiving each other and taking
benefits from each other?
 Is it appropriate to not speak aloud when injustice is
being to someone in front of you?
 Are power and wealth the most important things a
person should go after?

19. Made by Kashaf Asim and Lowaisa Ayesha
Farooqui