The British Empire - what is this state? This power, which included Great Britain and numerous colonies. The largest empire of all that has ever existed on our planet. In the old days, the territory of the British Empire occupied one quarter of all terrestrial land. True, almost a hundred years have passed since then.
When did the British Empire arise? Defining a time frame is not easy. We can say that she arose during the time of Elizabeth I, who ruled in the second half of the XVI century. It was then that England gained an excellent navy, which allowed her to become the "mistress of the seas." Nevertheless, the true history of the British Empire begins with the appearance of the first English settlement in the New World.
What allowed this power to become the largest in the world? First of all, colonization. In addition, the plantation economy and, alas, the slave trade were actively developing in the British Empire. For two centuries in the country's economy, these factors have been critical. Nevertheless, England became the state that first opposed the slave trade. So, let us consider in more detail the most important events in the history of the British Empire. Let's start with the first colonial conquests.
Challenge Spain
Christopher Columbus, as you know, long persuaded the monarchs to equip the expedition. He dreamed of reaching the countries of the East, but only Queen Isabella of Castile met support. So the Spaniards became pioneers in the development of America, who immediately subjugated vast territories. The British Empire later became the most powerful. However, she did not immediately enter the struggle for the colonies.
In the second half of the XVI century, the crown of the British Empire belonged to Elizabeth I. It was during the years of her reign that the country acquired a powerful fleet that could challenge Spain and Portugal. But for the time being, one could only dream of colonies. The question was not so much in technical capabilities as in legal aspects. Portugal and Spain divided undiscovered lands at the end of the 15th century, drawing a line from south to north through the Atlantic. Closer to the sixteenth century, the monopoly of these states finally began to provoke a murmur.
An important step in the formation of the British Empire was the so-called Moscow campaign. Captain Richard Chancellor received an audience with Ivan the Terrible. The result of this meeting was the permission of the tsar to trade English merchants in Russia. This was in those terrible times when the crown of the British Empire belonged to a Catholic who, due to her energetic struggle with heretics, received the nickname "Bloody". It is about Mary, the eldest daughter of Henry VIII.
England tried to reach the coast of China, but these attempts did not lead to anything. However, cooperation with the Russian tsars made it possible to master new trade routes to Bukhara and Persia, which brought considerable dividends. However, despite the development of trade, America was of considerable interest to the British.
English pirates
How did the British Empire begin the development of the lands of the New World? The origin of English colonization took place according to an interesting scheme. The subjects of the British Empire initially only wanted to establish trade relations with America. But the Queen of Spain did not allow them. English sailors were upset, but not at a loss. They retrained as smugglers, and then completely into pirates.
Since 1587, the Queen of England supported the ambitious aspirations of her subjects at the official level. Each of the pirates was issued a certificate of permission for robbery against representatives of hostile states. By the way, they called pirates who have a special document, privateers. A pirate is a more general concept. Privateer is the one who combined a career in the Royal Navy with robbery. Great shots were picked up. Among the mariner robbers were Francis Drake, John Davis, Martin Frobisher - people who are devoted to many pages in the annals of navigation.
First colony
Piracy by piracy, but the British Empire needed its own colonies. Why should the rich, vast lands of the New World go to the Spaniards? This question finally matured by the end of the 17th century. The founder of the first colony was Sir Walter Raleigh - a philosopher, historian, poet, favorite of the queen. The expedition leader in 1583 was his brother. Sir Raleigh himself remained in London. As a result of the storm, one of the ships crashed. However, Hilbert, the head of the English expedition, managed to get to the coast and a large fishing village (now the Canadian city of St. John). Here he saw the waving flags of various states. Gilbert immediately established the banner of the British Empire, confiscated the catch and issued several dubious laws. However, things were not going well with him. Mariners began to complain, complaining about the terrible climate. Some anchored.
Gilbert decided to return to England. However, as a result of another storm, his frigate sank. Sir Raleigh mourned his brother, and then began to prepare for a new expedition. Finally, the British managed to achieve their goal. They reached the shores of the New World, that part of it where the Spaniards had not yet been.
It had a wonderful climate, fertile soil. And most importantly, very nice and hospitable natives. Sir Raleigh decided to call this colony Virginia. However, another name has taken root - Roanoke (the territory of the northern part of the state of Carolina). The outbreak of war between the British Empire and Spain upset colonial designs. In addition, an almost mystical story occurred, indicating that the natives are not so hospitable. Lost 15 settlers. The bones of one of them were found in an aboriginal hut.
English slave trade
In 1664, the province of New Amsterdam entered the British Empire, later renamed New York. In 1681, a Pennsylvania colony was founded. The British began to develop such a profitable business as the sale of slaves around the 70s of the XVII century. The Royal African Company received monopoly rights to this type of activity. Slavery was at the heart of the economy of the British Empire.
