5 Reading: The British Empire FAQ a) Read the text about the British Empire. Some parts are missing. Choose the correct part (A–L) for each gap (1–9). There are two extra parts that you should not use. Write your answers in the boxes provided. The first one (0) has been done for you. How big was the British Empire? At its height in the 19th century the British Empire was the largest in world history, … 0 , hence the expression “The sun never sets on the British Empire”. It was also the world’s most important global power. Ever since the first British colony was established in Jamestown (America) in 1607, the Empire kept changing as Britain gained … 1 . At different times it included large areas of North America, Australia, Africa and Asia. How did such a small country come to rule so much territory? Britain was a more powerful and wealthier nation than many other European countries and conquered indigenous peoples with its well-organised army and navy. In addition, rapid technological advances in the 19th century supported expansion. … 2 meant that Britain had a more promising perspective than local peoples who did not have access to such things. What were the motives behind Britain’s expansion? The motives behind Britain’s expansion were diverse. They included: • trade – the desire to benefit British companies and secure significant trade routes, e.g. the British-owned East India Company had a monopoly on trade with Asia, • economics – the desire to become the richest nation, • politics – … 3 , as can be seen with the so-called “scramble for Africa” at the end of the 19th century, • ambition – Sir James Fitzjames Stephen (1829–1894) wrote that the Raj, the British rule over India, was “founded not on consent but on conquest”, • religion – the desire to spread Christianity, • adventure and curiosity – the longing to explore and learn about new countries and peoples. What changes did the Empire bring about? The British Empire is often said to have been liberal. It was guided by the principle that colonial government was introduced for the good of the subject peoples, … 4 . Many empire builders thus tried to improve the welfare of the indigenous peoples, giving them better medical care than before, most appropriate legal, education and transport systems, and tried to eliminate practices that they considered barbaric, e.g. cannibalism and slavery. On the other hand, the British often arrogantly considered the indigenous peoples to be “children” who needed to be “educated”. Whilst those like the author Rudyard Kipling, who spent years in India, understood that “East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet”, … 5 . So the indigenous peoples not only endured the loss of their lands, but also their culture and were met with discrimination and prejudice. Why did the Empire decline? The First and Second World Wars not only led to a decline in Britain’s wealth and prestige … 6 . After the wars, the British were more interested in rebuilding their own country than in concentrating on far-away places. They were also beginning to realise that it was no longer feasible to run such a large empire. The dominions (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Irish Free State and South Africa) had already officially been given the power to rule themselves by the Statute of Westminster in 1931, … 7 . This set an example to which many other colonies Fact file The British Empire The British Empire includes all territories ruled by the United Kingdom that had originally been overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was the largest empire in history. By 1922, the British Empire had a population of about 458 million people, which was 25 per cent of the world’s population at the time. It covered more than 33,670,000 km2, approximately a quarter of the Earth’s total land area. As a result, it had widespread influence on our world in politics, language and culture. F 3 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 64 Globalisation Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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