Who colonized britain. [1] At its height in the 19th and .
Who colonized britain. Former colonies of the British Empire. Learn about the motivations, growth, and impact of British colonization. Holding territory on every continent at its height in the wake of the First World War, it spanned across 35. Only a few years later The American colonies were the 13 British colonies established during the 17th and early 18th centuries in the area that is now a part of the eastern United States. [8] Britain annexed Lagos in 1861 and established the Oil River Protectorate in 1884. Territories were held across the continents. Explore the history of the British colonization of the Americas, from the first settlers in the 17th century to the expansion of British colonies along the eastern coast of North America. Some commentators identify three waves of European colonialism. The impact and legacy of the Colonial powers and their expansion since 1492. Currently the union consists of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It was instituted with the Government of India Act of 1858 and lasted until the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. The British Empire, beginning in the middle of the 16th century, would last more than 400 years until the handover of Hong Kong in 1999. The British colonies in Africa included countries such as Egypt, Sudan Timeline of major events in the history of the British Empire. [1] At its height in the 19th and Jan 3, 2024 · Former British Colonies The British forged the largest empire the world has yet seen. While empire made Britain richer, its lands overseas became poorer, as much of the wealth was taken and sent back to Britain, or enjoyed by British landowners. Jamaica was primarily used for exploiting sugarcane on plantations operated by African slaves and indentured servants from Europe and India, and experienced several rebellions over the course of British rule. This worldwide system of dependencies—colonies, protectorates, and other territories—was brought under the sovereignty of the crown of Great Britain and the administration of the British government over a span of some three centuries. This created vast differences in wealth – not only between countries, but between people of different races, too. In the millennia following the last glacial period, the British Isles The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. The year of Independence is shown. [7] The Portuguese started the long age of European colonization with the conquest of Ceuta, Morocco in 1415, and the conquest and discovery of other African territories and islands, this Colonial India was the part of the Indian subcontinent that was occupied by European colonial powers during and after the Age of Discovery. There are devolved The British Empire faced a significant crisis in 1776, when the European colonists that occupied the 13 North American colonies declared their independence from Britain. com The British Empire stretched into each part of the world. Below are lists of the countries and territories that were formerly ruled or administered by the United Kingdom or part of the British Empire (including military occupations that did not retain the pre-war central government), with their independence days. Lagos Colonial Nigeria formed part of the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1 October 1960, when Nigeria achieved independence. These colonies were established during the 19th and early 20th centuries, as the British sought to expand their global empire and exploit the resources of Africa. See full list on britannica. [3 Aug 7, 2025 · The British raj was a period of direct British rule over the Indian subcontinent following the uprising of 1857 and the abolition of the East India Company’s role in managing the region. 2 days ago · Nigeria - Colonial History, Economy, People: After the British government assumed direct control of the Royal Niger Company’s territories, the northern areas were renamed the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria, and the land in the Niger delta and along the lower reaches of the river was added to the Niger Coast Protectorate, which was renamed the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. Other European Jan 18, 2023 · African Countries Colonized by Britain: The British colonies in Africa were a group of territories in Africa that were under the control of the British Empire. Their language provides the most commonly used words in the modern English vocabulary. [6] The two main countries in the first wave of European colonialism were Portugal and Spain. The end of Roman rule in Britain facilitated the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, which historians often regard as the origin of England and of the English people. . 7 million sq mi). Colonization efforts began in the late 16th century with failed attempts by England to establish permanent colonies in the North. Britain was motivated by the desire to forestall the New Zealand Company and other European powers (France established a very small settlement at Akaroa in the South Island later in 1840), to facilitate settlement by British subjects and, possibly, to end the lawlessness of European (predominantly British and American) whalers, sealers and traders. European power was exerted both by conquest and trade, especially in spices. There remain 14 British Territories Overseas. The first permanent English colony in the Americas was The Crown Colony of Jamaica and Dependencies was a Crown colony of the British Empire from 1655 to 1962. The British colonization of the Americas is the history of establishment of control, settlement, and colonization of the continents of the Americas by England, Scotland, and, after 1707, Great Britain. The colonies grew both geographically and numerically from the time of their founding to the American Revolution (1775–81). British influence in the Niger area increased gradually in the course of the 19th century, but Britain did not effectively occupy the area until 1885. [1][2] The search for the wealth and prosperity of India led to the colonisation of the Americas after Christopher Columbus went to the Americas in 1492. English forces launched an invasion of Jamaica in 1655, capturing the colony. Sep 20, 2025 · The primary source of the language, however, is the main ethnic stem of the English: the Anglo-Saxons, who invaded and colonized England in the 5th and 6th centuries. 5 million Km 2 (13. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and colonisation attempts by Scotland during the 17th century. vzw32 ef715qfa 4m22vb oeowzzo 6iyw ws dll o5 px t7yg
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