The British CommonwealthThe British Commonwealth

Wealth of a Nation

Why could Britain gain Why could Britain gain coloniescolonies

# 1 Belief in mercantilismmercantilism – the wealth and power of a nation

depends upon how much gold it posses. ( this came from Aztecs and Incas)

•

For nations that did not control gold mines

a. they avoid spending gold for raw materials

b. established a market for the finished goods produced at home

This led to abusing colonies

This led to abusing This led to abusing coloniescolonies• Strict laws forbidding American colonies to

trade with any country except Great Britain• American colonies could not produce

anything that was produced in Great Britain

• The American Revolution was a protest against mercantilism

• Adam Smith urged Britain to abandon mercantilism for free trade

Why could Britain gain Why could Britain gain coloniescolonies

• # 2 Geography 1. Britain was kept

safe from invaders and their Navy had been built since Alfred

2. The British Isles were a strategic position in trade routes between East and west.

• # 3 Industrial Revolution• # 4 Organizational Philosophy • Home office controls from England• Governor later replaced by viceroy• The East India Co. was replaced by

the English army to control colonies• Whiteman's burden (Rudyard

Kippling) duty of the white man to westernize 3rd world nations

Why could Britain gain Why could Britain gain coloniescolonies

• Take up the White Man's burden--Send forth the best ye breed--Go bind your sons to exileTo serve your captives' need;To wait in heavy harness,On fluttered folk and wild--Your new-caught, sullen peoples,Half-devil and half-child.

Take up the White Man's burden--In patience to abide,To veil the threat of terrorAnd check the show of pride;By open speech and simple,An hundred times made plainTo seek another's profit,And work another's gain.

•Take up the White Man's burden--The savage wars of peace--Fill full the mouth of FamineAnd bid the sickness cease;And when your goal is nearestThe end for others sought,Watch sloth and heathen FollyBring all your hopes to nought.

Take up the White Man's burden--No tawdry rule of kings,But toil of serf and sweeper--The tale of common things.The ports ye shall not enter,The roads ye shall not tread,Go mark them with your living,And mark them with your dead.

White Man's burdenWhite Man's burden

• Take up the White Man's burden--And reap his old reward:The blame of those ye better,The hate of those ye guard--The cry of hosts ye humour(Ah, slowly!) toward the light:--"Why brought he us from bondage,Our loved Egyptian night?"

Take up the White Man's burden--Ye dare not stoop to less--Nor call too loud on FreedomTo cloke your weariness;By all ye cry or whisper,By all ye leave or do,The silent, sullen peoplesShall weigh your gods and you.

•Take up the White Man's burden--Have done with childish days--The lightly proferred laurel,The easy, ungrudged praise.Comes now, to search your manhoodThrough all the thankless yearsCold, edged with dear-bought wisdom,The judgment of your peers

• 1st 1600-1783 (American Revolution)• 2nd (1783 –1914 WW1) The British

change their policy after they lose American Revolution –still influenced ¼ of all nations by 1914

2 British 2 British EmpiresEmpires

IrelanIrelandd• Darkest spot in

the Empire• England feared it

may be used by their enemies

IrelandIreland• England forced the

Irish Catholics to give support of Protestant church

( Penal laws)

Northern Ireland ends up Protestant –mostly Scottish weavers

Southern Ireland ends up Catholic mostly farmers

IrelandIreland• Oliver Cromwell gave away much Irish land

• By 1820 Daniel O'Connell tries to free Catholics from Protestants

• There were many attempts to break away from England including the 1916 Easter Rebellion. Most were defeated

IrelandIreland• Many Irish come to America in 1848 following a Potato famine

• Ireland left the British Commonwealth in 1949, but Ireland struggled through the late 20th century over religion.

Notice strange growths

on potato famine

CanadCanadaa

• French dominate Canada in the 15th and 16th century –called it New France

• Britain wins Canada in 1763 from French and Indian War British promised the French they could keep their own customs- thus Quebec today is still French

• Canada became a dominion after 1938

AustraliaAustralia• 170 James Cook claimed the South East coast and it served as criminal colony for debtors

• Shepherding was the major industry until gold was discovered in 1851 –larger find than the one in the US and the rush there was larger too

• The interior is not settled –rough terrain

• Grew into 5 colonies and a commonwealth

• Can you name them ?

AustraliaAustralia

AustraliaAustralia1. New South Wales2. Queens land3. South Australia4. Northern Territory5. Western Australia

New New ZealandZealand• Cook claimed this

for England• Several wars with

the Maori tribes to conquer the island

• Found by Abel Tasman Tasman 1700’s

• 1893 First to give woman voting rights

• A dominion also

South AfricaSouth Africa• The Dutch (Boers) 1795 1st republic –conquered by British

• Boers is Dutch for farmers

• And do not mix well with British

• The Dutch were forced to move land on the Great Trek in 1835 and end up with several wars against African natives including Zulus

• The Dutch established two independent

• Boer republics• 1. Transvaal- gold

found• 2. Orange Free State –

found diamonds• Hundreds of British

prospectors pour into the republic

• The Boers could not move again

South South AfricaAfrica

South AfricaSouth Africa• 1899-1902 Boer War

The British WinCecil Rhodes became a

multi millionaire from the diamond industry and had became the Head of the English Cape Colony before the Boer War

Today the Rhodes scholarship is named for him

South South AfricaAfrica

• In 1910 The British merged Transvaal Orange (Dutch) with 2 British colonies Cape Colony and Natal and this all became

• South AfricaSouth Africa

South South AfricaAfrica

• The Dutch Boer farmers eventually picked up the language of Africans and it fused together thus many Dutch Boers became Afrikaners

• AFRIKANERS took control of South Africa and instituted a policy of apartheid

AfrikanerAfrikanerss

• The policy of Apartheid grew in big cities like Johannesburg and outside of the cities non white townships like Soweto became separate areas.

The End

India, the American India, the American Colonies and ChinaColonies and China

• These areas have been covered earlier and are an integral part of the British Commonwealth.