Topic 3 – Session 7 – Big Civilization

After the American Revolution, Great Britain began a second and bigger empire. This one included Canada, South Africa, India, and — an entire continent(!) — Australia. It established other key colonies in strategic places around the globe. Much wealth flowed in from its Caribbean islands, from Malasia, the historic land of Egypt, and New Zealand. From its colony of Hong Kong, Britain dominated China’s commerce. To sum up, this was the most consequential empire in history.

But it could not last. After the bad setback from the American Revolution, the British, to their credit, realized that their least bad choice was to allow some of their most advanced possessions to have their own governmental autonomy. Thus, the idea of the British Commonwealth of Nations was born.

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Further Information

From History Moments Library

YEAR	TITLE	AUTHOR(s)
1775	Canada Chooses Not Join American Revolution	John McMullen
1783	After the American Revolution, Where Did the Loyalists Go?	Sir John G. Bourinot
1899	The Boer War	Arthur Conan Doyle James F.J. Archibald
1901	Australian Confederation Proclaimed	J. Grattan Grey
1910	Union of South Africa Formed	Stephen Leacock
YEAR	TITLE	AUTHOR(s)

From Elsewhere

Reads

British Commonwealth British Dominions Canadian Confederation Canada’s Autonomy Union of South Africa

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