Asia
In the 16th century, trading companies were established that exported spices from India. The first belonged to Holland, the second to the British Empire. The close contacts between Amsterdam and London and their intense competition led to a serious conflict. However, as a result, it was the British Empire in India that was entrenched firmly and for a long time. However, in the XVII century the Netherlands still held strong positions in the Asian colonies. At the beginning of the XVIII century, the British Empire managed to overtake Holland in terms of economic development.
France and England
In 1688, an agreement was concluded between Holland and the British Empire. The war, which began that year, made England a strong colonial power. At the very beginning of the XVIII century, the war against France and Spain began, the result of which was the Utrecht Peace Treaty. The British Empire expanded. After concluding a peace treaty, she received Arkady and Newfoundland. From Spain, which lost most of its possessions, it went to Menorca and Gibraltar. The latter at the beginning of the XVIII century became a powerful naval base that allowed the British Empire to control the exit to the Atlantic from the Mediterranean Sea.
War of Independence in the USA
Since 1775, the colonists fought hard for their independence. Ultimately, the British Empire had no choice but to recognize the States as an independent state. During the war, the Americans attempted to invade British Canada. However, due to the lack of support from the French-speaking colonists, they were not able to achieve their goals. Historians perceive the British loss of strategic important territories in the New World as the border between the first and second periods in the history of the British Empire. The second stage lasted until 1945. Then began the period of decolonization of the Empire.
Why India was called the pearl of the British Empire
Who owns this metaphor is not exactly known. There is a version that this phrase was first uttered by the British politician Benjamin Disraeli in the 19th century. India, without a doubt, was the richest English colony. A lot of natural resources were concentrated here, which were highly valued all over the world: silk, cotton, precious metals, tea, grain, spices. However, India brought income not only due to the abundance of natural resources. There was, besides, cheap labor.
Thirteen colonies
What does this term mean? These are colonies of the British Empire in North America. In 1776, they signed the Declaration of Independence, that is, they did not recognize the power of Great Britain. This event was preceded by the War of Independence. List of Colonies:
- Massachusetts Bay
- New Hampshire
- Colony Connecticut.
- Colony Rhode Island.
- New Jersey Province.
- New York City.
- Pennsylvania
- Colony and Dominion Virginia.
- Maryland Province.
- Colony Delaware.
- Colony Virginia.
- South Carolina Province.
- North Carolina Province.
- Georgia Province.
abolition of slavery
At the time when the debate about the abolition of serfdom was just beginning in Russia, the struggle against the slave trade was already in full swing in the British Empire. In 1807, there was a ban on the export of African slaves. Eight years later, a congress was held in Vienna, during which England proposed a final ban on the slave trade as a form of business. And soon the International Maritime Organization was established, the purpose of which was the prosecution of violators.
At the Vienna Congress, it was exclusively about the export of African slaves. That is, within the state, everyone also continued to exploit free labor. In 1823, a society against slavery was created. Ten years later, a law came into force that prohibited not only the slave trade, but slavery in all its manifestations.
East India Company
In the politics of the British Empire, the main goal for a long time was the retention of possessions in India. As already mentioned, the richest resources were concentrated here. The East India Company was the main instrument of expansion in the 19th century. And in the thirties, she developed the business of exporting opium to China. After the Chinese authorities confiscated several thousand boxes of potent drugs, the British Empire launched a campaign, which in history was called the "First Opium War."
In 1857, an uprising of hired soldiers took place in India. Around this time, the East India Company was liquidated. At the end of the 19th century, India was seized by famine caused by crop failure and poor regulation of trade duties. Killed about 15 million people.
XX century
At the beginning of the century, Germany became one of the largest military states, which the British regarded as a dangerous enemy. That is why the British Empire had to go closer to Russia and France. During World War I, England managed to consolidate its status in Cyprus, Palestine, and some regions of Cameroon.
In the period between World War I and World War II, the UK economy was strengthened by exports. Some threat posed by the States, Japan. In addition, revolutionary movements in Ireland and India developed during this period.
England had to choose between an alliance with the United States or Japan. Initially, the choice was made in favor of Japan. In 1922, the Washington Maritime Agreement was signed. However, in the thirties, militarists came to power in Japan, and therefore friendly relations with this state had to be stopped.
Great Britain played an important role in World War II. After France was occupied, the empire was formally left face to face against Nazi Germany and its allies. This continued until 1941, when the Soviet Union entered the war.
The collapse of the British Empire
It was a lengthy process that began in 1945. The British Empire became one of the winners in World War II. Nevertheless, the consequences of this grandiose armed conflict were terrifying for her. Europe was influenced by two states - the USSR and the USA. The British Empire barely managed to avoid bankruptcy. Its complete collapse as a world power was publicly demonstrated by the Suez crisis.
Most of the British colonies were located in new territories that were rented in 1898. The lease term was 99 years. The British government made unsuccessful attempts to maintain power in these lands. Yet in 1997, one of the greatest empires in the world did not become.