British Empire

• What years did the Hundred Years' War take place?

  1337-1453
• How long did the Hundred Years' War last?

  116 years
• Who was the English king that began the conflict of the Hundred Years' War?

  Edward III
• How many French and British kings were there over the course of the war?

  Five
• What were the long-term effects of the Hundred Years' War on France and England?

  • France became united
  • England began separating from Europe, developing a stronger identity
  • French ceased to be an official language in England
  • England's focus shifted to North America for empire building
  • Strengthening of the English Parliament
  • Led to internal conflict in England, known as the War of the Roses
• What was the timeline of the Hundred Years' War?

  1337 to 1453
• When was american war of independance


  1775-1783
• causes of the american war of independance

  • 1754- The french and indian war which caused huge economic impact to britain- they taxed the americans higher to recover from war and maintain their empire, there was some territorial disputes
  • Americans argued no taxation without representation
• short term effect of american war

  • American and british relationship chnaged
  • America- developed new connections to france and spain to gain new trade oppurtunity, Divide between native americans and colonisers grew, industry increased
  • Britain- had a large national debt
• long term effect of american war 


  • America- US constitution impacted law/government, expansion in america, emphasis on democracy-power of the people, developed warfare industry, first amendmant separated religion from politics
  • Britain- expand their empire elswhere, kept land in canada and carribean
• Events in american war 


  • 1765- The stamp act
  • 1767- Townshend acts
  • 1770- Boston massacre
  • 1773- Boston tea party
  • 1776- The declaration of independance
  • 1783- Treaty of paris
• rhodes university set up...


  in 1904
• rhodesia railway 


  transportation system in modern day zimbabwe, played major part in gold, coal and copper mining
• Acts of east india company 


  • 1773- east india company loan act- loans from government in exchange for british established authority and recognition in india
  • 1813- charter act- openened indias market to free trade and competition, east india company lost their monopoly in trade
• 1874- the east india company ceases to exist
• battles in 100yrs war

  • 1346- battle of crecy- English defeated the french in a battle that shocked european leaders
  • 1415- battle of agincourt- English defeated the French in a decisive battle led by King Henry V. The English army was outnumbered, but their victory was a turning point in the war
  • 1453- battle of castillon- French defeated the English at the Battle of Castillon, using new artillery tactics. This battle is generally considered to be the end of the war
• Short term effect of 100years war

  • economic- inflation, higher taxes, food shortages
  • social unrest
  • casualties- around 3million
  • devastated land
• causes of 100years war

  • claims to the french throne
  • money from trading wool and money from trading wine in gascony threatened by the french wanting to intervene/invade
  • edwards need to prove his worth/power on the throne
• Boer war causes 


  • 1886- discovery of gold and diamonds in transvaal
  • desire for independance from britain
  • britains ambition to have a large empire
• long term effect of boer war

  • 1948 and onwards- apartheid and segragation, created by afrikaners
  • british military reforms- the territorial army creation
  • british health reforms
  • tension between english speaking and boer south africans
  • british empire became very critisised and internationally dissaproved of
• short term effect of boer war

  • british national security and assessment fo army
  • land devastated- 30,000 towns, 40towns destroyed
  • casualties from the war and concnetration camps- 2/3 caused by disease and health rather than in battle
  • most expensive war since the napoleonic wars- £210million which surmounts to even more today
• British took over

  • Barbados in 1625
  • Jamaica in 1655
• indian independance- 1920s-1940s


  • civil disobedience/ peaceful protesting- promoted by mahatma gandhi, it included: encouraging people to stop working for british, students to stop atending government schools, stop paying taxes and stop buying british goods
  • 1930- British intorduced a tax on salt and controlled salt production, so led to the salt march: gandhi led a group of people to walk 240miles up the coast to make salt and they would collect more people on the way, resulted in 60,000 arrested by british including gandhi
• sepoy rebellion causes- 1857

  • treatment- first sent into battlefields, pressured into converting to christianity, treated with misconduct- disrespect for culture, discontent with pay and pensions
  • enfiled rifles- required to bite off the top cartridge when loading the gun, it contained animal grease which offened their religion so they were forced and eventually rebelled (this was the immediate cause)
• result of indian mutiny

  • new middle class of citizens emerged
  • british gave more responsibilty to indians, by allowing jobs in local governments
  • improved communication between britain and india
  • british would try to intefer less with religion
  • indian universities act created universities such as in bombay and calcutta
  • the end of EIC rule
  • reorganisation of the army
• Falklands war- 1982


  • 2000 people lived there
  • the people there wanted to stay under british rule
  • General galtieri faced unemployment and weak economy in argentina so he wanted more popularity and thought claiming the falklands would do that
  • similarly margaret thatcher wanted popularity and didn't want to appear weak and was previoulsy accused of neglecting them
  • exclusion zone created during the war by british eventually a ship (arguably) entered and was torpedoed and sunk- it was the belgrano
• impact of falkland war

  • improved relationship with usa- ronald raegan admired the british response and efforts, he even offered indirect support. when britain won their victory was headlined in americas newspapers
  • social support- british public supported the war and congratulated soldiers
  • PTSD- one of the first times that it was ever recognised
  • today- there are still garrisons stationed there
  • islanders recieved full british citizenship