British Empire

British Empire

1. Definition

   • The British Empire is a large group of territories that were all ruled by England and the UK. The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administrated by the UK.

2. The first British Empire (1583-1783)

   • established during age of discovery (15th and 16th century) when Portugal and Spain pioneered European exploration of the globe

3. The second British Empire (1783-1945)

   • its rise was marked by the Independence of the thirteen colonies in North America in 1783 after the American War of Independence caused Britain to lose some of its oldest and most populous colonies

4. The decline of the British Empire (1945-1997)

   • British India achieved independence as part of a larger decolonization movement in which Britain also granted independence to most of the territories of the British Empire
   • The political transfer of Hong Kong to China in 1997 marked for many the end of the British Empire
   • began with World War II

5. Nowadays

   • 14 overseas territories remain under British sovereignty
   • After independence, many former British colonies joined the Commonwealth of Nations. They share Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state.

6. How big was the British Empire?

   • In its heyday: Empire covered one fith of the globe
     • World's leading global power
   • First colony: Jamestown, 1607

7. Motives behind Britain's expansion

   • trade
     • Britain wanted trade routes just for themselves
       • Example: East India Company >> had a monopoly on trade with Asia
   • economics
     • Britain should become richer
   • politics
     • they wanted that other European countries don't become too mighty
   • ambition
   • religion
     • wanted to spread Christianity
   • adventure and curiosity
     • they wanted to explore new countries

8. What legacy did the British Empire leave?

   • former colonies still have links to Britain
     • political systems are based on the British law
     • English language

9. What changes did it bring around?

   • principle of the British Empire was to give the indigenous (native) people of the colonies a better structure in their lives
     • better medical care
     • education
     • transport systems
     • many empire builders tried to eliminate (stop) practices which seemed barbaric, despite of the fact that they profited from these things just a century before
       • cannibalism
       • slavery
   • British people saw the indigenous people as "children" who needed "education"
     • Tried to turn these people into Englishmen
       • Didn't just steal their land, but also their culture >>discrimination