What was the British Empire?

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infoWhy this? The British Empire profoundly shaped Britain and societies across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific through trade, slavery, settlement, warfare, and colonial rule. Studying both colonial power and resistance helps us assess the empire’s unequal effects and understand its enduring political, economic, and cultural legacies.

scheduleWhy now? This unit builds on the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs by extending our study of European expansion, colonisation, and Indigenous responses. It establishes the imperial networks, resources, markets, and inequalities that connect closely with the Industrial Revolution and later global conflicts.

The British Empire was the largest empire in history.
At its height around 1920, the British Empire ruled over a quarter of the world's land and people.
English overseas expansion began in the late 1500s, before the British state was created.
The 1707 Act of Union created the Kingdom of Great Britain, after which England's overseas colonies became part of the developing British Empire.
Britain set up colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
During the 1600s and 1700s, English and then British power expanded in the Caribbean and India.
The Thirteen Colonies became independent from Britain as the United States of America after the American War of Independence ended in 1783.
A colony is a country or area controlled by another country.
Trade was a major reason for building the British Empire.
The East India Company helped Britain control India.
India was known as the 'jewel in the crown' of the British Empire.
The British Empire was involved in the Atlantic slave trade.
Millions of Africans were taken as slaves to work on plantations.
Britain made huge profits from goods like sugar, tobacco, and cotton.
The British Empire spread the English language and culture around the world.
Missionaries tried to spread Christianity in countries within the empire.
Some British people believed they were bringing 'civilisation,' though many people today see this as unfair and racist.
The British Empire included places like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Many local people resisted British rule, sometimes leading to wars.
The 1857 Indian Rebellion was a major uprising against British control.
The Scramble for Africa in the late 1800s saw Britain take over parts of Africa.
The British Empire created railways, roads, and schools in some colonies.
Local people often lost land, power, and culture under British rule.
Colonial rule was usually harsh and unfair to local people.
Many people in the empire had to fight for their freedom.
Britain relied on its empire for resources and soldiers, especially during the World Wars.
After the Second World War, many countries wanted independence.
India gained independence from Britain in 1947.
By the 1960s, most colonies had become independent nations.
The Commonwealth was formed to keep friendly ties after independence.
The legacy of the British Empire is still debated today.
Some people see the British Empire as a source of pride, while others see it as a source of injustice.

rocket_launchYou must be able to

Describe events related to, and features of life under, the British Empire.
Explain how the British Empire began, and how it impacted life in Britain and in the colonies it controlled.
Analyse the content, provenance, and historical context of sources produced by colonisers, colonial subjects, and anti-colonial campaigners.
Evaluate the most significant factor(s) in creating the British Empire and the most significant impact(s) it had on Britain and the wider world.

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