History Bombs: The British Empire in One Take

Introduction

• Video lesson from historybombs.com.
• Covers the British Empire's history and its global impact.
• Uses a narrative style with historical figures and events.

Early Exploration and Expansion

• 1581: Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake:
  • Drake circumnavigated the globe, boosting England's prestige.
  • Involved in rivalries with Portugal and Spain.
  • Partook in theft of Spanish gold and exploration.
• Drake and Sir John Hawkins participated in the start of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
  • African kingdoms and Portuguese slave trade.
  • British involvement in enslaving Africans.

Colonization and Indigenous Impact

• British colonists established settlements in America.
  • Pursued land, wealth, and religious refuge.
  • Met indigenous populations, often leading to conflict.
• Pocahontas:
  • Diplomatic figure between British and Powhatan tribe.
  • Attempted peace efforts; ultimately resulted in more conflict.
  • Highlighted in 1660 as a guest in England.

Resistance and Conflict

• Colonists killed millions of indigenous people through wars and diseases (e.g., smallpox).
• Nanny of the Maroons:
  • Led a successful resistance in Jamaica against British colonization.
• Siraj Udalla and Robert Clive:
  • Battle of Plassey; British East India Company gains control over Bengal.
• Rising tensions in American colonies:
  • Boston Tea Party: A protest against British taxation.
  • Revolutionary War led by George Washington; independence from the British crown.

British Empire and Its Challenges

• Expanding British influence in India with figures like Tipu Sultan resisting.
• Irish Rebellion of 1798 led by Wolfe Tone against British colonial rule.
• Industrial Revolution bolstered by wealth from the slave trade.

Abolition and New Territories

• Elado Equiano:
  • Former enslaved person turned abolitionist.
  • Made significant contributions to the abolition of the slave trade.
• British efforts to colonize Australia:
  • Benalong: Indigenous mediation and resistance.
  • Expansion devastated indigenous populations.

Expansion Under Victoria and Beyond

• Opium Wars and expansion into Asia.
• Scramble for Africa:
  • Cecil Rhodes and the belief in white superiority.
  • Boer War and its impact.
• Mahatma Gandhi:
  • Developed non-violent resistance methods in South Africa.

World Wars and Imperial Decline

• Contributions from colonies in both World Wars.
• Post-war debt led to migration and independence movements.
• Windrush Generation: Migration to Britain post-WWII.
• Independence movements around the world.

Legacy and Reflection

• Partition of India and Pakistan caused massive upheaval.
• Empires' collapse left lasting scars and ongoing conflicts.
• Call to acknowledge true stories over myths of glory.

Conclusion

• A complex history with deep impacts on indigenous peoples and global geopolitics.
• Encourages deeper understanding of resistance and survival alongside imperial conquests.