British empire section 1.1

Define 'Swing to the East' and who introduced this idea?

Introduced by Vincent Harlow, idea that after America's declaration of independence, British business interests were emphasised in Western hemisphere towards Africa and Asia

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Give economic reasons for why British wanted to expand into Africa?

Africa had a wide variety of natural resources such as gold, ivory, coal, timber, iron and diamonds. Britain could use the coal, iron and timber to feed the industrial revolution and the gold, ivory and diamonds could be sold, to replace wealth lost after

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What is another economic motive for expansion?

Africa was spacious which ensured room for cattle

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Give personal reasons for why British wanted to expand into Africa?

Merchant imperialists such as George Goldie and Cecil Rhodes took interest in Africa, they traced waterways and produced maps to 'discover' Africa

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Give strategic reasons for why British wanted to expand into Africa?

Africa owned Cape Colony which was an advantageous harbour due to its deep water and warm temperatures. It provided sea route to East (India, China and Australia), which gave Britain more power.

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What is another strategic motive for why Britain wanted to expand into Africa?

Through developing alliances and trade agreements with Africa, Britain was strengthened as a country, which meant more countries were less likely to invade

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Give moral reasons for why Britain wanted to expand into Africa?

Muscular Christianity meant that Christianity was seen as the superior, dominant religion, so Christians saw it as their moral duties to 'heathen' their peoples such as Africans who they viewed as savage and uncivilised

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What is a famous quote from David Livingstone about expansion in empire?

Empire made 'an open path for commerce and Christianity'

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When was the Berlin Conference? What happened?

1884-5, European nations grabbed what they could, known as 'Scramble for Africa', the wishes of Africa were ignored

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By 1870s, how much of Egypt's imports were coming from Britain, why was this?

40%, British companies invested in Egyptian cotton as Britain had no raw cotton

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How many miles did the Suez Canal cut distance to India by?

6000 miles

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What % of shares and money did Benjamin Disraeli invest in the canal, how did this foster expansion?

44%, 4 million, gave Britain greater control of passage to India and income from shipping tariffs

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Explain what was going on with Egypt, Baring and Tewfiq?

Tewfiq installed as a puppet leader, Baring installed as Consul-General and Tewfiq was forced to create a government amenable to Britain

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Explain what was going on with Gordon, Khedive and Sudan?

Colonel Charles Gordon was sent to act as Governer-General on behalf of puppet leader Khedive Isma'il between 1877 and 1880, Britain struggled to gain control (Gordon beheaded) and it was not until 1896 that another attempt to gain British control over Su

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British empire section 1.1

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