The British Empire大英帝国

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Final Exam Date & Time

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Pay close attention to today. Won't review it next week b/c so recent.

Next week: Question time at end.

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Focus of the Lecture (Part I)

• Beginning in the 1600s, England acquired a world empire (in North America, South America, Africa, Australia, and Asia). Britain gained control of these areas mainly for reasons of trade and defense防卫 The British brought their language and culture to each of these areas.

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Study Questions

• Trace the development of Britain’s empire between 1600 and 1914. Which colonies were most important and why?

• Why did Britain acquire its empire? What were the reasons it gained certain new areas?

• What was the Triangular trade? Explain its positive and negative consequences.

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More Study Questions

• Why did the thirteen colonies rebel? How did their loss affect Britain’s actions elsewhere?

• Discuss Britain’s positive and negative influence in India, especially after it became a crown colony.

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Evolution of the British Empire

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Great Britain, United Kingdom

• 1707 (Queen Anne) Union of England and Scotland to form Great Britain

• 1801 (George III) Union of Great Britain and Ireland to form the United Kingdom

• Flag of the UK (Union Jack) is combination of flags of England, Scotland and Ireland

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The British Empire, at its height

• 1. It was the largest empire in history

• 2. It was over 33 million square kilometers in size; this was almost 25% of the world’s land area (“then sun never sets upon the British Empire”)

• 3. It ruled more than 550 million people; at the time, this was nearly 25% of the earth’s population

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The British Empire

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British Empire, 1713

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British Empire, 1763

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British Empire, 1815

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British Empire, 1850

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British Empire, 1914

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British Empire, 1921

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Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America

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Triangular Trade

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Triangular Trade

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Results of Triangular Trade• Positive:

– Enriched British merchants trading slaves and manufactured goods

– Built up agricultural economy of American colonies and Caribbean

• Negative– Terrible misery for enslaved Africans in America

– Depopulated portions of western Africa

– Hindered industrial development in colonies (explain?)

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Border Changes after the Seven Years war

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Reasons for the American Revolution

• 1. “No taxation without representation!”

– The colonists living in America paid taxes, but had no one in Parliament representing the colonies.

• 2. Permanent British troops in America

– Colonists brought the English distrust of standing armies with them

– Colonists had to pay for English soldiers

– British soldiers prevented settlers

from moving further west

3. Revolution justified?

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American Revolution

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Losses to the United States

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Changes on British Policy after Revolution

1. British saw “white” colonies as needing loving guidance and care like children

2. The British followed a policy of granting self-rule to “white” colonies: Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

3. Britain’s arrogant attitudes toward non-white colonies remained virtually unchanged– Does more advanced society have right to

“parent” less advanced society?

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Britain’s Imperial Century

• 1815-1914 is the period called Britain’s Imperial Century

• In this period Britain added about 26 million km² to the empire

• Also added around 400 million people

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British Emigration

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Ships of the East India Company

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India

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India

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British Rule in India1. Gradual expansion from early 1600s to late 1700s2. India was ruled by the East India Co until 1850s

– Can someone explain how a Co ruled?3. In the 1850s, after a revolt, India became a crown

colony4. India was “the Jewel in the Crown” of the British

Empire, because of - economic value as a source of goods (cotton, tea) - a captive market for British manufactured products- self-supporting army the British used throughout

the Empire-obedient culture

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British Administrative Building in India

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Consequences of British Rule in India• Positive:

– Britain built up India’s railroad system (4th largest in the world in 1920)

– Improved education and health care– Gave India an improved legal system– Provided limited self-government

• Negative:– Cultural arrogance; most British felt superior– Hindered industrialization of India– Created an Indian upper class that was western-educated

and resented by most Indians

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Imperialism in Africa

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Britain’s Attitude

"We have to consider not what we want now, but what

we shall want in the future."

Lord Rosebury

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Boer War

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British Policy in Africa

• Gained the cape of Good Hope to protect route to India

• Got control of Suez Canal to protect new northern route to India

• Tried to get lands in eastern Africa to join the two, a “Cape to Cairo” colony

• Fought colonial war in southern Africa to control gold and diamond mines

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Opium

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Qing Dynasty, 1644-1911

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Reasons Britain was unhappy with China

1. Chinese life at the time?

2. Unfavorable balance of trade. Britain bought huge amounts of tea, as well as silk and porcelain, but had little China wanted to buy in return; Britain had a huge trade deficit

3. Wanted fewer restrictions on trade

4. Wanted diplomatic representation in Beijing

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Indian opium bound for China

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Opium

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How extensive was the opium trade?

• In 1835 alone, about 1.63 million kilos of opium entered China.

• It sold for almost 500,000 kilos of silver.

• By the mid-1830s there were probably 10 million opium addicts in China.

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Opium Smoking

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Husband Selling his Wife to Support Opium Addiction

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Chinese View of 18th Cent. English Sailor

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Lin Zexu

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Lin Zexu’s Letter to Queen Victoria

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Destroying Opium

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Destruction of Chinese Ships

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Treaty of Nanjing (1842)

1. Opened five ports to foreign trade (Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ningbo, and Shanghai)

2. Gave Britain the island of Hong Kong

3. Ended old trade system; foreigners could trade with anyone

4. Provided an indemnity of about $21 million

5. Start of “treaty century,” 1842-1942, unequal treaties with China

6. There was no mention of opium.

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Treaty Ports

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