England's Empire at the beginning of the 'long eighteenth century'
I can describe the relationship between England and her overseas trade and colonies in 1688.
England's Empire at the beginning of the 'long eighteenth century'
I can describe the relationship between England and her overseas trade and colonies in 1688.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- At the beginning of the 18th century England was an emerging empire-builder.
- England was agricultural with a large middling sort who provided a base to trade with and settle in distant places.
- England had established colonies in North America and the Caribbean, with which English merchants traded.
- 350 000 had emigrated to colonies in the Americas; trade with them, bolstered by enslavement, was worth a great deal.
- The Navigation Act created a mercantilist framework for English trade with its colonies.
Keywords
Privateer - a person allowed by a government to attack and steal from ships at sea
Customs duties - a tax paid on goods that are imported
Indentured servant - a person who is made to work without pay for a set period of time
Mercantilist - an economic practice of a country protecting their own trade and discouraging trade with rival nations
Common misconception
Only Britain and Europe engaged in empire building.
In fact, empires have existed across the world since at least the ancient period: several dynasties ruled across China, the Ottoman Empire spanned across Asia, Africa and Europe, and the Mali Empire controlled extensive territories in West Africa.
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: England's Empire at the beginning of the 'long eighteenth century', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: England's Empire at the beginning of the 'long eighteenth century', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the The British Empire: why did it grow in the 17th and 18th centuries? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Adult supervision recommended
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