The British Empire

Question 1

When did Britain build a large empire?

Answer 1

By 1783, Britain had built a large empire with colonies in America and the West Indies.

Question 2

During the reign of Henry II, England was part of…?

Answer 2

During the reign of Henry II, England was part of the ‘Angevin Empire’ (Henry II was County of Anjou).

Question 3

When did Normans invade Ireland?

Answer 3

Normans from south Wales invaded Ireland in 1169. William of Normandy conquered England in 1066.

Question 4

By 1500, how much of Ireland remained in the hands of the English king?

Answer 4

By 1500 only the coastal towns and the area around Dublin remained in the hands of the English king. Control of the rest of Ireland had been lost.

Question 5

During which war did English kings conquer large areas of France?

Answer 5

English kings conquered large areas of France during the Hundred Years’ War. The Norman Conquest took place when William of Normandy invaded England in 1066.

Question 6

Who discovered new lands in Canada in 1497?

Answer 6

In 1497, the Italian explorer John Cabot discovered new lands in Canada.

Question 7

Where did English settlers set up plantations in the 1620s?

Answer 7

English settlers set up plantations in the West Indies in the 1620s.

Question 8

In the 1700s, against which country did Britain fight a number of wars?

Answer 8

In the 1700s Britain fought a number of wars against France, taking over colonies established by the French, including Canada.

Question 9

The loss of which colonies meant that the ‘first British Empire’ came to an end?

Answer 9

The loss of the American colonies after Britain’s defeat in the American War of Independence meant that the ‘first British Empire’ came to an end. Most of Britain’s Caribbean colonies achieved independence in the 1960s and 1970s.

Question 10

Which country’s colonies were given to Britain by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919?

Answer 10

The Treaty of Versailles gave Germany’s colonies as ‘mandates’ for Britain to administer. France was also given some of Germany’s colonies at the same time.

Question 11

What does EMPIRE mean?

Answer 11

EMPIRE - An empire is a group of countries under the control of a single ruler.

Question 12

What does IMPERIALISM mean?

Answer 12

IMPERIALISM - The policy of seeking to build and maintain an empire to gain an advantage over other countries.

Question 13

What were the 4 reasons for the Empire?

Answer 13

They were: Trade, Strategy, Religion, Imperial Rivalry.

Question 14

What was their reason for Trade?

Answer 14

By colonizing territories which had these resources, Britain acquired a steady, cheap supply of raw materials for the new factories.

Question 15

What was the reason for Strategy?

Answer 15

Sometimes, colonies would be secured, not because they were desirable for trade, but because they were strategically important to Britain.

Question 16

What was their reason for Religion?

Answer 16

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’.

Question 17

What was their reason for Imperial Rivalry?

Answer 17

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.