The Fall of the British Empire
History: KS3, topic 6.7.3
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Africa
- Into the 1950s and 1960s, Britain’s many African territories also began to achieve independence.
- The British Empire was disintegrating colony by colony.
Test yourself on The Fall of the British Empire
In which year was India granted independence?
What grew in many of Britain's colonies over the course of the 20th century?