Why does the British Empire still matter?
- Effects on Britain One noticeable impact that the Empire has had on Britain that is still highly relevant today is racial conflict and prejudice. ...
- Global politics and conflicts The British Empire has contributed to many tense disputes and struggling regions that remain today. ...
- In defence of the Empire Photo by Sidharth Singh on Unsplash ...
- Was Britain the world’s champion? ...
- The Empire lives on ...
How did the British Empire affect the world?
The British Empire was very important in many ways. The British Empire spread its influence to every continent of the world. (There are even British scientists in Antarctica.) As a result, the British established colonies throughout the world. Because of this, English ways of life are found worldwide.
What do you mean by British Empire?
Overview of the British Empire. British Empire, a worldwide system of dependencies— colonies, protectorates, and other territories—that over a span of some three centuries was brought under the sovereignty of the crown of Great Britain and the administration of the British government.
Why was profitability important to the British Empire?
Profitability was key to British expansion, and the age of exploration brought wonderous and addictive delights to the British Empire. They also understood how to utilize both their government and privatized industry for the greatest economic advancements.
Why did England want to colonize the New World?
This empire was based mainly in the New World, although England had already colonized Ireland and Wales. Much of the motivation for this empire came from the competition and rivalry with other European powers, particularly Spain, to colonize newly-discovered lands, as well as the desire for profit.
What were 3 positives of the British Empire?
English institutions, such as the common law, property rights security, contract enforcement, and banking and trading practices provided a positive basis for economic growth in the colonies that has persisted.
What good did the British Empire do for the world?
The stability of Pax Britannica afforded the empire the chance to expand its reach, grow new markets and stabilise trade routes throughout the world, stamp out the slave trade in the Atlantic, clamp down on piracy around the most important trade routes and spread the fruits of the Industrial Revolution throughout the ...
Who did the British Empire benefit?
Britain in the Nineteenth Century was the largest international creditor and in 1913 some 40% of all foreign investment was British. Most of this would have gone to the USA, the Dominions and Argentina, but India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and African states benefited.
What did the British Empire give to the world?
However, two key inventions were spread throughout the world by the British. The first of these was the train, invented in 1830, and the other was the telegraph, invented around the same time. These inventions suddenly made the world a far more connected place.
Was the British Empire the greatest ever?
In 1913, 412 million people lived under the control of the British Empire, 23 percent of the world's population at that time. It remains the largest empire in human history and at the peak of its power in 1920, it covered an astonishing 13.71 million square miles - that's close to a quarter of the world's land area.
How powerful is the British Empire?
At its height the British Empire ruled over 1/3rd of the world's population and 1/4th of the world's land area. Its navy was larger than the next two combined and while it maintained a small army in peacetime, in wartime it could raise an army over 8 million strong.
What advantage did the British have?
Britain's military was the best in the world. Their soldiers were well equipped, well disciplined, well paid, and well fed. The British navy dominated the seas. Funds were much more easily raised by the Empire than by the Continental Congress.
What was the British Empire and how did it influence the world?
By 1913, the British Empire held sway over 412 million people, 23 per cent of the world population at the time, and by 1920, it covered 35.5 million km2 (13.7 million sq mi), 24 per cent of the Earth's total land area. As a result, its constitutional, legal, linguistic, and cultural legacy is widespread.
Who has the biggest empire in history?
Largest Empires In HistoryRankEmpirearea in million km21British Empire35.52Mongol Empire243Russian Empire22.84Qing dynasty14.721 more rows•Oct 29, 2021
What were the achievements of the British Empire?
During several wars and trade agreements, the British Crown received the lands of Burma, Ceylon, Malaya, and some territories of China. In addition, the global expansion allowed conquering significant areas in Africa – Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Uganda, Kenya, and other lands (Bayly 202).
What good things did the British do?
Perhaps the biggest contribution of British in India was removal of social practices like Sati, child marriage, untouchability. Not only they banned such cruel inhumane practices, they also promoted a widow's remarriage.
What were Great Britain's advantages?
Britain's military was the best in the world. Their soldiers were well equipped, well disciplined, well paid, and well fed. The British navy dominated the seas. Funds were much more easily raised by the Empire than by the Continental Congress.
What was the British Empire?
British Empire was a worldwide system of dependencies that was brought under the sovereignty of the crown of Great Britain and the administration o...
When did the British Empire begin?
The first tentative steps toward the establishment of the British Empire began with overseas settlements in the 16th century. Great Britain's marit...
