Who benefited from the British Empire the most?

Britain in the Nineteenth Century was the largest international creditor and in 1913 some 40\% of all foreign investment was British. Most of this would have gone to the USA, the Dominions and Argentina, but India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and African states benefited.

How did Britain benefit from the British Empire?

Trade improved with British East India Company transporting spices, cotton and tea. The slave trade made Britain rich. They traded sugar cane, tea, silk, paintings, art, jewels, sugar,cotton, perfumes and tobacco. The British Empire grew the British economy, it traded their goods and all profits were sent to Britain.

What did the British Empire achieve?

By 1913 the British Empire held sway over 412 million people, 23 per cent of the world population at the time, and by 1920 it covered 35,500,000 km2 (13,700,000 sq mi), 24 percent of the Earth’s total land area. As a result, its constitutional, legal, linguistic, and cultural legacy is widespread.

Did the British Empire do anything good?

Was the British empire a force for good or not? The British empire brought many changes to many people and many countries. Some of these changes involved innovations in medical care, education and railways. The British empire fought to abolish slavery in the 1800s, but it profited from slavery in the 1700s.

What made the British Empire rich?

The key factor in the development of the Empire however, was the demand for sugar. Britain became the world capital of money. On London’s trading floors, speculators bought and sold commodities from all corners of the Empire.

How did the British Empire get so big?

In the 16th Century, Britain began to build its empire – spreading the country’s rule and power beyond its borders through a process called ‘imperialism’. This brought huge changes to societies, industries, cultures and the lives of people all around the world.

How did the British Empire affect the world?

The Empire brought blood and suffering to millions, but it also brought railways, roads and education. For good or ill, much of the world is the way it is today because of the Empire, from the way it looks, to the sports people play, from the religion we practise, to the language we speak.

How did Britain benefit from India?

As well as spices, jewels and textiles, India had a huge population. They regimented India’s manpower as the backbone of their military power. Indian troops helped the British control their empire, and they played a key role in fighting for Britain right up to the 20th century.

How was Great Britain so powerful?

There is no doubt that Britain was powerful. It used its wealth, its armies and its navy to defeat rival European countries and to conquer local peoples to establish its empire. In most of the empire Britain relied heavily on local people to make it work.

Why did Britain lose the empire?

The empire changed throughout its history. The First and Second World Wars left Britain weakened and less interested in its empire. Also many parts of the empire contributed troops and resources to the war effort and took an increasingly independent view. This led to a steady decline of the empire after 1945.

Why was the British Empire so important to the world?

The British Empire enabled Britain to harvest virtually every major resource on the planet, from coal to oil to rubber and (especially) India cotton that were so vital for its industries, or like coffee, tea, and spices could be consumed by them or sold on to other country. It also provided a valuable source of food.

What type of government did the British Empire have?

For much of its imperial lifetime, Britain operated under a democratic parliamentary system of government, which was transmitted to (and is largely retained in now independent) countries under its control – likewise for common law, and the usage of the English language.

How did the Industrial Revolution affect the British Empire?

In the early 19th century, the Industrial Revolution began to transform Britain; so that by the time of the Great Exhibition in 1851, the country was described as the “workshop of the world”. The British Empire expanded to include most of India, large parts of Africa and many other territories throughout the world.

What happened to the British Empire after the American Revolution?

The American War of Independence resulted in Britain losing some of its oldest and most populous colonies in North America by 1783. British attention then turned towards Asia, Africa, and the Pacific.