EMPIRES!
SS6H6b Trace the empires of Portugal, Spain,
England, and France in Asia, Africa, and the
Americas.
4 Reasons for Empires
1. 15th century (1400s) major trade routes and
goods from Asia to Europe went through 2
major Italian cities – Venice & Genoa.
2. These cities marked up prices and sold goods
to the rest of Europe.
3. Portugal, Spain, France, & Great Britain were
jealous.
4. Since Italy controlled the Mediterranean Sea,
they looked for another route to Asia.
Portuguese Empire
1415-1999
Portuguese Empire
• Earliest modern European empire
• Lasted for centuries
• Started with Prince Henry the Navigator
– He sent explorers to find routes to Asia around
Africa
• Dias discovered Cape of Good Hope
• da Gama sailed to India
• Most profitable colony was Brazil
Spanish Empire
1492-1898
Spanish Empire
• Hoped to find route to Asia across Atlantic
Ocean
– Sent Christopher Columbus who “discovered”
Americas
• One of largest empires in history
• Conquered Inca and Aztec civilizations
• Claimed large areas of N. & S. America – ruled
for 300 years
• Empire stretched to Asia – controlled
Philippines
British Empire
British Empire
• Largest empire in history
• Controlled Canada, Australia, most of E. Africa, &
many islands
• Controlled North America until 1776
– U.S. became independent
– Canada did not
• By 1920s ¼ of world’s people were under British
control
• After WWII most of Britain’s territories/colonies
became independent
• Great Britain = England, Scotland, & Wales
French Empire
1534-1970
French Empire
• 1600s-1900s – 2nd largest empire in the world
• During Napoleon I’s reign, controlled most of
Europe
• Controlled most of Germany, Spain, Italy,
islands in the Caribbean Sea, Indian Ocean,
Pacific, and North Atlantic, parts of Canada,
South America, SE Asia, & NW Africa
U.K. Colonizes Australia
• 1st Europeans to Australia 1606 – sailed from
Europe along w. African coast to Cape of Good
Hope, then east across Indian Ocean.
• 1770: Capt. James Cook (British) sailed ship
Endeavor & claimed east Australian coast –
called it “New South Wales”
• 1788 – Britain colonized Australia because U.S.
became independent (before – British sent
prisoners to Georgia – now sent them to
Australia)
4 Reasons British Colonized
Australia
1. Relieve overcrowding of British jails
2. Wanted its navy stationed in southern
hemisphere
3. Wanted economic base to expand trade
4. Did not want rivals (especially French) to
colonize Australia
CRCT Test Prep pp. 158-160
• Read and answer questions.