Which sub-Saharan African country was the first to gain independence from the British Empire?
In 1957 the Gold Coast became the first sub-Saharan African colony of the British Empire to reach independence (as Ghana).
What was the last significant colony of the British Empire?
The last significant colony of the British Empire was Hong Kong. It was returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
Does the British Empire still exist today?
The British Empire does not exist today. However, the Commonwealth is a free association of sovereign states comprising the United Kingdom and many...
What is the most expansive empire in the world?
The British empire was one of the most expansive empires in the world. There is an old adage that states that "the Sun never sets on the British Empire" —implying that it had so many colonies spanning the various parts of the globe that the sun was always shining on a portion of the British Empire (which actually still holds true today).
What were the influences of the British Empire?
One of the greatest influences of the British Empire was spreading and establishing British culture in all the land they conquered and inhabited (for good or ill). Nations touched by British imperialism (e.g., America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, and so on) were irreversibly changed by the touch of British language and social systems.
How did the British influence the world?
The British Empire was very important in many ways. The British Empire spread its influence to every continent of the world. (There are even British scientists in Antarctica.) As a result, the British established colonies throughout the world. Because of this, English ways of life are found worldwide. The English language is spoken in many places. The English system of government, or some form of it, can be found as the basis of the structure of many governments. Our system, while not exactly the same, has very similar ideas as that of the British system. The British economic system also spread as British influence moved throughout the world. The industrial revolution that began in Britain allowed British products and technology to be experienced and used by people all over the world. This impacted the standard of living of many people under British rule, usually in a positive manner. The British industrial revolution influenced our industrial revolution. The British system of justice also has been the basis of the legal system of many countries worldwide. The British religious practices also have influenced people wherever British ways have spread. Britain and some of its former colonies played a big role in the Allied victories in both World War I and World War II. The British Empire has had a huge influence on the rest of the world.
How can we see how the importance of the British Empire changed?
By making a distinction between the first and second empire, we can see how the importance of the British Empire changed. The motivations for building an empire and the character of the empire, for example, were not identical to those in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This is a useful starting point for any analysis of the importance of the British Empire.
How long is the free trial for eNotes?
Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime.
What is a certified educator?
Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team.
When did Britain build its second empire?
In contrast, when Britain began building its second empire in the 1800s, it colonized countries that were already well-established, like India and countries in Africa. Not only was this empire far larger than the first, but there was also a strong drive to extend British culture, as well as profit from these newly-acquired territories.
Why was profitability important to the British Empire?
Profitability was key to British expansion , and the age of exploration brought wonderous and addictive delights to the British Empire. They also understood how to utilize both their government and privatized industry for the greatest economic advancements.
How did the British reduce the cost of colonial life?
The British further reduced costs by ensuring that financial risks would be shouldered by privatized individuals, while profit would be kept larger in the hands of the government.
What were the most profitable goods in the British Empire?
Sugar, tea and tobacco became some of the most profitable goods, and the British Empire went mad for addictive foreign substances. Colonies that could exploit their labour on plantations, churning out low-cost goods that could be sold for a profit internationally and imported back to the British at favourable costs. 1.
What was the battle of Cuddalore?
9. They Were Driven By Competition With Their Neighbour France. Battle of Cuddalore (June 20th 1783) between the French navy commanded by the Bailli de Suffren and the British one under the orders of Rear-Admiral Edward Hughes. Image credit: Auguste Jugelet/Public domain.
What cities did England establish in the Caribbean?
England established colonies and a navy in the Caribbean. Cities such as Liverpool and Bristol would expand as the marketability of trading human chattel grew more profitable, and companies like the Royal African Company, among others, would be established to meet the needs of higher demand.
How did economic opportunity affect the British Empire?
Without question, economic opportunity paved the way for the growth of the British Empire. Trade, land and the exportation of resources were critical for increased profit, but secondary industries and careers were also booming. Growth in industries like shipbuilding, merchant development into international markets, and individuals interested in "claiming their fortune" through new opportunities abroad helped shape the face of global prosperity. While this spread English culture (and by extension European culture as a whole) across the world, it also came at the cost of human exploitation. The results of this economic disparity would echo for generations and can still be felt in parts of the world today.
What were the natural resources that British explorers were most interested in?
Of course, the lands they "settled" had already been inhabited by indigenous populations, but what British explorers were most interested in were resources like spices, textiles, and natural resources like cotton, food stocks, tobacco, tea, sugar and anything they could grow and ship abroad for profit.
