European EmpiresEuropean Empires

PortugalPortugal•PortugalPortugal

– Established the earliest modern Established the earliest modern European colonial empiresEuropean colonial empires

– Prince Henry the Navigator Prince Henry the Navigator •Started a school for navigationStarted a school for navigation

•Sent ships down the coast of Africa in search Sent ships down the coast of Africa in search of a trade route to Asiaof a trade route to Asia

– Portuguese explorers led the way in Portuguese explorers led the way in creating trade routes to Asia and setting creating trade routes to Asia and setting up forts and trading postsup forts and trading posts

– Brazil became Portugal’s most profitable Brazil became Portugal’s most profitable colony (granted independence in 1822)colony (granted independence in 1822)

Portuguese Colonial Empire

SpainSpain

• Christopher Columbus (1492)Christopher Columbus (1492)– Sailing west from Europe in search of a Sailing west from Europe in search of a

trade route to Asia he “found the New trade route to Asia he “found the New World” (landed in the Bahamas and called World” (landed in the Bahamas and called it the West Indies)it the West Indies)

• Became one of the largest empires by Became one of the largest empires by claiming land in North, Central and claiming land in North, Central and South America (conquered the Inca South America (conquered the Inca and Aztec Indians – giving them and Aztec Indians – giving them enormous wealth) enormous wealth)

Spanish Colonial Empire

EnglandEngland

• Great Britain – Great Britain – (England, Scotland, and Wales)(England, Scotland, and Wales)

• Largest empire in historyLargest empire in history

• Controlled – Canada, Australia, India, much of Controlled – Canada, Australia, India, much of eastern Africa, the American Colonies, and eastern Africa, the American Colonies, and many islands across the worldmany islands across the world

• By the 1920s, one-fourth of the world’s By the 1920s, one-fourth of the world’s population was under British controlpopulation was under British control

British Colonial Empire

FranceFrance• One of the world’s most dominant One of the world’s most dominant

empires under the French ruler empires under the French ruler Napoleon BonaparteNapoleon Bonaparte

• Controlled much of Europe – Germany, Controlled much of Europe – Germany, Italy, and SpainItaly, and Spain

• Colonies throughout the world included Colonies throughout the world included islands in the Caribbean Sea and the islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic OceansIndian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans

• Parts of Canada, South America, Asia, Parts of Canada, South America, Asia, Northwest Africa were under French Northwest Africa were under French rulerule

French Empire 18th – 20th Century