A Continent of Empires
European
Empires
“An extensive group of states or
countries under a single supreme
authority…especially an emperor or
empress.”
Empires are formed for:
POWER – Some guy wants to rule the
world
IDIOLOGY – Some guys think their way
(race, religion, economics) is the best
way or the only way
RESOURCES/LAND – Some guys want
more ‘stuff’ they can’t get at home
Macedonian Empire
First Great European Empire
Alexander the Great
356-323 BC
The Roman Empire
27-456 AD
Established by Julius Caesar
Foundation of modern European
borders in Western Europe
Established roads/bridges/aqueducts
still used in Europe
The Byzantine Empire
330-1453 AD
The “Eastern” Roman Empire
Protector of the “Holy Land”
Home of Orthodox Christianity
Holy Roman
Empire
800 – 1806 AD
Begins with Charlemagne
Ancestor of modern Germany
Ottoman
Empire
1299 – 1918 AD
Islamic Influence on eastern Europe
Conquers Constantinople in 1453 (End of
Byzantine Empire)
Became Modern Day Turkey
AustroHungarian
Empire
1867 – 1918 AD
“Little Brother” of Germany
Controlled Catholic areas of eastern Europe
World War I started here
and destroyed the empire
Portuguese Empire
Americas (Brazil)
African coast
East Indies
Territory of 53 current countries
1415-1999
Spanish Empire
Begins with Christopher Columbus
Latin America, African Coast,
The Philippines
1492-1975
French Colonial Empire
French claimed/developed Americas
without “conquering” the local Indians
First – the Americas
Then Africa and the Far East
Seeking to “Civilize” the ‘lesser peoples’
of the world – and gain raw materials
1650 - 1962
British Empire
At it’s height Britain ruled 1/5th of the
World’s population and 1/4th of the
world’s territory
Begins with conquering Ireland – ends
with giving Hong Kong back to China
1497- 1997 AD
Napoleonic Empire
France
1802 – 1815 AD
Followed the French Revolution
Birth of “National Armies”
All of Europe combined to defeat Napoleon
Russian Empire
The Romanov family dynasty
Champion of Christian “Orthodoxy” after
Byzantine empire falls
Ends with the assassination of the Romanovs in 1918
Last of the Great European Autocracies
1547 – 1917 AD
Hitler’s “Third Reich”
1933-1945
Re-unite ‘German’ territories lost in World War I
Obtain “living space” in the East for Germans
Defeated by Armies from Soviet Union, USA,
Great Britain, France….and a good chunk of the
rest of the world
Warsaw Pact vs - NATO
1945 - 1991
The “COLD WAR” was between
The Soviet Union and Eastern European Countries
WARSAW PACT
Against
The United States and West European Countries
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION
Communism vs Capitalism
European Union
1993 to present
Formed following World War II to:
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Avoid future “World Wars”
Foster Economic Cooperation
From 6 countries (1951) to 22 countries (2013)
UK just voted to leave – will exit by 2019
• Why would countries NOT want to be tied to the EU
(Switzerland/Norway/UK)?