What Was the British Empire Like Before 1857?

a)      What had caused the growth of the British Empire before 1857?

●     American colonies like United States and Canada had caused growth however loss of these prompted ‘Swing to the East’ as prominent historian Vincent Harlow had put it.

o     Concept that explained a shift of British imperial priorities to India, Asia, Africa and the East > Western hemisphere with more desire for trade rather than conquest and control

●     Slave trade had led to growth in control in Africa

●     Mercantilist policies that benefitted Britain over its colonies

b)      What were the territories of the British Empire in 1857?

●     Much of Canada

●     India

●     Most of Australia

●     British Guiana & Caribbean

●     Sierra Leone, Gold Coast and Union of South Africa

c)      What were the differences between these territories?

●     Territories like Britain, Canada and Australia were known as dominions

o     White-settler colonies that exerted a certain amount of self-governance and control

●     India was governed under the Raj after the Indian Mutiny.

o     Governed under East India Trade Company on behalf of the British formerly

●     Informal control in territories like Argentina and British Guiana

●     Sierra Leone, Gold Coast and Union of South Africa governed as British colonies