6.7.3

The Fall of the British Empire

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The Fall of the British Empire

Over the course of the 20th century, Britain’s colonies gradually gained independence, partly because Britain was no longer the strong and powerful country it once was.

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The peak of power

  • The British Empire was at its peak towards the end of the 1800s.
  • However, by the start of the 1900s, Germany and the USA had begun to challenge Britain’s dominance on the world stage.
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WWI and WWII

  • The First and Second World Wars that occurred in the first half of the 20th century hit Britain hard and dealt a crippling blow to Britain’s economy.
  • It was clear that Britain was no longer the world’s strongest power, economically or militarily.
  • The Second World War in particular shattered the illusion that Britain was invincible, as Japan occupied Britain’s Southeast Asian colonies.
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Independence movements

  • Meanwhile across the empire, many of Britain’s colonies were shaken by growing nationalist movements, and increasing demands for independence.
  • It seemed as though Britain’s longstanding grip on its empire was finally loosening.
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India

  • Following the Second World War, in 1947, India was granted independence.
  • Having been Britain’s most populous and valuable colonial asset, this was a big blow for the empire.
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Africa

  • Into the 1950s and 1960s, Britain’s many African territories also began to achieve independence.
  • The British Empire was disintegrating colony by colony.

Jump to other topics

1Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5Medieval Religion

1.6The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12European Renaissance

1.13Norman Conquest & Control

1.14Historical Skills

2The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1Anglo-Saxon England

2.2The Contest for the English Throne

2.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4King John

2.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6The Black Death

3Worldviews

4The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8Religion in the Middle Ages

9Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

18World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

19The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

20Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

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