The British Empire (pages 324-325)

During the reign of Queen Victoria, Great Britain expanded his empire including 400 million people of different cultures and nationalities. This event brought Great Britain to be in contrast with the other European powers.

The imperialistic policy started during the sixteenth Century. In this period English and Scottish people settled in Ireland and the British East India Company ruled trades over a great part of today’s India, Pakistan; Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

In 1877 India came under direct rule by Britain and Queen Victoria was crowned Empress of India.

British also occupied Australia, New Zealand, seized part of China and expanded their possessions in Africa and Southeast Asia.

The colonization of Africa was a race among European powers to establish territorial rights. From 1899 to 1902 Britain struggled against the Dutch settler to control of gold and diamond mines in South Africa.

British were able to shape imperial and colonial policy gradually, adapting to different realities.

In the late nineteenth century, Patriotism was influenced by ideas of racial superiority. There was a belief that the “races” of the world were divided by fundamental physical and intellectual differences. British believed that they were led by God to impose their superior way of life.