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First British Empire - Referat
First British Empire (1607-1776)
• Spain, England, Portugal, France, Holland struggled for new colonies in the 17th century
• England was the last country that joined the colonial powers but became the most important
- England had some important advantages:
- very good position as an island
- long tradition as a seafaring nation and very modern war fleet
• B. E. was the largest colonial empire in history and comprised 1/5 (a fifth) of the land surface and 1/4(a quarter) of the world's population at its peak
• British colonialism from the 17th to the 19th century pursued economical independence
• Empire proceeded in three steps:
first discover - found trading posts - build settlements
• most important trading company: East India Company
• emigration from Britain because of religious struggle; refugees come to the New World, e.g. on the May Flower in 1620
• first British Empire includes: Bahamas, Newfoundland, Hudson Bay territory....
- New England Colonies -> territory around Boston, populated by English protestants
- Middle Colonies -> around New York, attracted all kinds of European immigrants who were looking for religious and political freedom
- Southern Colonies -> settled by merchants who profited from tobacco and cotton
• England wanted to levy taxes on tea etc., but the Americans wanted to be represented in Parliament -> Boston Tea Party against the taxes, 1773
• War of Independence from 1776 to 1783 ended with the Independence of the United States
• France lost its Canadian possessions to England during Seven Years of War, but England was deeply indebted
• After losing the American Colonies the British Empire planned to establish a new Empire to secure the sea route to the existing colonies and India
• England and the Netherlands questioned Portugal's monopoly on trade with Asia
• founded East India and Dutch India Company
- they wanted to be a part of profitable spice trade
• closeness of both countries lead to conflicts
- Dutchmen ensured their supremacy on the Moluccas and England ensured its supremacy in India
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