How did britain conquer the world?

Question

How did britain, such a small country, hardly even noticeable on the map, have the largest empire in history?

heartless.hypothermia on the world map britain is very very small.

Answer 1

Intelligence.

Answer 2

Several countries and their peoples, hardly even noticeable on the map, acquired the largest empires in history. Portugal and Spain had slightly larger land areas than Britain, but they had about the same number of people, and they conquered a hemisphere, plus "the Indies." In the 17th century, parts of Spain and Portugal were desert because the people had left to colonize the new world. The next small country, hardly noticeable on any map was the Netherlands. The Nederlanders colonized North America, South America, and the "East Indies." Finally, the British rose up over every one else. They defeated the Nederlanders in the second Anglo-Dutch war of 1642 to take over New York from New Amsterdam. They conquered New France from France. You might say that the British were late, but they arrived.

Answer 3

One large part is technology of course. Yes it can be argued that colonial powers such as England went to a country, suppressed the people, took their resources, etc. etc.

But that is not really the case. What the colonial powers did was organize and maximize available resources. Yes of course England and others benefited. But in the end they imposed rule of law, courts, accountabilty and settled things down. The average person and the country was better off economically. Look at the state of countries after the colonial powers left........ infighting, fighting for resources and the GNP of these countries is basically now in the toilet. Nobody was prepared to carry it on. But there are many countries that owe their existence and are prospering because of colonial rule.

Relate this to say if it was the US and Iraq. There is a precendent for this. If it was 100 years ago the US would have just taken it over and then instilled rule of law. The British did much of the same in the region once upon a time.

Bottom line...... the british were organized.

Answer 4

It wasn't so much conquer as colonise.
Britain had the best navy in the world so was able to maintain safe sea routes to and from the colonies.
Other nations also colonised parts of the world such as the French, Dutch, Germans, Spanish and Portuguese.
It was a time of global expansion and exploration.

Answer 5

That, is done by being able to make the colonies they have completely dependant on Britiain itself. The Brits came in, ruined the colony's previous economy, set up new everything, and when the people of the colony became educated enough to find out that they were being nearly enslaved, they rebelled.

And A-1, Britain is not "hardly noticable." It consists of the countries of Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales.

Answer 6

A combination of technological advancement, skill at arms and organisation. The same way other European powers at the time managed it after the middle ages had ended.

Answer 7

because they never had an absolute monarchy which was one big reason as that the king could not do wutever he wanted like steal money from the treasury for his own purpose and so on thanks to the magna carta that basicly said no one was above the law

Answer 8

FYI.. they did not conquer the world.. they just rob the world like any other ordinary pirate.

Answer 9

Was on YA for something unrelated, but this question was displayed on the sidebar...

Answer 10

that is a tricky question..