Study Guides

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 recall that in the mid 20th century, decolonisation and nationalist movements took place across the British Empire.

Key Notes

• Britain had emerged from the Second World War as a diminished power, reliant on America.
• After the Second World War, a wave of nationalist movements took place in the colonies.
• India gained its independence from Britain in 1947 which led to the partition of India and Pakistan.
• In 1948, Palestine was partitioned into two separate independent states: Israel and Palestine.
• In the 1960s, independence was granted to many of Britain's African and Caribbean colonies.

Vocabulary To Learn

• nationalism: nationalism is the support for the political independence of a country
• decolonise: to decolonise is to withdraw from a colony, leaving it independent
• partition: to partition is to divide into parts
• Commonwealth: the Commonwealth is an international organisation consisting of states which once belonged to the British Empire

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• The effects of decolonisation were positive for countries newly independent from the British Empire.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Commemoration and contestation of the British Empire Study Guide
• Imperial anxiety and celebration of Empire Study Guide
• Imperial decline Study Guide
• New imperial history Study Guide
• The Great Exhibition and the British Empire Study Guide