Starter quiz
- Which word describes the British colony in southern Africa?
- 'Cape Colony' ✓
- Which word describes a member of the Dutch population which settled in southern Africa in the late 17th century?
- 'Boer' ✓
- Why did Britain invade parts of southern Africa between 1860 and 1890?
- silver and oil were discovered
- rubber and coal were discovered
- gold and diamonds were discovered ✓
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- Which of the following were tactics used by the British against the Boers?
- concentration camps to detain Boer civilians ✓
- scorched earth policy ✓
- rounds of negotiation talks
- justified their invasion using Social Darwinism ✓
- chemical warfare
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- Which treaty was passed in 1902 to end the Boer Wars?
- the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
- the Treaty of Paris
- the Treaty of Versailles
- the Treaty of Vereeniging ✓
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- Which of these social reforms were introduced following the Boer Wars?
- the provision of free and compulsory education ✓
- the introduction of the National Health Service (NHS)
- the establishment of a national health insurance system ✓
- the provision of free university tuition for all
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Exit quiz
- Which word describes the process by which we analyse and explain past events?
- 'interpretation' ✓
- Which term is used to describe a source's background?
- 'provenance' ✓
- Why are contemporary cartoons useful sources for a historian studying the expansion of the British Empire?
- show popular styles of drawing at the time
- provide insights into the political, social and economic landscape at the time ✓
- depict the activities and impacts of the empire's expansion ✓
- show popular magazines and newspapers at the time
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- Complete the sentence: Some historians argue that the expansion of empire did have some ______ impacts, particularly in India.
- 'positive' ✓
- Match each element of source provenance with the correct description.
- nature⇔What type of source is it, e.g. cartoon, newspaper article, letter? ✓
- origin⇔In what historical context was it created? ✓
- purpose⇔Why was the source created, for what audience? ✓
- Which of the following examples would a historian who is presenting a negative view of empire point to?
- impact on Britain culturally
- infrastructure and administrative development in the colonies
- long-term consequences for the colonies ✓
- exploitation and mistreatment of indigenous populations ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Historians draw upon a range of sources and interpretations to study the expansion of the British Empire.
- Sources may tell us different things about the expansion of empire depending on their provenance.
- Some historians argue that the expansion of empire did have some positive impacts, particularly in India.
- Many historians criticise the British for the cruel and violent treatment of indigenous peoples in the colonies.
Common misconception
All British sources on imperial expansion were positive.
Not all British sources on imperial expansion were positive. There was nuance due to British awareness of the realities of empire. However, British sources are more likely to be positive in outlook regarding British imperial expansion.
Keywords
Interpretation - the process by which we analyse and explain past events
Provenance - a term used to describe a source's background; its nature, origin and purpose
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