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.
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.
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.
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
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
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