How long did the British empire reign?

Answer 1

Technically and by definition, it is still an empire; The definition of Empire is:

'A Group of territories under the rule/administration of one state or person'

The United Kingdom retains 14 territories, in which they have full sovereignty.

Answer 2

Many historians argue about this, but I would date the beginning of the British Empire with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. This let Europe know England was for real and not a tiny, backward little kingdom anymore. More importantly, the British Navy was for real, and they played for keeps. The height of the British Empire was in the 1700s, the 1800s, all the way up until the end of World War II.

Both world wars devastated the Empire, even though Britain was on the winning side both times. The British knew they couldn't rebuild their devastated domestic economy and control their vast overseas territories at the same time. With India gaining Independence in 1947, the Empire was pretty much over. Nations that were part of the old British Empire gradually transformed into what we know today as the British Commonwealth. This is basically a group of countries who still pretty much like Great Britain, get together occasionally to talk about stuff, and send representatives to royal funerals, weddings, and coronations.

Answer 3

1573Humphrey Gilbert claims Newfoundland in the name of Queen Elizabeth I1600British East India Company established1607Settlement of Jamestown in North America1609Settlement of Bermuda1613British East India Company establish a factory on the Indian west coast1627Settlement of Barbados1655Settlement of Jamaica1664Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam handed over to the British, later renamed New York1707Death of Mughul leader, British East India Company begins warfare with local peoples1710British seize French possession French Arcadia, renamed Nova Scotia1713Treaty of Utrecht makes Britain prominent force in America by giving possession of Hudson Bay, Newfoundland, and St. Kitts to the British.1754Anglo-French War commences in North America1757Robert Clive defeats the nawab of Bengal and establishes a puppet ruler in India1760Montreal surrendered to British from French1962British seize Havana and capture Cuba from the Spanish1963Treaty of Paris ends Anglo-French War, resulting in Canada, Mississippi, and India becoming British possessions.1773Boston Tea Party1775American War of Independence/Revolutionary War commences1776American Declaration of Independence signed1783American War of Independence/Revolutionary War ends1788Settlement of the penal colony of Botany Bay, later known as Sydney, New South Wales

Expedition into the African Interior by the African Association1793British capture Trinenad from the Spanish in the Caribbean First free settlers arrive at New South Wales1795British seize Cape Colony from the Dutch1807Shipment of slaves to and from any British colonies prohibited1815British East India Company seize Ceylon from the Dutch1821Gambia, Gold Coast, and Sierra Leone unite to form British West Africa1829Colony of Western Australia founded1833Slavery throughout the British Empire ended1837Queen Victoria crowned1839First Opium War with China starts1841British seize Hong Kong from China1842First Opium War ends1857Indian Mutiny begins1858Indian Mutiny ends, British East India Company dissolved by British Crown. India becomes a British Crown Colony1867Canada given Dominion status in the British Empire1878Cyprus becomes a British colony1882British military occupation of Egypt1894Uganda becomes British protectorate1899Boer War begins1901Colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Van Diemen�s Land (later Tasmania), South Australia, and Western Australia unite to form the Commonwealth of Australia and gain Dominion status1907New Zealand gains Dominion status1914World War I begins

Egypt becomes a British protectorate1919Treaty of Versailles signed

World War I ends

German African colonies gained1920British East Africa becomes Kenya1922Egypt gains independence from British Empire1925Cyprus becomes a British colony1930Declaration of Indian Independence made1939World War II begins1941Fall of Hong Kong to the Japanese1942Fall of Malaya, Singapore and Burma to the Japanese1944Burma recaptured from the Japanese1945World War II ends1947Indian independence from British Empire granted1948Burma and Ceylon granted independence from British Empire1949Ireland leaves the British Commonwealth1952Elizabeth II ascends to British Throne1957Ghana, Gold Coast, and Malayan states become independent1959Cyprus joins the British Commonwealth1961Sierra Leone becomes independent

South Africa leaves the British Commonwealth1962Jamaica, Trinenad and Tobago, Uganda, and Western Samoa become independent1963Kenya and Zanzibar granted independence1964Malawi and Malta become independent1966Botswana, Gambia and Lesotho granted indpenedence1970Fiji and Tonga granted independence1971Bahrain and Qatar become independent1973Bahamas become independent1975Papua New Guinea becomes independent1976Seychelles granted independence1978Dominica granted independence1980Zimbabwe granted independence1981Belize becomes independent1984Sino-Anglo agreement of Hong Kong1987Fiji leaves British Commonwealth1996South Africa rejoins British Commonwealth1997Hong Kong becomes Chinese territory, as agreed in 1984.

Answer 4

It started around the end of the 16th century with trading posts, or the early 17th century.

It started declinining after WW2.

Answer 5

From 1858 to 1947 as a colony, and from 1947 to 1950 as a dominion.

Answer 6

The British Empire lasted between 1707-1997 (290 years)