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Colonies in America
King James begins establishing colonies in Virginia and other parts of the new world -
East India Trading Company
At this time, the EITC is created and owns 24 ships to do business in India and the spice islands -
Jamaica
Britain seizes control of Jamaica, and it quickly became the center of a large slave market -
French and Indian War
Britain and France clash due to similar interest in the Ohio valley -
American Revolution
United States declare independence from the British Emprie -
Abolition of the Slave Trade
Parliament enacts the abolition of the slave trade -
Industrial Revolution
Begins in Britain -
Invasion of Afghanistan
Britain invades Afghanistan and attempts to take it over -
Railways in India
Britain builds first railways in India. This increases communication and therefore influence of the British in India -
Suez Canal
Suez Canal is built in Egypt -
India Becomes Crown Jewel of the Empire
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Berlin Conference
European leaders meet in Berlin to divide up Africa. No African leaders are included, and ethnic and cultural borders are not considered -
World War 1
World war 1 begins with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the archduke of Austria-Hungary -
How was Britain able to gain control? pt 1
The industrial revolution played a very large role in allowing Britain to take over less developed countries. Because of the industrial revolution, Britain had much more advanced technology than the regions that tried to resist their control. One main piece of technology that britain had was the maxim gun. This was extremely powerful compared to the basic weapons the people of Africa and India had. -
How was Britain able to gain control? pt 2
New advancements in transportation also allowed Britain to take over. New inventions in ships allowed people to travel faster and further than ever before, which allowed Britain to colonize new lands. The invention of the steam engine also allowed Britain to remain in contact with the colonies they controlled. Advancements in medicine also allowed British explorers to travel deeper and deeper into Africa, and therefore colonize even more land. -
Why does this matter today?
The British Empire had a very large impact on the world we live in today. Many places still have representation of the British, such as language, religion, and education. Many conflicts in the world can also be traced back to the creation of the British Empire. -
What motivated Britain to gain territories?
In short, britain imperialized other countries in order to gain resources and wealth. In the 1800’s the industrial revolution occurred in Britain. This motivated british people to gain even more natural resources. In some cases, the British people believed that they were better than the people they were colonizing, and they were actually helping the people. However, the main cause of imperialism was the need for natural resources, such as copper, rubber, and gold. -
How did Britain control their territories?
Inn many places they used direct control, however indirect control was favored because it was cheaper and easier for the British empire to control. The British government surveyed the East India Trading company, which essentially controlled India. Instead of waging war on many different territories, Britain paid the local rulers for control of the regions. The local rulers maintained their reputation and some power, yet Britain truly controlled what happened in the colony.
