How did the British Empire form despite a small starting country, and small population?

Question

Logistics, excellent diplomats and politicians? Britain had a comparatively small population and small country compared to the near entire landmasses they conquered.

What helped Britain build up steam to become an Empire? Technology, who and what? Where did they start getting resources from?

How did they do it, how did it start, and what made them an Empire?

Not for school, just personal interest.

I should know but the Colonial Period does not really interest me that much.

Answer 1

I think you can explain the development of the British Empire on several themes
- Economic and Religious problems at home
- War with foreign powers
- Seeking income from other sources - colonies
- Royal support of merchants and explorers
- A powerful navy
- Development of a sea merchant business class
- Industrialisation

The British Empire took off as early as the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. Economic problems at home such as a devalued currency (thanks to Henry VIII), forced merchants to look for new ways for income - often turning to piracy and raiding the rich gold spanish colonies of the Carribean and the Americas.

If you look at Francis Drake, he turned to piracy - and because of the large amounts of gold he captured from Spanish treasure ships - he found that the rich nobility of England would often 'invest' in his adventures.

The monarchy and the nobility were also inclined to reward merchants and favourites with areas in those lands that were taken from Spain. Especially later under James 1 and Charles 1 - the establishment of 'New York' etc as royal chartered colonies.

While other colonies established in the Americas were proprietary colonies where the rich nobility in England and the monarchy and businesses financed the development of a colony for the growth of 'cash crops' such as cotton which could be exported back to Britain.

Religious persecution against Catholics and social turmoil in England forced many to flee from England to America and other areas which merchants grabbed and established colonies. Places in the U.S such as Maryland were established by religious people from Europe and England fleeing from religious persecution.

The British monarchy was able to develop these seized colonies from spain also by deporting convict labour and slaves to them to be developed. The British development of the Carribean and Jamaica and also in Virginia is a good example of this.

Also if you look at Australia and New Zealand, which were discovered by Captain James Cook - began as supported by the monarchy and later when they were established as colonies, were later developed using convict labour.

Other colonial possessions such as India had economic as well as strategic value. While colonies such as Egypt was seized from France and gave England control of the Mediterranean.

Later when industrialisation began to take off in the late 18th century, the british drive for colonisation accelerated as Britain searched for markets for her commodities which in turn led the British into the South East Asia and into Malaysa and Singapore to capitalise on the Spice Trade

Answer 2

The trouble with Utopian worlds is, they don't exist and can't exist. Millions of people died in the 20th century died trying to make a utopian world a reality, in fact more death and destruction was caused by people believing the fantasy of Karl Marx and not realising it was a fiction to be read only in stories. Note Fascism is merely a variation of Communism, likewise Socialism is merely a variation of Communism, and they all just cause death, hatred and misery. If you would like a better world, work hard, have children, teach them to love their neighbour and be helpful, vote for whichever party wants the smallest Government, that interferes least in the individuals lives and if there is a movement that has an ism reject it. Freedom of the individual to go about their lives without let or hindrance, and access to the Law is what makes free society, along with free trade. Communism is like Middle Earth or Discworld, a fiction Harry Potter is fiction just like Communism and Socialism, and when people try to make it happen death and insanity follow. And to answer your question, it is Socialist rhetoric that says the British in India did it a disfavour, the Moghuls before us bled it dry, we were the only Empire that did India any good and left them in good shape, they then tried Socialism for 40 years before they started to realise the british were right in the first place and let free trade start to work its magic. Note they are now starting to feel the benefit, but need to stamp out corruption which is the thing that keeps India poorer than it need be.

Answer 3

Excellent question. In a word (or two) - "sea power".
The British proved to be opportunists and exploiters 'extraordinaire'. Their geography afforded relative immunity
from overland invasion (which was not enjoyed by the Dutch). World exploitation came from the ability to project power in the form of gunpowder weaponry (cannons) on floating wooden platforms. They could travel to China and point their cannons at the people to impose their will. Alfred Thayer Mahan wrote about this in his vaunted book "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History 1660-1783" published in 1890. {Unfortunately, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany read this book, and that would lead to some problems in world war one.}
As for most complex questions, there are other factors.
British dominance also depended on their head start in the industrial revolution of the late 1700s and early 1800s. The reason for that is also multi-factorial. Yes, they had coal and iron resources, but they also has a system of government that favored capitalism - the investing of money ("capital")
to build factories for mass production of goods to be sold largely overseas. Trade leads to wealth. Wealth leads to military power since armies and equipment cost a great deal of money. America's military strength comes from wealth.
We can afford large military expenses. In the days of the British Empire, they had the money to build their naval military strength and impose their will on most of the world.
These vast financial resources were largely "eaten up" by
the huge costs of world war one and world war two. They were replaced by the United States which enjoys even more geographic and internal resource benefits.

Answer 4

The British Empire, won most of it's territories through brute force. They were the first country to go through the industrial revolution, which helped them to succeed as you know to mass produce; weapons, clothing, ships, etc. which greatly helped the countries manifest destiny. Also it had some of the most brilliant military commanders in the world, also you have to realise fighting is in britian blood, ranging back to the roman occupation, to the vicking invasion, to the saxon invasion, to fighting the french, so on and so forth. They have some of the most experience in combat which i'm sure helped. Hope this helped :-)

Answer 5

The short answer is its Navy - IT conquered the world.
England, being an island, needed a strong naval force to protect itself from foreign invaders and this led to exploration and domination.
"The sun never sets on the British Empire" thanks to its Navy.

Answer 6

Sea Power.

That was the key to their expansion around the globe. The British Navy made it all possible.




g-day!

Answer 7

Colonialism and industrialization. It obtained natural resources from colonies, manufactured and traded them. Tea from India, tobacco from the Americas, etc. The African mines brought immense wealth.

Answer 8

The British Empire started like most of all the other European Empires did. The British revolted against the Romans and eventually were victorious. Just like the barbians did to Rome. Eventually all the European nations broke away from Rome and went on their own.

Answer 9

Island nation, hard to conquer, superior navy. early national identity, defeat of the spanish armada, ingenuity.