The British Empire

Lesson 1: Lesson One: the Beginnings of Empire

Britain's Overseas Expansion

In l737, it was increasingly difficult for Prime Minister Walpole to keep England out of war with Spain, brought about by the continual harassment of British trading ships by the Spanish. When a certain Captain Jenkins presented the sight of his sun-dried (or pickled) ear, supposedly cut off by the Spanish in l73l, Parliament was enraged and demanded action.

Walpole was unable to effect a compromise, and England went to war in l739. At the same time, the War of the Austrian Succession had broken out on the Continent.

To the dismay of Parliament, George signed a treaty with France to protect Hanover. Walpole was held responsible, and after losing support of the Commons, he was defeated in Parliament. In a speech in June, l74l he had coined the term "balance of power"; an expression that was to guide British foreign policy for decades to come.

When France declared war on England in l744, believing that she was the cause of most of her troubles, Parliament was forced on the defensive. The Jacobite cause was still powerful enough to be considered the greatest threat to Britain in mid-century.

Prince Charles Edward was encouraged by promise of support from France, but it soon became apparent, despite some early successes, that Charles was not going to be successful in raising the men and money necessary to sustain the invasion. At Culloden in April,

l745 the brave Scots were massacred. After Culloden, Scotland was ready to play a major role in the expansion of the British Empire. In particular, the fighting qualities and heroic traditions of the Highlanders were put to good use in British armies sent to fight in Europe and further afield.

The Seven Years War (l756-63) that closely followed the failure of the Jacobite Rebellion was the most dramatically successful war ever fought by Britain. Success followed success (mostly at the expense of France) in Canada, India, West Africa and the West Indies, and the tiny North Atlantic island of Britain found itself at the head of a vast, world empire in which the Scots played a leading part.

The War of the Austrian Succession was ended by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in l748. But Britain was still anxious to fight for possession of new lands and trade routes. Its merchant classes insisted on them.

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