British Empire 1857-1890 Essay Plans
To what extent did economic interests determine the expansion of the British Empire in Africa in the
period 1857 to 1890?
• Economic – Disraeli buying £4m Suez Canal shares in 1875 opened trade route to India and gave
Britain influence in Egypt where it had been investing in the cotton industry after its supply from
America had been disrupted because of the civil war. British ministers brought in to run Egyptian
economy and British investment kept economy afloat which meant Britain could influence policy in
Egypt. High value agricultural and mineral goods in tropical colonies which couldn’t be produced in
Britain: diamonds in Kimberly 1867, gold in S.A 1886, coffee and tea in Kenya, palm oil and cocoa in
W.A. Chartered companies granted charters, long depression in 1870-80s meant Britain had to act to
find new and secure its existing markets and chartered companies were a cheap way to establish
‘effective occupation’: RNC 1886, IBEAC 1888, BSAC 1889. Made treaties with local chiefs but were
prepared to use military force to establish control e.g. BSAC pioneer column and war with Ndebele
tribe. Informal empire – trading ports in China, investments in South America
• Strategic/ International Rivalry – Threats from rivals e.g. France and Germany grew because France
was politically stable and there was economic growth in Germany. Buying Suez Canal shares
secured land and sea route to India. The Brussels [1876] and Berlin [1884-5] Conferences established
that European intervention in Africa was necessary and the principle of effective occupation – led
to the scramble for Africa as the powers tried to ensure they didn’t fall behind their rivals. Changed
attitude to chartered companies and led to granting charters to counteract European expansion.
Annexed Bechuanaland to counteract German expansion in S.E.A and because of risk of German
alliance with the Boers. Britain annexed Malaya, North Borneo, Burma, and Brunei to counter French
foot-hold in Indo-China. Invasion of Afghanistan in 1878 to counter Russian expansion which bought
them closer to India. Annexed Bechuanaland in as a response to German expansion in SW Africa.
• Individuals – Frere initiated the invasion of Zululand in 1879 despite the Colonial Secretary not
wanting a conflict – led to victory at Ulundi 4 July 1879 and absorbing Zululand into Natal. Explorer
Harry Johnstone made treaties with local chiefs in E., S and C. A. His personal work brought an area
twice the size of Britain under British control. John Kirk helped establish British control over Zanzibar.
Founders of charted companies Cecil Rhodes, William Mackinnon, and George Goldie important –
pressured gov to grant charter so they could gain control of land in their respective areas. Moral
factors linked to trade – Livingstone’s three C’s
• Actions of Indigenous People – Taking direct control of Egypt in 1858 in response to the Indian
Mutiny. Annexation of Transvaal in 1877 after the Boers failed to gain a decisive victory over the Pedi
tribe, claiming that white interests needed to be protected. Military action and occupation of Egypt
after Arabi Pasha’s revolt Alexandria riots [June 1882] threatened British investment and Europeans
living in Egypt meaning Gladstone (who also had a large personal investment in Egypt) had little
choice but to act. Xhosa tribe had been having regular skirmishes with the British, eventually
defeated them in 1878 and absorbed their land into S.A. Britain annexed Basutoland in 1868
claiming that indigenous Africans were seeking British protection from the Boers.
• Attitudes of British Public – Idea of a ‘Civilising Mission’ was popular so supported the work of
missionaries who often went beyond the colonial frontier and pressured the gov to formally annex
an area e.g. John Kirk in Zanzibar. Works of David Livingstone very influential. Supported intervention
in Egypt after riots killed Europeans – newspapers put pressure of Gladstone to act. Public pressured
Gladstone to send relief expedition to Gordon in Sudan in 1885 despite Gladstone ordering Gordon
to withdraw. Disraeli made his party the ‘party of empire’ in his Crystal Palace speech in 1872, largely
to gain support from the enlarged electorate after 1867 reform act, sold it as a way to peruse wealth
to strengthen economy. Jingoistic atmosphere in Britain
J: Overall, economic interests were extremely important. Other factors were important but they all like to Britain’s desire to gain
wealth from its empire to maintain its dominant global position and help recover from the economic depression. Initially, Britain
preferred informal influence through trade, however, often this became formal because of strategic concerns of threats from
indigenous people later in the period so these factors were important for the development of formal annexation. However,
economic concerns important here too as influenced by economic depression.
