The British Empire, Then and Now WORLD HISTORY READERS Level 2-⑥ The British Empire, Then and Now

The Power of the British Empire Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe How big was the British Empire? Sydney, Australia The British, at one point, controlled over 24% of all the land in the world. Cape Town, South Africa Its power reached Africa, Asia, Australia, North and South America, as well as Europe. The Empire controlled the lives of millions of people all over the world.

The Most Powerful Countries in Europe In the 16th century, which countries were the most powerful in Europe? Spain and Portugal They were expanding their powers all over the world in the Americas, Africa, and through Asia, taking their religion and language with them. The Spanish taking control of the Americas Spanish buildings in the Philippines When did Britain become very powerful? A series of wars in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the union of England and Scotland into one country in 1707, made Great Britain one of the most powerful countries on earth.

East India Company What did the British East India Company do? Company flag What did the British East India Company do? A British fort in Penang, Malaysia In 1600, The British East India Company was set up in London to build trade in India. The company had its own army and soon controlled much of India and South Asia. A military officer of the East India Company It also controlled lands in Africa and parts of the Middle East. How did this help the empire grow? The British government took control of the company’s lands in 1857, greatly expanding the British Empire.

How did the British navy expand the empire? War and Expansion How did the British navy expand the empire? After the wars with Napoleon in 1815, Britain had the most powerful navy in the world. Its ships quickly expanded Britain’s control around the world. As Britain was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, it became the “workshop of the world.” Making steel during the Industrial Revolution It expanded trade to all corners of the world, making the Empire extremely rich and powerful.

Losing Power When did the British Empire begin losing its colonies? The American Declaration of Independence In 1776, Britain lost some of its power when the thirteen colonies in North America became independent. Soon after, many countries in Africa followed, such as Malawi, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. In 1867, Canada gained independence as well. India and Pakistan gained independence in 1947, then Sri Lanka and Myanmar in 1948. By the 1980s, Britain’s empire was over.

The Commonwealth of Nations What is the Commonwealth of Nations? The flag of the Commonwealth of Nations After many of the colonies gained independence, 52 of them, such as India, Australia, Canada, Pakistan, Nigeria, South Africa, and New Zealand, joined together to create an organization called the Commonwealth of Nations. Today, it has a combined population of 2.3 billion people.

English and Sports What kind of influence is still seen today that came from the old British Empire? One major remaining influence of the British Empire is that English has become the world’s international language. Also, all over the world there are still many buildings to remind us of the great power the Empire used to have. Another influence was that several British sports were played in the colonies. They remained popular in those areas and now have become world sports.

The Empire Today The Empire developed trade routes, brought about the Industrial Revolution, and created many democratic governments all over the world. What were some good things that came out of the British Empire? The British Empire greatly improved the lives of many people. Queenstown, New Zealand Cape Town, South Africa Singapore, a former British colony What were some bad things? The Empire destroyed communities and cultures and lead to the deaths of millions of people.

Vocabulary capture v. democratic adj. to take into one's possession or control democratic adj. following a system in which all the people choose their leaders

Vocabulary expand v. load n. to make bigger to put a lot of things into a vehicle or machine

Vocabulary permanent adj. continuing always powerful adj. very strong

Vocabulary remain v. shine v. to continue to exist or stay to make a bright light