Starter quiz
- Which event in 1688 marked a significant turning point in British history, leading to political stability that allowed for empire expansion?
- The Restoration of the Monarchy
- The Glorious Revolution ✓
- The English Civil War
- The Act of Union
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- What was the primary motivation for many people emigrating from England to the American colonies before the end of the 17th century?
- Religious freedom and economic opportunity ✓
- Exploration and adventure
- Escaping the plague
- Seeking gold and silver
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- By 1688, England had established a colony in ______ based on the cultivation of tobacco, which became highly profitable.
- 'Virginia' ✓
- Which private company was granted a monopoly on trade with India by Queen Elizabeth I?
- The British West India Company
- The Royal African Company
- The East India Company ✓
- The Virginia Company
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- The first English colony in the Caribbean, established by privateers and later supported by the English monarchy, was in...
- 'Jamaica' ✓
- Which law (or set of laws) passed by the English government was designed to control colonial trade and ensure that economic benefits flowed back to England?
- The Sugar Act
- The Navigation Acts ✓
- The Stamp Act
- The Quartering Act
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Exit quiz
- Which significant event in 1707 contributed to the unification of the United Kingdom, aiding in its global expansion?
- The Glorious Revolution
- The Act of Union ✓
- The Industrial Revolution
- The Seven Years War
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- By 1815, which commodity had become the single largest import into Britain, significantly influencing British culture and consumption habits?
- Tobacco
- Cotton
- Sugar ✓
- Coffee
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- The ______ Revolution was a period of rapid industrial growth that transformed Britain’s economy and contributed to its rise as a global empire.
- 'Industrial' ✓
- Which British company played a major role in expanding British control in India after the collapse of the Mughal Empire?
- The Virginia Company
- The East India Company ✓
- The British South Africa Company
- The Hudson's Bay Company
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- Britain’s victory in the ______ War, considered the first global conflict, solidified its position as the dominant world power by 1763.
- 'Seven Years' ✓
- Which technological innovation helped improve navigation for the Royal Navy, contributing to Britain's naval superiority?
- The steam engine
- The chronometer ✓
- The compass
- The sextant
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Britain's population, now incorporating Scotland and Ireland, had risen to 12 million, many of whom worked in industry.
- Britain had gone through a consumer revolution and had become the world’s first mass consumer society.
- Britain had gained additional territories in America, the Caribbean, Africa and India, and trade had flourished.
- Before abolition in 1807, Britain had been the largest carrier of enslaved people to the Americas.
- Britain had developed the Royal Navy which played a key role in establishing Britain as the dominant world power
Common misconception
Empire was always about conquest.
In fact, empire was often an ad-hoc private affair. For example, the East India Company had taken control over large parts of India - an expansion driven by opportunistic officials largely acting independently of the British government.
Keywords
Private - controlled or paid for by a person or company and not by the government
Consumer society - a society in which people can afford to buy non-essential goods
Imports - goods brought in from another country
Exports - goods sold to another country
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