Why did the British build an Empire?

During the reign of Elizabeth I, merchants had begun to travel across the world to find resources to collect and sell for profit back in Britain. They
were able to set up trading posts and businesses in these countries. The trading relationships were formalised when Britain started to rule these
countries directly as colonies. Below are 12 reasons why Britain built their Empire.

Standard level tasks:

1. Sort the reasons why the British wanted an Empire into different categories: economic, power, social and military.
2. Prioritise the reasons into a diamond nine. There are 12 reasons so three must be filtered out. Justify your top choice!

To spread the Christian faith. To protect trade.

To beat other European countries.
Some felt that by taking the Christian religion to Companies such as the East India Company took
To gain more land than the other European powers
other countries that this would make them into control of land in India and became rulers. They
(e.g. France and Belgium). This would prevent
better human beings and help them to become did this to protect their businesses and their
them from becoming more powerful than Britain.
gentlemen/women. They wanted to spread the resources. This sometimes involved using weapons
It resulted in a Scramble for Africa
word of the gospel. to gain control.

To improve education.
To develop their societies. To provide a market for finished goods.
Some argued that having an Empire would help to
Some argued countries should become part of the Raw materials from colonies were used to make
develop colonial societies by building schools,
British Empire so that they could have British ways goods back in British factories (e.g. raw cotton).
libraries and universities. They said this would
of life. For example: language, education, building They would then sell these finished goods (e.g.
create educated people who could improve their
design, law and order and medicine. textiles) for profit back to the colonial countries.
own communities and set up businesses.

To civilise natives. To provide raw materials.

Some British people were fundamentally racist and
To increase British status.
thought that other countries were inferior and that
To become the most important power in the world:
therefore as a superior nation Britain should rule
a Great Power.
them. Some argued that the Empire was necessary
to stop them from being savages.
Raw materials from the Empire could support the
Industrial Revolution at home. For example, Africa
had many resources such as gold, diamonds and
cotton; India had tea, spices and coffee; Canada
had gold, wood and fish.

To develop their economies. To stop wars. To control more people.

Many argued that being part of the Empire helped British rule was introduced to ensure peace and Each country that formed the Empire had
countries to sell and trade more, improved their order. For example, in India colonialsation was said population that you could then rule over. This
industry and farming; and brought them British to prevent the Rajahs (princes) from fighting each population could then either be used as workers or
inventions to improve their economies further. other. War could be bad for trade! even form part of your armed forces.

www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26343 Page 1 of 3

 Why did the British build an Empire?
During the reign of Elizabeth I, merchants had begun to travel across the world to find resources to collect and sell for profit back in Britain. They
were able to set up trading posts and businesses in these countries. The trading relationships were formalised when Britain started to rule these
countries directly as colonies. Below are 12 reasons why Britain built their Empire.

Higher challenge tasks:

1. Summarise the key point of each card by writing a heading at the top
2. Sort the reasons why the British wanted an Empire into different groupings.
3. Prioritise the reasons into a diamond nine. There are 12 reasons so three must be filtered out. Justify your top choice! Draw lines to show
how different reasons are linked.

To gain more land than the other European
powers (e.g. France and Belgium). This would
prevent them from becoming more powerful than
Britain. It resulted in a Scramble for Africa
Some felt that by taking the Christian religion to
other countries that this would make them into
better human beings and help them to become
gentlemen/women. They wanted to spread the
word of the gospel.
Companies such as the East India Company took
control of land in India and became rulers. They
did this to protect their businesses and their
resources. This sometimes involved using
weapons to gain control.

Some argued that having an Empire would help to

Some argued countries should become part of the develop colonial societies by building schools, Raw materials from colonies were used to make
British Empire so that they could have British libraries and universities. They said this would goods back in British factories (e.g. raw cotton).
ways of life. For example: language, education, create educated people who could improve their They would then sell these finished goods (e.g.
building design, law and order and medicine. own communities and set up businesses. textiles) for profit back to the colonial countries.

To become the most important power in the
world: a Great Power.
Some British people were fundamentally racist
and thought that other countries were inferior
and that therefore as a superior nation Britain
should rule them. Some argued that it was
necessary to stop them from being savages.
Raw materials from the Empire could support the
Industrial Revolution at home. For example,
Africa had many resources such as gold, diamonds
and cotton; India had tea, spices and coffee;
Canada had gold, wood and fish.

Many argued that being part of the Empire helped British rule was introduced to ensure peace and Each country that formed the Empire had
countries to sell and trade more, improved their order. For example, in India colonialsation was population that you could then rule over. This
industry and farming; and brought them British said to prevent the Rajahs (princes) from fighting population could then either be used as workers
inventions to improve their economies further. each other. War could be bad for trade! or even form part of your armed forces.

www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26343 Page 2 of 3

 Why did the British build an Empire?
Diamond nine template

www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26343 Page 3 of 3