Year 9 - History
Commemoration and contestation of the British Empire
Interpreting the British Empire: how has it been commemorated and contested?
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn about how the British Empire was viewed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They analyse how imperial anxiety, decline, and decolonisation have all led to changes in its historiography.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how and why perspectives regarding the British Empire have changed over time and that historians still debate the impacts of the Empire today.
Key Notes
- Perspectives on British Empire have changed over time.
- In the 19th century, the Empire was celebrated in Britain and seen as a source of pride.
- Many contemporary historians view the impact of the British Empire negatively.
- Many historians have revised interpretations of Empire to include the perspectives of the colonised.
- The theory of postcolonialism argues that the impacts of colonialism are still felt today.
Vocabulary To Learn
- empire: an empire is a group of countries or provinces ruled from the centre by another person or group of people
- imperial: something relating to empire is known as imperial
- historiography: historiography is the study of the writing of history and of written history
- postcolonialism: postcolonialism is a theoretical approach that is concerned with the impact of colonisation in colonies and former colonies
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Historians have finished debating the legacy of the British Empire.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Perspectives on British Empire have changed over time. In the 19th century, the Empire was celebrated in Britain and seen as a source of pride.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'empire'
an empire is a group of countries or provinces ruled from the centre by another person or group of people.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Historians have finished debating the legacy of the British Empire. Correction: Historians continue to debate the legacy of the British Empire as new information emerges.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 9 History guide library.