The British Empire Flashcards
What is an Empire?
A group of countries ruled over by a single monarch or ruling power.
What is Imperialism
The policy of seeking to build and maintain an empire to gain an advantage over other countries
What was Englands first colony
The state of Virginia - in the US
What were the English colonies in the Caribbean
The first English colonies in the Caribbean were founded in the 1620s. Colonialisation of St Kitts began in 1623 and then expanded to islands including Barbados and Antigua.
What country did England invade in 1655
In 1655 the English invaded Jamaica, which had previously been a colony of Spain. Jamaica formally became a British colony in 1670.
Which state did England take over in 1664
In 1664, the English took over the Dutch colony of New Netherland, which included the state of New Amsterdam. The English renamed this New York.
Which other states did England take over
The English took over New Sweden (which is now called Delaware). Florida, previously a colony of Spain, formally became a British colony in 1763.
What were England greatly responsible for
The enslavement of millions of West Africans to work on Caribbean farms and sugar plantations.
Which French colony did England take over in 1713
Acadia (New France in northeastern North America).
How did the British take over control in India
Victories by Robert Clive, including the Battle of Plassey in 1757, drove out the French and established British control in India.
How did England take control of Canada
During the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) the British won Canada from the French.
What were the colonies gained at the Treaty of Paris (1763)
Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Tobago.
Why did the War of Independence start
- In 1776, 13 American colonies joined together to form the United States of America and declare themselves independent from Britain
- They stopped paying taxes to Britain and no longer recognised Britain as being in charge of them
What happened at the War of Independence
- Britain sent troops to fight the USA in a war
- France, Spain and the Netherlands took sides with the United States.
- Britain surrendered at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
After the War of Independence, who ruled America?
George Washington
What did the British Empire look like in 1783
- Colonies in North America, including the West Indies, and the Pacific including New Zealand
- Trading posts in India
- Naval bases in the Mediterranean - Gibraltar and Minorca
In the century 1815-1914, what was added to the British Empire?
10 million square miles of territory and 400 million people were added to the British Empire.
By 1924, how much land did the British Empire have
One fifth of the land in the world
Why was there not much pride in the Empire in the colonized lands
Many people living in British colonies faced political and economic inequality and the decline of their culture and religion. For example, in Australia violence, disease and inequality contributed to a decline in the Aboriginal population by 90% by the 1920s.
What was the reasons for the Empire in terms of trade
By colonizing territories which had these resources, Britain acquired a steady, cheap supply of raw materials for the new factories
What were the reasons for the Empire in terms of strategy
Sometimes, colonies would be secured, not because they were desirable for trade, but because they were strategically important to Britain
What were the reasons for the Empire in terms of religion
Religion became an important motivation for imperialism in the 19th century. The Bible says that Christians should attempt to spread the word of God. Many British people began to see having an empire as a way of spreading Christianity to people they saw as ‘uncivilized savages’
What were the reasons for the Empire in terms of Imperial Rivalry
When other European nations started wanting empires in the late 19th century, an element of competition soon developed. The spread of imperialist policy in Europe created a ‘land grab’ in Africa, as nations attempted to stop their rivals achieving domination over the continent.
What is the Commonwealth
An organisation of former British colonies
What did the British think of the Empire?
Many Victorians thought of the native people as little more than savages.
What were the purpose of missionaries in the British Empire
Missionaries were people who went out the convert the native peoples to Christianity.
What was the British Empire like for the native people?
Native people did not intitally see the British people as dangerous. However, in many cases, native people soon came to see the less friendly face of the empire.
What could be considered ‘the less friendly side of the Empire’
In the 18th century, slaves were used throughout the Empire, mainly for agricultural and domestic work.
When was slavery abolished in the British Empire
1833
Why was life still hard for native people even after slavery was abolished in the British Empire
Native people were still expected to work long hours for little pay.
Why were diseases brought by the British very dangerous for the native people
They were not immune to the diseases
What were benefits of the British Empire in places like India
Roads and railways were built and there were significant improvements in terms of sanitation
Give an example of an inequality faced by native people in the British Empire
Native people, no matter how talented, were denied the same oppurtunities as British people
