Unit 35.1 - Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763-1914
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Comprehensive notes containing a couple of essay plans about The changing nature of the Royal Navy. This is suited for the Pearson Edexcel 2015 A Level History Specification Paper 3 Option 35.1
Unit 35.1 - Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763-1914
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NAVY
The significance of Tactics and Changing Ship Types
Age of Sail: period between 16th and mid 19th centuries when trade and naval warfare were dominated by sailing
vessels
Development of the Royal Navy
- By 1763, Royal Navy achieved supremacy of the sea
- 1805, Battle of Trafalgar and defeat of Franco-Spanish fleet ensured their dominance until 20 th Century
Features of a successful battleship
- Big guns
- Quick fire-rate
- Accuracy
- Maneuverability
- Speed
- Well able crew
Naval Tactics
- Broadside
o Simultaneous discharge of large guns mounted along on the side of a warship
o Rapid firing of broadsides was main battle tactic in age of sail
o With up to 60 cannons on each side of warship, well aimed broadside could completely disable or
sink an enemy vessel by taking out sails
o More accuracy, sustain broadside, bow and stern protected, improve communication
- Crossing the line
o Enabled sustained bombardment
o Avoided friendly fire
o Reduced exposure of the bow + stern of the ships
o Improved speed + effectiveness of signaling between ships
Battle of Trafalgar, 1805
- Removes threat of Napoleon on the seas
- Reduced need to defend
- Used new naval tactics (replaced tactic of broadside to crossing the T)
Ship of the Line: ship deemed strong enough to take its place in the line of battle. A line that included slow or weak
ships could be easily broken so a ship needed the right balance of speed and firepower to merit inclusion in the line
, TO WHAT EXTENT WAS THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR A TURNING POINT IN THE ROLE OF THE NAVY?
Yes
- Reaffirmed Britain’s supremacy and reduced need to defend
o They had defeated and removed the key and most powerful threat, the French, which boosted their
morale and confidence and further proved their strength and power
- Use of the naval tactics (move from broadside to crossing the T)
o This meant that the Battle of Trafalgar was a key turning point for the British Navy because this
ingenuity shocked the French and put them at a disadvantage in battle. This highlighted the
resilience and innovation of the British Navy.
Changing Technology and Steam Age
Hegemony: ability to dominate and control other nations (key aim of Navy)
Post Napoleonic War
- 1815, Britain had 215 ships of line + 72 frigates
- Reduced down to 100 SoL and 162 frigates
- 1835: GB had 58 SoL
- Had strength and no longer competition for British navy, to make it more efficient
Development of New Ships
- British dominance meant there was no development
- Instead, adopted any new innovations made by other powers
- 1794: first experiment of steam power
- Limited uptake of this in navy
Age of Steam
- Main purpose: open previous inaccessible inland areas to naval forces, rather than to disrupt the
establishment of sailing ships/frigates
- E.g. Burma to Pirana in South America + Opium Wars
Naval Race: Anglo=French Rivalry
- 1830s: development of propeller screw (project a ship forward quickly and efficiently)
- Steam engines had greater maneuverability in battle
- Steam powered frigates: Britain in 1843, France in 1845
- 1850: French launched Napoleon and built 10 steam powered ships and converted 28
o Napoleon: top speed 14 knots equipped with 90 guns
- Britain built 18 and converted 41
- No longer dependent on the wind, faster, reach course, able to go where wanted rather than where wind
took you
- Led to new technology and competition
TO WHAT EXTENT IS IT REASONABLE TO SUGGEST THAT THE EXPANSION OF THE ROYAL NAVY IN THE YEARS 1763-
1914 WAS THE RESULT OF POLITICAL IMPERATIVES?
Yes
- Anglo-French rivalry (changing technology)
o It meant that they were able to easily compete more with each other and created a race between
whose ship was more technologically advanced and put more favour in their side
- free Trade ( political ideology dictated Britain’s behaviour)
o as the tariffs and restrictions on trade were removed, the navy required expansion and
strengthening as they needed to protect their country and their goods whilst also facilitating
economic links
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