To what extent did economic interests determine the expansion of the British Empire in Africa in the
period 1857 to 1890?
• Economic – Disraeli buying £4m Suez Canal shares in 1875 opened trade route to India and gave
Britain influence in Egypt where it had been investing in the cotton industry after its supply from
America had been disrupted because of the civil war. British ministers brought in to run Egyptian
economy and British investment kept economy afloat which meant Britain could influence policy in
Egypt. High value agricultural and mineral goods in tropical colonies which couldn’t be produced in
Britain: diamonds in Kimberly 1867, gold in S.A 1886, coffee and tea in Kenya, palm oil and cocoa in
W.A. Chartered companies granted charters, long depression in 1870-80s meant Britain had to act to
find new and secure its existing markets and chartered companies were a cheap way to establish
‘effective occupation’: RNC 1886, IBEAC 1888, BSAC 1889. Made treaties with local chiefs but were
prepared to use military force to establish control e.g. BSAC pioneer column and war with Ndebele
tribe. Informal empire – trading ports in China, investments in South America
• Strategic/ International Rivalry – Threats from rivals e.g. France and Germany grew because France
was politically stable and there was economic growth in Germany. Buying Suez Canal shares
secured land and sea route to India. The Brussels [1876] and Berlin [1884-5] Conferences established
that European intervention in Africa was necessary and the principle of effective occupation – led
to the scramble for Africa as the powers tried to ensure they didn’t fall behind their rivals. Changed
attitude to chartered companies and led to granting charters to counteract European expansion.
Annexed Bechuanaland to counteract German expansion in S.E.A and because of risk of German
alliance with the Boers. Britain annexed Malaya, North Borneo, Burma, and Brunei to counter French
foot-hold in Indo-China. Invasion of Afghanistan in 1878 to counter Russian expansion which bought
them closer to India. Annexed Bechuanaland in as a response to German expansion in SW Africa.
• Individuals – Frere initiated the invasion of Zululand in 1879 despite the Colonial Secretary not
wanting a conflict – led to victory at Ulundi 4 July 1879 and absorbing Zululand into Natal. Explorer
Harry Johnstone made treaties with local chiefs in E., S and C. A. His personal work brought an area
twice the size of Britain under British control. John Kirk helped establish British control over Zanzibar.
Founders of charted companies Cecil Rhodes, William Mackinnon, and George Goldie important –
pressured gov to grant charter so they could gain control of land in their respective areas. Moral
factors linked to trade – Livingstone’s three C’s
• Actions of Indigenous People – Taking direct control of Egypt in 1858 in response to the Indian
Mutiny. Annexation of Transvaal in 1877 after the Boers failed to gain a decisive victory over the Pedi
tribe, claiming that white interests needed to be protected. Military action and occupation of Egypt
after Arabi Pasha’s revolt Alexandria riots [June 1882] threatened British investment and Europeans
living in Egypt meaning Gladstone (who also had a large personal investment in Egypt) had little
choice but to act. Xhosa tribe had been having regular skirmishes with the British, eventually
defeated them in 1878 and absorbed their land into S.A. Britain annexed Basutoland in 1868
claiming that indigenous Africans were seeking British protection from the Boers.
• Attitudes of British Public – Idea of a ‘Civilising Mission’ was popular so supported the work of
missionaries who often went beyond the colonial frontier and pressured the gov to formally annex
an area e.g. John Kirk in Zanzibar. Works of David Livingstone very influential. Supported intervention
in Egypt after riots killed Europeans – newspapers put pressure of Gladstone to act. Public pressured
Gladstone to send relief expedition to Gordon in Sudan in 1885 despite Gladstone ordering Gordon
to withdraw. Disraeli made his party the ‘party of empire’ in his Crystal Palace speech in 1872, largely
to gain support from the enlarged electorate after 1867 reform act, sold it as a way to peruse wealth
to strengthen economy. Jingoistic atmosphere in Britain
J: Overall, economic interests were extremely important. Other factors were important but they all like to Britain’s desire to gain
wealth from its empire to maintain its dominant global position and help recover from the economic depression. Initially, Britain
preferred informal influence through trade, however, often this became formal because of strategic concerns of threats from
indigenous people later in the period so these factors were important for the development of formal annexation. However,
economic concerns important here too as influenced by economic depression.
