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Origins

15th-16th century: Portugal and Spain pioneered European exploration of the globe & established large oversea empires

World War I

prosperity

protestant England sanctioned attacks on catholic Spain's and Portugal's ships and ports in the Americas

Commonwealth of Nations

Treaty of Versailles: the empire reached its greatest extent (addition of 4,7 km² & 13 million people)

New territories: Palestine, Transjordan, Iraq, Tanganjika and Parts of Cameroon and Togo

influential writers such as John Dee & Richard Hakluyt started to press the establishment of England's own empire

basis

facts

member states: 53

founded in 1931

was the largest empire in history

Classification of territories

areas directly ruled by a governor on behalf of the british government and representing the crown

Colonies

territories ruled by a local ruler in all aspects but defense and foreign affairs

Protectorates

semi-independent polities with significant freedom

Dominions

former German and Turkish colonies given to Britain and France in order to prepare for self-government

Mandates

covered 33,67 million km², 1/4 of earth's total land are; 458 million people (1/4 of earth's population at that time

London

encompassed territories ( dominions, colonies, protectorate, mandates) on every continent

intergovernmental organization

territories of the former British Empire

Criteria

  • be fully sovereign states
  • recognize the monarch of Britain as Head of Commonwealth
  • accept English language as communication
  • have a link to the British Empire

Members

united by language, history, culture, rule of law

covers more than 29,9 km², 1/4 of earth's land area

estimated population: 2,3 billion (1/3 of earth's population

First British Empire (1583 - 1783)

1578: Queen Elizabeth l. granted a patent to Humphrey Gilbert for discovery and overseas exploration

no permanent settlement

1583: arrival on Newfoundland

1584: foundation of the first settlement Roanoke (N.Carolina) by Walter Raleigh

failed due to lacking supply

successful sugar cane plantation on St.Kittis, Barbados & Nevi (circa 1620)

met demand of slave work by acquisition from the Dutch

1607: establishment of the first permanent settlement in Jamestown/Virginia

1672: foundation of Royal African Company

supply of English colonies with african slaves

first settlements in West-Africa

1688: end of English-Dutch rivalry in Asia;

deal: Netherlands control spice trade on Indonesia, while Britain control textile trade in India

1714: Britain, Portugal, and Holy Roman Empire beat France and Spain in the War of the Spanish Succession Britain gains Newfoundland, Acadia, Gibraltar, Minorca & the rights to asiento

Loss of the Thirteen American Colonies

as of 1760s: rising tension and resentments to British Parliament due to attempts govern and tax American colonists without their consent "No taxation without representation"

American Revolution: rejection of parliamentary authority, moves to self-government etc.

Britain response with "Intolerable Acts"

1775: outbreak of the War of Independence

1781: decisive defeat of British Army in Yorktown

1776: Declaration of Independence

1783: acknowledgment of independence

Imperial Century (1815 - 1914)

Pax Britannica unchallenged british hegemony

"splendid isolation" use of geographical conditions to keep out of continentaleuropean conflicts

Inter-War Period

The Great Game

rivalry with Russia in central Asia

agreement on spheres of influence in 1878

"Scramble for Africa" occupation of Cape Colony & Sudan, submission of Egypt, conquest of Rhodesia "Cape to Cairo"

1919-1921: Irish War of Independence

Origin of Irish Free State

origin of dominions:

1867 union of Upper & Lower Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to Dominion of Canada;

1901 union of australian colonies to Australia;

1910 South African Union

1919: Massacre of Amritsar

1922: Independence of Egypt

1926: Balfour Declaration

Decolonization

1932: Independence of Iraq

Independence

  • India & Pakistan (1947)
  • Ceylon & Burma (1948)
  • Israel & Ireland (1949)
  • Sudan (1956)
  • Malaysia (1957)
  • Cyprus (1960)
  • Malta (1964)
  • Canada (1982)
  • Brunei (1984)
  • Australia & New Zealand (1986)
  • Hong Kong (1997)

Second British Empire (1783 - 1815)

shift of attention to Asia, the Pacific and Africa

stabilize rule in India after victory over Moguls

1770: James Cook discovers Australia and claims New Zealand

first fleet arrives Australia in 1788

1815: defeat of Napoleonic France

Britain obtains Ionian Islands, Malta, Mauritius, St.Lucia, Tobago, Trinidad, Guyana, Cape Colony

1807: Slave Trade Act: prohibition of slave trade in entire empire

1833: Slavery Abolition Act: prohibition of slavery

The British Empire

on which the sun never sets

presented by Seyit Riza Edebali

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