THE U.K
The British Empire
The system of triangle trading
- British involvement with triangular trade began with the colonization of America in 1607
and West Indies in 1623
- Triangular trade refers to trade among three ports or regions and countries
- Best known is transatlantic trade that carried manufactured goods, raw materials, cash crops
and slaves
- Slave trade started in 1501
The British Empire in 1750
- Fueled by Industrial Revolution, Britain’s trade grew enormously as it gained control over
many parts of the world
- wish for expansion + need for raw materials during IR series of overseas wars among
several European countries
- British trading companies: the East India Company, Virginia Company, Jamestown colony
- many colonies began as trading centres or were founded to protect a trade route, and were
run for profit of the mother country
- India was controlled for many years by East India Company and placed under direct control
of British government
The British Empire in 1900
- Policy of imperialism
- British Empire was at its largest and most powerful around 1920, when about 25% of the
world’s population lived under British rule
- Britain as one of the greatest economic and political powers in the world
- Said to be the empire „on which the sun never sets“
- It was thought to be a moral obligation and destiny to govern poorer, less advanced
countries and to pass on European culture to native inhabitants („white man’s burden“)
- Great influence of foreign ideas, especially from India
Function of the colonies: exploitation of sources of raw material and market for
manufactured good; British were in absolute control of colonies
The End of the Empire
- Anti-colonial movements in the colonies, demanding independence
- GB was left bankrupt after war and less interested in its empire independence was
granted to some colonies to ease financial strain on Britain
- India became independent in 1948
