Summary

Summary Britain's Informal Empire in South America

7 views 0 purchase

Course
Unit 35.1 - Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763-1914

Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)

A poster explaining Britain's informal empire in South America following the collapse of the Spanish empire in the context in the move to free trade. It can be used to demonstrate the effects of the move to free trade, changing trade patterns with the Americas, and the changing methods of British c...

[Show more]

Preview 1 out of 1 pages

View example

Uploaded on July 18, 2024
Number of pages 1
Written in 2023/2024
Type Summary

a level
a level history
british empire
trade
edexcel
south america
free trade
informal empire

Study Level
A/AS Level
Examinator
PEARSON (PEARSON)
Subject
History 2015
Unit
Unit 35.1 - Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763-1914

CA$5.53

Also available in package deal from CA$8.30

Added

Add to cart

Add to wishlist

100% satisfaction guarantee
Immediately available after payment
Both online and in PDF
No strings attached

Also available in package deal (1)

Resource pack. Edexcel A-Level history. Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763–1914.

CA$ 11.06 CA$ 8.30 2 items

1. Summary - Britain's informal empire in south america
2. Summary - Political development in british australia table
Show more

Britain’s informal empire in South America
How did it come about?
 By destroying the Spanish navy at the battle of Trafalgar, Britain

succeed in isolating Spain from its colonies in South America
and
achieve naval superiority in the Atlantic.
 Attempts by the British to exert direct colonial control over
Spain’s colonies were met with violence and any prolonged
occupation and governance would be costly to the crown. So,
spurred by the growing success of free trade, the British
explored a different option.

What did it entail?

 In the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, many South American
colonies manged to secure their independence from Spanish
rule.
 Many of these fledgling nations became vital trading partners
with Britain.
 For example, Argentina provided cheap salted meat, wood and
cow hides.
 By 1867, South American countries were importing £12 million of British goods per year.

How did Britain exert control?
 These nascent states depended heavily on British trade for basic goods. Therefore, they were
unable to take action that could upset Britain out of fear for loosing vital supplies, so they
signed treaties and traded with the empire in a way deemed to be most beneficial to Britain.
 The British Empire also completely outclassed these nations militarily and the constant
threat of armed intervention this created helped South American leaders toe the British line.
Furthermore, military action was sometimes taken against those who tried to apply
protectionist policies for example, the Anglo-French blockade of the River Plate in 1845.

Why was it successful?
 It allowed Britain to exploit nations and direct their foreign and trade policy for its own
benefit without the administrative costs and political risks associated with direct colonial
rule; they did not have garrison large swathes of territory or risk being drawn into far-flung
conflicts.
 In the spirit of free trade, Britain’s informal empire in South America proved that territories
could be profited from without being ruled directly. This led to a change in governmental
attitudes and it would shape Western foreign policy for centuries to come.

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 friedrice73. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.

Will I be stuck with a subscription?

No, you only buy these notes for CA$5.53. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.

Can Stuvia be trusted?

4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)

70840 documents were sold in the last 30 days

Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now

Start selling