Year 8 - History
Britain's Empire at the end of the 'long eighteenth century'
The British Empire: why did it grow in the 17th and 18th centuries?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils develop overview knowledge of why the British Empire grew in the 17th and 18th centuries. They learn about the state of Britain's empire at the beginning and end of the 'long eighteenth century' before analysing differing historians' arguments about why it grew.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe how Britain and its empire had changed by 1815.
Key Notes
- Britain's population, now incorporating Scotland and Ireland, had risen to 12 million, many of whom worked in industry.
- Britain had gone through a consumer revolution and had become the world's first mass consumer society.
- Britain had gained additional territories in America, the Caribbean, Africa and India, and trade had flourished.
- Before abolition in 1807, Britain had been the largest carrier of enslaved people to the Americas.
- Britain had developed the Royal Navy which played a key role in establishing Britain as the dominant world power
Vocabulary To Learn
- private: controlled or paid for by a person or company and not by the government
- consumer society: a society in which people can afford to buy non-essential goods
- imports: goods brought in from another country
- exports: goods sold to another country
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Empire was always about conquest.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Britain's population, now incorporating Scotland and Ireland, had risen to 12 million, many of whom worked in industry. Britain had gone through a consumer revolution and had become the world's first mass consumer society.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'private'
controlled or paid for by a person or company and not by the government.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Empire was always about conquest. Correction: In fact, empire was often an ad-hoc private affair. For example, the East India Company had taken control over large parts of India - an expansion driven by opportunistic officials largely acting independently of the British government.
More Lessons In This Unit
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