View source for British Empire

{{Infobox country
| native_name            = '''British Empire'''
*{{lang-sco|Breetish Empire}}
*{{lang-gd|Ìmpireachd Bhreatainn}}
*{{lang-ga|Impireacht na Breataine}}
*{{lang-cy|Yr Ymerodraeth Brydeinig}}
*{{lang-kw|Emperoureth Breten Veur}}
| name                   = 
| image_flag             = Flag of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg
| image_flag2            = Flag of the United Kingdom (1-2).svg
| flag_type              = [[Union Flag]] ''or'' Union Jack<br/>Left: [[Acts of Union 1707|1707–1801]]; Right: [[Act of Union 1800|1801–present]]
| image_map              = [[File:The British Empire.png|300px]]
| map_caption            = All areas of the world that were ever part of the British Empire. Current [[British Overseas Territories]] have their names underlined in red.
<!--Do not add extra information to infobox - it deliberately only contains the flag and map. Do not add countries to the map that are not considered part of the British Empire by reliable sources.-->| demonym                = [[Briton]], [[British]]
}}

The '''British Empire''' was the largest empire in history and, for a century, was the foremost global power. The British Empire included the [[dominion]]s, [[Crown colony|colonies]], [[protectorate]]s, [[League of Nations mandate|mandates]], and other [[Dependent territory|territories]].

The Empire started with [[Kingdom of England|England's]] overseas possessions in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It grew into the largest empire the world has ever known during the 19th and early 20th centuries.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/empirerisedemise0000ferg|title=Empire : the rise and demise of the British world order and the lessons for global power|last=Ferguson|first=Niall|date=2003|publisher=New York : Basic Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-465-02328-8}}</ref>

The British Empire was the first of the European powers to ban [[slavery]], and used the [[Royal Navy]] to suppress the Atlantic slave trade by the [https://wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Africa_Squadron West Africa Squadron].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Walvin|first=James|date=2012|title=Why Did the British Abolish the Slave Trade? Econocide Revisited|url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0144039X.2011.625777|journal=Slavery & Abolition|language=en|volume=32|issue=4|pages=583–588|doi=10.1080/0144039X.2011.625777|s2cid=145248305 |issn=0144-039X}}</ref>

By 1922, more than 458 million people lived in the colonies and territory of the British Empire. This was more than one fifth of the world's population at that time. The Empire was larger than 33,700,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (13,012,000 sq mi), almost a quarter of the Earth's total land area.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The world economy: a millennial perspective. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|url=https://archive.org/details/worldeconomymill0000madd|last=Maddison|first=Angus|year=2001|isbn=92-64-18608-5|location=|pages=[https://archive.org/details/worldeconomymill0000madd/page/98 98]|publisher=Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development }}</ref> The British Empire's large influence left a mark on many aspects of the modern world: constitutional, [[Law|legal]], [[Linguistics|linguistic]], and [[Cultural heritage|cultural legacies]]. Called "the Empire on which the Sun never sets"' it stood as a sign of British strength and dominance across the globe.

The Age of Discovery saw [[Portuguese Empire|Portugal]] and [[Spanish Empire|Spain]] carving vast empires. This sparked England to create its own colonies and trade networks.<ref name=":0" /> England, [[Kingdom of France|France]], and the [[Dutch Empire|Netherlands]] sought to harvest wealth and resources in the [[Americas]] and [[Asia]], with Britain eventually emerging as the dominate [[Colonialism|colonial power]] in [[North America]] and the [[Indian subcontinent]].

In the 19th century, Britain's naval and imperial might surged to new heights, starting a period of prosperity and peace known as [[Pax Britannica]]. The combination of trade from factories (the [[industrial revolution]]) and shipping guarded by a navy, was the basis of wealth.

Controlling a significant portion of world trade, Britain wielded economic influence over regions such as Asia and [[Latin America]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=The nineteenth century|date=2009|publisher=Oxford Univ. Press|isbn=978-0-19-924678-6|editor-last=Porter|editor-first=Andrew N.|edition=2nd|series=The Oxford history of the British Empire / Wm. Roger Louis, ed.-in chief|location=Oxford|editor-last2=Louis|editor-first2=William Roger}}</ref> Some colonies earned greater autonomy, becoming Dominions.

While challenges emerged as the 20th century dawned, Britain's spirit endured. Even in the face of increased competition from [[German Empire|Germany]] and the [[United States]] in the early 20th century, the Empire's legacy endured, shaping the course of world history.

[[World War I]] weakened the Empire, and [[World War II]] accelerated this decline.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Britain's imperial century, 1815 - 1914: a study of Empire and expansion |url=https://archive.org/details/britainsimperial0000hyam |last=Hyam|first=Ronald|date=1976|publisher=Batsford|isbn=978-0-7134-3089-9|location=London}}</ref> Also, the ideas of mechanization and manufacture were becoming well known. Other countries could do this, too. Labour costs in (for example) [[China]] were much lower than they were in Britain. It is possible that without [[World War II|WWII]] Britain would still have been in control of manufacturing in large parts of the world. But WWII did happen, and one consequence was the dominance of the United States and China.

