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1、 2.3 Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions,colonies,protectorates,mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom.originated with the overseas possessions and trading was the largest empire in history was the foremost global power (by 1922)the British Empire he
2、ld sway over about one-fifth of the worlds population and covered a quarter of the Earths total land area the empire on which the sun never sets The British Empire First British Empire(15831783)Second British Empire(17831815)Britains imperial century(18151914)Part 1 Origin(14971583)The foundations o
3、f the British Empire were laid when England and Scotland were separate kingdoms.In 1496 King Henry VII of England commissioned John Cabot to lead a voyage to discover a route to Asia via the North Atlantic.In 1562,the English Crown encouraged the privateers John Hawkins and Francis Drake to engage i
4、n slave-raiding attacks against Spanish and Portuguese ships,with the aim of breaking into the Atlantic trade system,which was rebuffed.Neighboring counrties:Spain had become the dominant power in the Americas and was exploring the Pacific Ocean,Portugal had established trading posts and forts from
5、the coasts of Africa and Brazil to China,and France had begun to settle the Saint Lawrence River area,later to become New France.Part 2 First British Empire(15831783)In 1583,Humphrey Gilbert embarked on a second attempt to the island of Newfoundland whose harbour he formally claimed for England.In 1
6、603,James I negotiated the Treaty of London,ending hostilities with Spain.The attention shifted from preying on other nations colonial infrastructures to the business of establishing its own overseas colonies.The British Empire began to take shape during the early 17th century,with the English settl
7、ement of North America and the smaller islands of the Caribbean.Private companies were established to administer colonies and overseas trade,and among them,the most notable is the English East India Company.Convicts were transfered to the American colonies since 1718.Britian was forced to find an al
8、ternative location after the loss of the 13 Colonies in 1783 The British government turned to the newly discovered lands of Australia to keep its convicts.The Australian colonies became profitable exporters of wool and gold because of gold rushes in the colony of Victoria.In 1770,James Cook claimed
9、the North and South islands of Newzealand for the British crown in 1769 and 1770 respectively.Part 3 Rise of the Second British Empire(17831815)Around 26,000,000km2 of territory and roughly 400 million people were added to the British Empire in this period.Victory over Napoleon left Britain without
10、any serious international rival.Unchallenged at sea,Britain adopted the role of global policeman,a state of affairs later known as the Pax Britannica.Britains dominant position in world trade meant that it effectively controlled the economies of many countries,such as China,Argentina and Siam.Part 4
11、 Britains imperial century(18151914)At the beginning of the 20th century,other countries began to compete with Britain for world control.After World War I and the worldwide economic crisis,Britain was badly hit.During the Second World War,many cities in Britain suffered a great deal from the bombing.More than one fourth of the national wealth was lost during the years of war.Its former colonies became independent from the empire one after another The British Empire became completely broken up.Part 5 the Fall of the Empire