Unit 35.1 - Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763-1914
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
Book
Edexcel A Level History, Paper 3
Written by a student who has achieved 3 A*s in 'A - Levels' in Mathematics, Economics and History. These notes provide content in a concise manner which have every detail required to achieve top grades in History A - Level. These notes follow the specification with every small part of it covered. N...
Unit 35.1 - Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763-1914
All documents for this subject (32)
2
reviews
By: wazzupjack • 5 months ago
By: deeqa030505 • 1 year ago
Seller
Follow
Dylan2110
Reviews received
Content preview
The changing nature and extent of Trade 1763-1914
How Important was government policy in shaping changes to patterns of trade in 1763-
1914?
Britain emerged from 7YW victorious but indebted
o Gov debt was 157% of GDP in 1763 – rising to 260% in 1821
o Britain struggled to pay for American War of Independence, Napoleonic Wars
and French Revolutionary War
o Strategies of fighting armies and blockade of French Ports was effective but
expensive
Trade through this period kept the country ‘solvent’
o However, cost of maintaining land and sea forces was a recurring theme
behind economic policy
Government policy was initially protectionist (increase tax on imports to protect
domestic producers) and Mercantilist (Export value exceeds import value) and these
were designed to gain trade advantages with partners
o These policies alienated colonies – pushed Ireland towards rebellion
Free trade was adopted over time where government tried to increase volume of
trade and used coercion to make other countries follow
Standardisation of trade suited British merchants – their manufactured goods were
far cheaper than those of their rivals
o British trade dominance extended beyond empire – to China and South
America
This model was challenged by European powers – seeking increased geopolitical
influence (Power comes from territorial dominance of strategic areas)
o Rather than being developed around trade – colonies were seen as valuable –
leading to the colonisation of the weakest as seen by the Scramble for Africa
Britain gained power to prevent others doing it
o However, powers with smallest colonial empires and infrastructure
developed fastest during this period
o They overtook Britain in industrial production and military strength
o USA, Germany and Japan
The abolition of the Slave Trade 1807
Challenges to abolishing the slave trade
British involvement with slave trade began in the 16th Century and had not changed
significantly by 18th century
Slavers’ vessels came from English ports with
textiles, alcohol and firearms for slaves at West
African ports
Slaves were shipped in appalling conditions across
Middle passage (Crossing of Atlantic between
Africa and West Indies) to Americas
The survivors were destined for the Caribbean
where they would be resold and shipped to West
Indies, Spanish America or New India
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Dylan2110. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $6.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