[[Decolonization]] movements emerged in the post-war era, leading to the granting of independence to many territories, including those in the [[Indian subcontinent]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=The British Empire: 1558 - 1995|last=Lloyd|first=Trevor Owen|date=2003|publisher=Oxford Univ. Pr|isbn=978-0-19-873134-4|edition=2. ed., reprinted|series=Short Oxford history of the modern world|location=Oxford}}</ref> Yet, the British Empire's influence endures, connecting former colonies and dominions in the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], with many sharing the bond of a common monarch, now [[Charles III|King Charles III]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=About us|url=https://thecommonwealth.org/about-us|access-date=2023-08-11|website=Commonwealth|language=en}}</ref>

When Britain gave [[Hong Kong]] back to [[China]] on 1 July 1997, it marked the effective end of the British Empire. Britain still has some [[overseas territories]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=A history of Hong Kong|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofhongkon00fran|last=Welsh|first=Frank|date=1997|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-00-638871-5|edition=rev.|location=London}}</ref>

== New empire ==
When the [[Thirteen Colonies]] became [[Independence|independent]] in the [[American Revolutionary War|American War of Independence]], the British Empire lost some of its oldest and most important colonies. But it kept colonies in what are now [[Canada]] and [[Florida]], as well as the [[Caribbean]]. It still had colonies and businesses in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific too. After defeating [[First French Empire|Napoleonic France]] in 1815, Britain became the world's only [[superpower]] for more than a century. The Empire became even larger.

The Empire continued to expand during the 19th century. The Empire would force the Chinese to give them the island of Hong Kong after the [[Opium Wars]] during the middle of the 19th century. During the [[Scramble for Africa]], Britain gained much of Africa, especially in the south.

By the start of the 20th century, the economies of [[German Empire|Germany]] and the [[United States]] had begun catching up to Britain, especially in their [[industrialisation]]. Britain allowed Canada, [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and [[South Africa]] to be "self-governing dominions" by the time of the [[First World War]]. They could create their own laws in most matters, and became independent countries in 1931.

The First World War weakened [[Europe]]. Though the British Empire had been the most powerful economy before the war, it was quickly surpassed by the [[United States]] as the greatest [[industry|industrial]] power after the war. In the [[Second World War]], [[Empire of Japan|Japan]] took the colonies of Britain and other European countries in [[Southeast Asia|South-East Asia]]. The [[Allies of World War II|allies]] eventually defeated Japan and took back their colonies, but Britain's [[wikt:prestige|prestige]] in Asia was damaged. This caused the Empire to [[wikt:decline|decline]] more quickly.<ref>Brown, Judith M. & Louis, Wm. Roger (eds) 2001. ''Oxford history of the British Empire: the twentieth century''. Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-19-924679-3}}</ref>

The [[British Raj]] included the whole of the [[Indian subcontinent]].<ref>The Raj was never a colony, because it was never intended or used as a place of settlement.</ref> The independence of the two states of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]] in 1947 was the first and most important step in [[decolonisation]]. In the following decade, Britain also gave independence to most of the territories of the British Empire. While doing this, the colonial government hid and destroyed many documents about the empire that they thought might get them in trouble.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Milmo|first=Cahal|date=2013-11-29|title=Revealed: How British Empire's dirty secrets went up in smoke in the colonies|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/revealed-how-british-empire-s-dirty-secrets-went-smoke-colonies-8971217.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-18|website=The Independent|language=en|quote=The so-called “migrated archive” details the extraordinary lengths to which the Colonial Office went to withhold information from its former subjects in at least 23 countries and territories in the 1950s and 1960s. Among the documents is a memo from London that required all secret documents held abroad to be vetted by a [[Special Branch]] or [[MI5]] liaison officer to ensure that any papers which might “embarrass” Britain or show “[[racial prejudice]] or religious bias” were destroyed or sent home.}}</ref> After the UK transferred [[Hong Kong]] back to [[China]] in 1997, the British Empire was essentially over.<ref name="Brendon-Empire-end">Brendon, Piers 2007. ''The decline and fall of the British Empire, 1781–1997''. New York: Random House, p660. {{ISBN|0-224-06222-0}}</ref><ref name="Prince-Charles-Empire-End">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4740684.stm|title=Charles' diary lays thoughts bare|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=13 December 2008 |date=22 February 2006}}</ref><ref>Brown, Judith M. 1994. ''Modern India: the origins of an Asian democracy''. Oxford University Press, p594. {{ISBN|978-0-19-873113-9}}</ref><ref name="BBC-Empire-End">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/endofempire_overview_07.shtml
|title=BBC&nbsp;– History&nbsp;– Britain, the Commonwealth and the end of Empire
|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=13 December 2008}}</ref> However, Britain still controls some [[British Overseas Territories|overseas territories]]. After they were given independence, many countries which used to be British colonies joined the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. Fifteen Commonwealth countries have the same [[head of state]], King [[Charles III]], and are [[Commonwealth realm]]s.

== Abolishing slavery  ==
The [[Slavery Abolition Act 1833|Slavery Abolition Act]] abolished slavery in the British Empire on 1 August 1834. In the territories administered by the [[East India Company]] and [[Ceylon]], slavery was ended in 1844.

Parliamentary reform in 1832 saw the influence of the East India Company decline. Under the 1833 Act, slaves were granted full [[emancipation]] after a period of four to six years of "apprenticeship".<ref>[[#refHinks|Hinks]], p.&nbsp;129.</ref> Facing further opposition from abolitionists, the apprenticeship system was abolished in 1838.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/the-slave-trade-and-abolition/sites-of-memory/ending-slavery/slavery-after-1807/|title=Slavery After 1807 {{!}} Historic England|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en|access-date=24 November 2019|quote=As a result of public pressure apprenticeships were abolished early, in 1838.}}</ref>

The British government compensated slave-owners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section XXIV|date=28 August 1833|access-date=3 June 2008}}</ref><ref name=Manning>{{Cite news|author=Sanchez Manning|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britains-colonial-shame-slave-owners-given-huge-payouts-after-abolition-8508358.html|title=Britain's colonial shame: Slave-owners given huge payouts after|date=24 February 2013|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=11 February 2018}}</ref>

== References ==
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== Other websites ==
{{wikisource}}
* [http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/British_Empire British Empire] -Citizendium

[[Category:British Empire| ]]