FICHE CIVILISATION – THE BRITISH EMPIRE – HOW IT CAME TO BE
1-HISTORY OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE:
i Late 16 century:
The first British settlements are established on the East coast of North America, in present-day
Newfoundland, Canada and in present-day Virginia, USA.
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i Early 17 century:
Queen Elizabeth I (the first) establishes the East India Company (for trade).
The term “New England” is used to describe the northeast of the continent.
1620 à The Pilgrims (also referred to as Pilgrim Fathers), a group of 102 English settlers, sail in the
Mayflower to the new world. They found a colony that they named Plymouth, their port of departure in
England.
The first British settlements are established in the Caribbean, along with rival Dutch and French colonies.
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i Mid 17 century:
The British, settling in Jamaica,
turn the island into the major
slave market of the West Indies.
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i Late 17 century:
Fort St William is built by the East
India Company in the Ganges
delta, and subsequently develops
into Calcutta, in India.
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i Early 18 century:
Fierce rivalry between Dutch,
French and English settlers in
North America, the Caribbean
and India.
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i Mid 18 century:
French and Indian War (17541763) between the colonies of
British America and New France
Treaty of Paris (1763) : France cedes all its territories north of the Great Lakes and east of the
Mississippi and Spain cedes Frorida. Britain now controls the entire east coast of North America.
Acts are passed to levy taxes on trade.
1768-1769: British explorer James Cook reaches what is today New Zealand and Australia.
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i Late 18 century:
The first English convicts (=prisoners) arrive in Australia after an 8-month journey.
British explorer George Vancouver reaches the northwest coast of America.
First expedition in Africa
The British capture the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) from the Dutch
First colonies in the Persian Gulf (Oman).
1776 à US Independence day. Many British colonies are lost. The United States of America is founded.
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i Early 19 century:
Abolition of the slave trade
Union between Ireland and Great Britain
Louisiana Purchase (France loses its influence in North America)
Napoleonic Wars against France
The first big influx of British settlers arrives at Cape Town, South Africa
The Hudson Bay Company is founded to control trade from the Great Lakes to the Pacific (America).
Exploration of the Australian continent.
The British eject the Argentinians from the Falklands islands and begin the process of settlement.
Emigration from Britain to South Australia begins.
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1837 à Abolition of slavery in the
British Empire
Invasion of Afghanistan
i Mid 19 century:
The
British
retreat
from
Afghanistan
The gold rush in Australia begins
The great famine kills 2 million
people in Ireland and causes mass
immigration to North America and
Britain.
The India Act places India under
the direct control of the British
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government.
The city of Lagos, on the coast of Nigeria, is annexed as a British colony.
1867 à Four former colonies (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec) unite to form the new
nation of Canada with Ottawa as the capital. It becomes the “Dominion of Canada”, the first example of
“dominion” status.
The Suez Canal opens.
Present-day Ghana in Africa becomes a British colony.
The Egyptian government is placed under joint British and French control.
India becomes the 'jewel in the crown' of Queen Victoria. She becomes the Empress of India.
i Late 19 century
Zulu wars erupt in South Africa.
The northeast of what is today South Africa is controlled by the Dutch (the Boer Republics)
The British Empire is first described as a 'Commonwealth of Nations'. The term “Commonwealth” is used
for the first time.
The Imperial British East Africa Company is given a charter to administer Kenya and Uganda.
Mahatma Gandhi, travelling with a first-class ticket, is forcibly ejected from the carriage at
Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) because of his colour.
Boer wars in South Africa between the Dutch and the British
Irish Home Rule is rejected again in Westminster.
The British government takes responsibility for Kenya.
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i Early 20 century:
The British government takes responsibility for Kenya, previously controlled by commercial company.
Six separate Australian colonies combine to form the independent Commonwealth of Australia.
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2-IN A NUTSHELL…:
i First British Empire (late 16 century – late 18 century)
⇒ North America and Africa
⇒ The slave trade
⇒ Conflicts with France and the Netherlands
⇒ US Independence (1776)
i Second British Empire (late 18 century – early 19 century)
⇒ Exploration of the Pacific
⇒ Louisiana Purchase and Napoleonic Wars
⇒ End of slavery
i The heyday of the British Empire (early 19 century – early 20 century)
⇒ East India Company in Asia
⇒ Africa
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A famous quote you should remember “The Empire of which the sun never sets”, which later became
“The sun never sets on the British Empire”.