Explorers

The Role of Explorers: David Livingstone

Explorers were drawn to Britain's colonies. Once 'on the spot', these men came to wield considerable influence in Britain’s Empire.

David Livingstone

Livingstone was a Scottish explorer. He was part of the London Missionary Society. He wanted to spread Christianity and commerce in Africa.
He first travelled to South Africa in 1841. Then, Livingstone fell out with his travelling missionary partner in Botswana and returned to the UK.
In 1858, the British government-funded Livingstone in an expedition along the Zambezi River. He aimed to find natural resources and sent 2,000 letters home from his travels.
In 1866, Livingstone wanted to find the source of the River Nile.
In 1873, Livingstone died of malaria and dysentery in what is now Zambia.

Livingstone on slavery

Livingstone was anti-slavery. He said on slavery "to overdraw its evil is a simple impossibility".
In 1871, on his expedition to find the source of the River Nile, he saw 400 local African men being killed by the Arab ruler & slaver Dugumbe's army.
Local people were often captured and sold to Western Europeans to be sold in the slave trade.

The Role of Explorers: Kirk, Burton & Speke

Explorers were drawn to Britain's colonies. Once 'on the spot', these men came to wield considerable influence in Britain’s Empire.

John Kirk

Kirk was a Scottish physician and botanist who worked alongside Livingstone.
John Kirk went on Livingstone's expedition to find natural resources along the Zambezi River between 1858 and 1864.
In 1870, Kirk became the acting British Consul in Zanzibar. He wanted to abolish the slave trade on the island of Zanzibar.
Sultan Barghash was the Omani ruler of Zanzibar. Kirk pressured Bargash to abolish the slave trade on the island of Zanzibar and succeeded.

Richard Francis Burton

Burton was a linguist and a scholar who was fascinated by Muslim life and manners.
Early in his life, Burton was a captain in the East India Company's army.
He wrote 43 books on his travels and brought Eastern ideas to the Western world e.g. Kama Sutra (1883) and Arabian Nights (1885).
Despite his ability to speak many languages and experience of African and Arabian culture, Burton co-founded the Anthropological Society with Dr. James Hunt. This society promoted the racist view that humans of different races have different genetic origins, with some going as far to state that different races are of a different species. This was known as 'scientific racism'.

John Hanning Speke

Hanning Speke worked alongside and in competition with Burton. The two had many public disputes.
Speke and Burton tried to find the source of the River Nile together.
Speke died in a mysterious shooting incident in 1864, aged 37.

1High Water Mark of the British Empire, 1857-1914

1.1Development of Imperialism, 1857-1890

1.1.1Empires over Time

1.1.2Key Questions About Empires

1.1.3Expansion into Africa

1.1.4History of Egypt

1.1.5Control of Egypt

1.1.6Control of Sudan

1.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1857-1890

1.2.1The British Empire & India

1.2.2The British Raj

1.2.3International Relations with other Powers

1.2.4Scramble for Africa

1.2.5The Informal Empire

1.3Trade & Commerce, 1857-1890

1.3.1Trade & Commerce in the Empire

1.3.2Infrastructure of Trade & Commerce

1.3.3Products of Trade & Commerce

1.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1857-1890

1.4.1Explorers

1.4.2Missionaries

1.4.3Traders & Colonial Administrators

1.4.4Government Attitudes Towards Imperialism

1.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1857-1890

1.5.1Relations with India

1.5.2Relations with South Africa

1.5.3British-Boer Relations

2Imperial Consolidation & Liberal Rule, 1890-1914

2.1Consolidation & Expansion in Africa, 1890-1914

2.1.1Consolidation & Expansion into Africa

2.1.2Consolidation & Expansion in South Africa

2.1.3Historical Interpretations: Expansion into Africa

2.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1890-1914

2.2.1Policy in India

2.2.2Policy in Egypt

2.2.3Native Policy in Colonies

2.2.4International Relations with Other Powers

2.3Trade & Commerce, 1890-1914

2.3.1The Benefits of Trade

2.3.2Costs of the Empire

2.3.3Debates Over Trade

2.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

2.4.1Key Administrators - Chamberlain & Rhodes

2.4.2Key Administrators - Baring & Milner

2.4.3Key Administrators - Curzon

2.4.4Government Attitudes to the Empire

2.4.5National Efficiency & the Boer War

2.4.6Popular Attitudes Towards Imperialism

2.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1890-1914

2.5.1Challenges in India

2.5.2Challenges in Africa

2.5.3Challenges in South Africa

2.5.4Historical Interpretations of the Boer War

2.5.5Relations & Business with Iran

3Imperialism Challenged, 1914-1967

3.1Expansion & Contraction of Empire, 1914-1947

3.1.1Impact of WW1

3.1.2Palestine

3.1.3Ireland & WW1

3.1.4Impact of WW2 on the British Empire

3.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1914-1947

3.2.1Administration in India & Palestine

3.2.2Administration in Iraq & the Dominions

3.2.3Imperial Defence

3.3Trade, Commerce & Economic Impact of War

3.3.1Economic Impact of WW1

3.3.2Inter-War Trade & Commerce

3.3.3Economic Impact of WW2

3.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

3.4.1Colonial Administrators

3.4.2Trusteeship

3.4.3Gandhi

3.4.4Montagu, Haig & Linlithgow

3.4.5Cameron, Mitchell, Cohen & Furse - African Admins

3.4.6Imperialist Ideals

3.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1914-1947

3.5.1Ireland & India 1914-1947

3.5.2The Middle East and Africa

4The Wind of Change, 1947-1967

4.1Decolonisation in Africa & Asia, 1947-1967

4.1.1Reasons for Decolonisation

4.1.2Decolonisation in East & West Africa

4.1.3Decolonisation in Central & South Africa

4.1.4Decolonisation in Asia

4.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1947-1967

4.2.1Relations & Business with Iran after WW2

4.2.2The 'Winds of Change'

4.2.3The Suez Canal Crisis - 1956

4.2.4International Relations 1947-1967

4.3Trade & Commerce, 1947-1967

4.3.1The Economic Impact of WW2

4.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1947-1967

4.4.1Colonial Administrators: Cohen & Arden-Clarke

4.4.2Local Leaders in the Independence Movement

4.4.3Pan-Africanism in Nationalism

4.5Post-Colonial Ties, 1947-1967

4.5.1Windrush & Immigration

4.5.2Commonwealth Immigrants Act

4.5.3Residual Impact of the Empire

4.6Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1947-1967

4.6.1Challenges to Colonial Rule Post 1947

4.6.2Kenya & the Mau Mau Uprising

4.6.3Nigeria & Rhodesia

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