How did Britain make countries part of the British Empire?

Question

How did britian make countries part of the British Empire? Was it by force (wars) or people wanting to join?

How was it done? What made britain want certain countries? (This is for homework).

Also please explain it simple as I'm only 13

So how did the British conqer countries? Did they go and fight in a war and won for every country?

And if they colonized, how did they claim that country to be theirs without the natives/locals complaining???

Answer 1

It was by conquest and occupation. No one 'applied' to join. The people in the occupied countries were seen as 'primitive'. Colonies were taken almost by accident to begin with, sometimes for the goods they could supply - furs etc in Canada and other parts of North America, sugar in the West Indies, sometimes just to keep other European countries out. India came into the Empire virtually by accident. It was settled by the East India Company which controlled it right up until the Mutiny of 1857,

Answer 2

A country doesn't chose to be part of an empire, it is forced to be. That is why there are so strong nationatilism movements. The reason Britain had such a big empire was that it was the marine supremacy of the time. No other european power rivaled the british power after the Seven Year's War, also known as the French-Indian War in the US. The French defeat confirmed the British naval supremacy and allowed Great-Britain to expand its empire in the New World, Africa and Asia.

Answer 3

Hello,

They took over by the policy of divide and conquer like Julius Caesar did. They would open trading missions in countries like India, make peace and aid treaties with various groups giving them aid and arms and sat back as advisors whilst letting these warring factions wipe out one another. They then set up their administrations and civil service. This system worked well and that is why 250,000 Brits ruled over 300 million Indians for quite a spell. There was similar policies in the other countries as well.

Cheers,

Michael Kelly

Answer 4

Some countries like Canada and Australia were British colonies. Others like India and Pakistan were taken by force.

Britain wanted countries where they could get gold, cotton, diamonds, oil and they wanted places where they could send debtors, prisioners. Britain also wanted places they could sell British goods to.

Answer 5

JUST COZ THEY DID