‘Colonial administrators were the people who were most responsible for the extension of
British influence in Africa in the years 1857 to 1890.’
Introduction:
Colonial administrators had overwhelmingly
the most responsibility. They acted
independently without the need for
government approval allowing them to directly
influence British imperial policy in Africa.
Alongside traders they physically promoted
empire by extending it.
Paragraph 1: Colonial Administrators Paragraph 2: Traders
Bartle Frere had a significant impact on the Trade was of utmost importance to Britain in
British Empire. the 19th century and so traders had a key
- Frere deliberately provoked a war with responsibility to defend the empire’s
the Zulus whom he considered an commercial interests. By 1870, Britain’s GDP
obstacle to an attempted federation of was larger than China’s and Russia’s combined.
South African colonies in December - Cecil Rhodes owned all South Africa’s
1878. diamond mines (90% of global diamond
- The war ended with a British victory, production) and had wealth to pursue
but the shocking defeat of the British ‘furtherance of the British Empire and
forces at Isandlwana in January 1879 the bringing of the whole of the
and the high cost of the war led to an uncivilised world under British rule.’
official reprimand and Frere was - Rhodes granted a charter to establish
withdrawn from South Africa by British South Africa Company in 1889,
Gladstone’s liberal government in 1880 through concessions and treaties. In his
and denounced for acting recklessly honour, named ‘Rhodesia’ in 1895.
- Bartle Frere played a significant role- by - William Mackinnon also was
refusing to withdraw his troops and his influential- Self-made Scottish
disregard of orders from his political businessman who began coating trade
superiors, he was permanently around Bay of Bengal. In 1856, he
relegated to a footnote in British founded Calcutta and Burma Steam
Empire history. His deliberate actions Navigation Company. This became
triggered a string of regional wars, British India Steam Navigation
Zululand invasion (1879) and the First Company and grew into a huge
Boer War (1880). business organisation, trading through
Indian Ocean, Burma and Persian Gulf.
Therefore, considering Frere’s actions had - Founded Imperial British East Africa
explicit and wide-reaching consequences, it Company in 1888 with a charter
shows the significance of the responsibility supported by British government as a
colonial administrators had. Men on the spot means of establishing influence in
took independent measures and so were able region.
to decide how regions should be administered Traders had an important role to play in the
and developed, uninterruptedly. development of attitudes to Empire. Once
commercial enterprises had established a
foothold somewhere, British administration
often followed. However, they were not as
significant as administrators. As part of
gentlemanly capitalists, they had to lobby and
persuade the government to pursue
colonialism- a step administrators didn’t have
to go through.
Paragraph 3: Explorers Paragraph 4: Missionaries
British influence in Africa in the years 1857 to 1890.’
Introduction:
Colonial administrators had overwhelmingly
the most responsibility. They acted
independently without the need for
government approval allowing them to directly
influence British imperial policy in Africa.
Alongside traders they physically promoted
empire by extending it.
Paragraph 1: Colonial Administrators Paragraph 2: Traders
Bartle Frere had a significant impact on the Trade was of utmost importance to Britain in
British Empire. the 19th century and so traders had a key
- Frere deliberately provoked a war with responsibility to defend the empire’s
the Zulus whom he considered an commercial interests. By 1870, Britain’s GDP
obstacle to an attempted federation of was larger than China’s and Russia’s combined.
South African colonies in December - Cecil Rhodes owned all South Africa’s
1878. diamond mines (90% of global diamond
- The war ended with a British victory, production) and had wealth to pursue
but the shocking defeat of the British ‘furtherance of the British Empire and
forces at Isandlwana in January 1879 the bringing of the whole of the
and the high cost of the war led to an uncivilised world under British rule.’
official reprimand and Frere was - Rhodes granted a charter to establish
withdrawn from South Africa by British South Africa Company in 1889,
Gladstone’s liberal government in 1880 through concessions and treaties. In his
and denounced for acting recklessly honour, named ‘Rhodesia’ in 1895.
- Bartle Frere played a significant role- by - William Mackinnon also was
refusing to withdraw his troops and his influential- Self-made Scottish
disregard of orders from his political businessman who began coating trade
superiors, he was permanently around Bay of Bengal. In 1856, he
relegated to a footnote in British founded Calcutta and Burma Steam
Empire history. His deliberate actions Navigation Company. This became
triggered a string of regional wars, British India Steam Navigation
Zululand invasion (1879) and the First Company and grew into a huge
Boer War (1880). business organisation, trading through
Indian Ocean, Burma and Persian Gulf.
Therefore, considering Frere’s actions had - Founded Imperial British East Africa
explicit and wide-reaching consequences, it Company in 1888 with a charter
shows the significance of the responsibility supported by British government as a
colonial administrators had. Men on the spot means of establishing influence in
took independent measures and so were able region.
to decide how regions should be administered Traders had an important role to play in the
and developed, uninterruptedly. development of attitudes to Empire. Once
commercial enterprises had established a
foothold somewhere, British administration
often followed. However, they were not as
significant as administrators. As part of
gentlemanly capitalists, they had to lobby and
persuade the government to pursue
colonialism- a step administrators didn’t have
to go through.
Paragraph 3: Explorers Paragraph 4: Missionaries
