By the middle of the nineteenth century, the nature and size of Britain's overseas empire had changed dramatically. Describe the changes that took place between 1750 and 1850, using the eastern part of the empire as an example. Include Australia and New Zealand in your answer, and explain why those colonies were unusual in this period

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
Technological advances in ships and shipping, together with the rise of free trade and the decline of mercantilism, altered the British Empire in fundamental ways. In spite of losing most of its North American colonies through revolution, Britain continued to defeat rivals for other overseas colonies in the decades after 1750. This new empire building was focused on dominating trade. Cape Colony in southern Africa is a good example. British presence in the Cape served as a base for long-distance trade to India. Britain's small holdings elsewhere in Africa were also concerned with controlling trade with those areas. Australia and New Zealand were different from Britain's African and Indian colonies in that they were intended as areas of European settlement. In this respect, Australia and New Zealand resembled the former British colonies in North America. As settler colonies, they were allowed more political freedom and independence than colonies in Africa or India. In granting Australia and New Zealand more autonomy, Britain hoped to retain their loyalty.