The British Empire

The British Empire

1. A source of wealth

   • Britain got cheap raw materials from the colonies then sold the finished products bak to the colonies for a profit
   • Trade with other countries grew
   • Merchants and factory owners made more money and expanded their businesses, therefore providing more jobs

2. How did Empire benefit the colonies?

   • Some historians believe Britain helped the colonies remain poor
     • Others argue that Britain developed the countries and helped keep peace and order in them

3. Exports

   • WOOL from NEW ZEALAND
   • WHEAT from CANADA
   • TEA from SRI LANKA
   • SPICES from INDIA
   • COCOA from BRITISH GUINEA

4. How did India become part of the Empire?

   • East India Company (EIC) established in 1600
     • Merchants involved wanted a share in the spice trade in the East Indies
       • However the Dutch already controlled most of this, so the EIC turned their attention to India
   • Eventually the government took charge of the EIC
     • This only happened after they had secured a large amount of power for Britain in India
   • From 1858 onwards, India was ruled directly by the crown through a VICEROY
   • India gained independence in 1947

5. The black hole of Calcutta

   • According to some historians around 60-130 British people were put into a 6m by 8m cell for the night
     • They were put in their by Indian soldiers
     • They were put in their without water and no windows-except for a small one which was obstructed
     • Only one quarter walked out alive the next morning
       • The others had died due to suffocation
       • The survivors had to pile up the corpses in the night
   • The event may not have happened but the cell does exist

6. A force for good

   • Britain brought British infrastructure and science/technological innovation to under-developed countries

7. The Indian Mutiny

   • What lead to the rebellion?
     • British Generals were trying to convert the Indian sepoys to Christianity-they rejected the attempts
     • The bullets for the new Enfield rifles needed grease to be shot. The British generals supplied them with pig fat bu the Indian sepoys's holy animals are pigs
   • The Cawnpore massacre
     • Happened on the 5th June 1857
     • Indians gave women and children the chance to sail down the river and flee to England
       • But the Indians attacked
     • Soldiers tried to protect them but were outnumbered
       • Rebels attacked with rifles, clubs, knives and burnt children
     • Over 250 women, soldiers and children died
       • Another 100 were taken prisoners and later hacked to death