Why did the British become empire builders?

?
View mindmap
  • Why did the british become empire builders?
    • Power
      • The British government became rich by taxing the profits of the British traders
      • The British thought they were morally superior to the natives
      • Britain wanted to rule the world
      • The colonies had to buy their goods
      • There was much pride in Britain's achievements and empire
    • Religion
      • The African's were godless and many carried out strange (to whites) ceremonies.
      • Christian missionaries were sent out to every part of the empire
      • "Go ye therefore and teach all nations" this is what most Christians believed
    • Education
      • Many Brits wanted and felt there was a need to civilise the native people
      • Britain wanted to export its language, laws and customs for economic, religious and cultural reasons
      • Botanists and explorers were supported by the Royal Geographical society
    • Exploration
      • Many young men were bored with the daily grind in Britain and were keen to travel.
      • The empire was exciting and interesting with new lands, people and cultures
      • Captain Cook wanted to discover new lands
    • Employment
      • Britain had 6,000 traders and 10,000 seamen
      • Australia and Canada would be useful in solving the unemployment problems in Britain
      • Some imports from the colonies started new industries in Britain eg coffee, chocolate industries
    • Military
      • The empire could provide ports for the Royal Navy
      • The population of the empire could provide for thousands of men for the British army
      • The Royal Navy was the largest in the world
      • The Indian civil service and the army provided plenty of job opportunities
    • Trade
      • Britain was the workshop of the world producing most of the goods needed and desired by the western world
      • Raw materials from the colonies could be processed in Britain
      • Britain was a net importer of food by the eighteenth century
        • Colonies offered cheap natural resources. Britain owned both the land and resources from it
      • Meat, wool, silk, spices, gold, rice, chocolate, diamonds were all produced by different parts of the  empire
        • Sugar could be imported from the Empire and then sold to Holland and Germany
        • British merchants were importing goods from all over the world
        • Britain exported £141 million worth of goods in 1842
          • Lancashire cotton mills depended on the Indian market

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all Why did the British become empire builders? resources »