The Britsh Empire: A Force for Good, or Evil?
Table of Contents Negative Impact: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Slavery Christianity Theft Distribution of Wealth Native Culture
Positive Impact: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Empire Soldiers Sports English Language Parliamentary System Infrastructure Education The Commonwealth
Was the British Empire a force for good or evil? This is the question we have asked ourselves in our class this year, and we now know that there will never be an answer to this question that everyone will agree on. What we can say is that the huge empire was one of the most important developments in world history. For millions of people, the world today is the way it is because of the impact of the British Empire. It was a very sophisticated network of nations and peoples, linked by trade and political systems, sometimes held together by force. It brought tremendous changes to many people and many countries. Some of these changes involved innovations in medical care, education and railways. The British Empire fought to abolish slavery in the 1800s, but it profited from slavery in the 1700s. For many peoples the Empire meant loss of lands, discrimination and prejudice. Yet the majority of former colonies still keep their ties with Britain through the Commonwealth. Parliamentary democracy, the English language and the Christian religion can be found in many countries. These are just a few of the ways in which the British Empire has had a lasting effect on world history. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/default.htm
http://cameracollector.proboards.com/thread/3346/empire
How did the British Empire organize he trade triangle? As part of the triangular trade, 3.5 million slaves were deported, by the British Empire, from their native land in Africa, to the Americas. It lasted for 200 years, from the 16th to the 19th century. They traveled in bad conditions and they were treated like animals. The slave trade developed because the sugar cane plantations required a large workforce. The British went by boat to the African coast with British products (textiles, weapons, wines‌) and they exchanged these products for slaves. The length of the journey to go to America could take months. It was absolutely horrifying. Many slaves died during this trip. There could be more than six hundred slaves per ship. Below deck, slaves were all crowded in small and dark spaces, they could not move. The consequences were: difficulties to breath, no hygiene (blood, vomit, excrement...), contagious diseases.
Women and children were separated, it was very hard for families. This situation also exposed them to violence and sexual abuse from the crew. Women were often used sexually. Men were tied two and two together by hand-cuffs on their wrists and by irons rivetted on their legs. Rebellions on the boat were rare and slaves were often killed. Many jumped overboard. Sometimes, slaves were punished and beaten so violently that they could die.
During the day the slaves received two meals, the first one was generally early in the morning. It was generally millet, cornmeal, bananas. The second one was in the afternoon. They brought them to America, especially the Caribbean. When they arrived, the surgeons tried to make the slaves attractive for the buyers. They hid their injuries and cut their hair and then the slaves were sold to work in plantations. Slaves were traded for money or tropical products such as sugar, tobacco, cotton, and coffee.
The British left America with many products. When they finally arrived in England they sold all. The Trade Triangle helped the British to develop their country. It allowed for economic growth in Britain because they brought back a lot of wealth. The Trade Triangle was abolished in 1807 and in 1833 it was slavery's abolition. Questions: -Explain why the slaves died during the trip. -How do the pictures show that the slaves are subject to the British? -How did slavery help the British to develop their country? Commerce_triangulaire#La_pr.C3.A9paration_d.27une_exp.C3
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/slavery/middle_passage/index.aspx
Chapter 2Â : The impact of christianity in Southern Africa The colinization of Africa by the Europeans brought good things like infrastructure, mordernity, and civilisation. But even if they helped African people, they also forced them to convert to Christianity. Their colonialmism also raised slavery, according to the bible. The Europeans converted only weak minded people so they went to poor places where there were only poor illiterate people to brainwash, An estimated 90% of the health and education services in the Afro-Asian empire were staffed by missionaries and financed by their supporters in England. Not until the end of the second world war did government make its belated attempt to make good its long neglect of those areas. Throughout the period of empire which ended with American Independence in 1783, very little was done to take Christianity to the unconverted world overseas. A few missionaries in the West Indies and America managed (if they were tactful or courageous) to baptise and instruct a number of Negro slaves, but they did not dare criticise the institution of Slavery, for fear of enraging the slave-owners they were forced to acquiesce in a system they regarded as unchristian.
How European Christians changed Mary and her son Jesus during the colonization. The first African Christians represented Jesus black, and in the 20th century Jesus became white, because of christian missionaries. http://www.africanchristian.org
Christian propaganda in Guinea 1.Explain this picture, how Christians want to sell their religion to south Africans.
How Africans tribal religion decreassed quickly from Africa during colonization. We can see in the first picture the evolution of indigenous tribes between 1900 and 1990 there are fewer and fewer indigenous tribes. Southern African tribes have been replaced by Christians according to the second picture.
«To be obedient to them that are your masters, according to the flesh, in fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ» Ephesians 6:5 « As for your male and female slaves who may belong to you, you may buy male and female slaves from the nations all around you » Leviticus 25:44 « Also you may buy slaves from the children of the foreigners who reside with you, and from their families that are with you, whom they have fathered in your land, they may become your property » Leviticus 25:45 « You may give them as inheritance to your children after you to possess as property. You may enslave them perpetually. However, as for your brothers the Israelites, no man may rule over his brother harshly » Leviticus 25:46 Some examples of biblical references allowing slavery, there words were prayed in African churches.
Questions : 1. How di Christian missionaries convert people to Christianity, use all the documents. 2. Where did the Missionaries work in Africa, and why? 3.What happened to the native African Tribes?
Theft Questions: -When and where did the Great Exhibition take place? -What are the jewels stolen from British colonies and brought to Great Britain? -What are the objects exhibited in the Crystal Palace?
Crystal Palace in London The Great Exhibition took place in 1851 in the Crystal Palace, in London. There were more than a hundred thousand objects displayed. There were four exhibition categories: raw materials, machines, manufactured products and works of art. More than half the exhibitors came from the United Kingdom and its colonies. Foreign nations shared the other part. France, the second most important exhibitor, was placed next to England. Textiles, diamonds and other jewels were displayed at the Crystal Palace. There were also new inventions, devices and instruments such as photography, telegraphy and the railroads. It was the height of the industrial revolution. The Crystal Palace was destroyed by a fire on November 30th, 1936.
Cullinan 2 (imperial scepter and crown)
In India, in the 14th century, a fabulous diamond was discovered. The year after its discovery, it was offered to Queen Victoria in honour of the 250th birthday of the company of East Indies, for her crowning. Then it was exhibited in the Crystal Palace. The "First star of Africa " is the biggest diamond in the world. It was discovered in South Africa at the beginning of the 20th century and it was cut into nine pieces, the biggest one is called the Cullinan 1. Its diamonds came to decorate the crown jewels (imperial scepter, crown) which were then exhibited in the Crystal Palace. Many jewels and diamonds were stolen from the British colonies to decorate crown jewels They were exhibited in the Crystal Palace with the aim of showing British power. The British also took gold and other materials from Australia.
Sources: http://www.expositions-universelles.fr/1851-exhibition-londres.html http://www.cityzeum.com/dossier/la-tour-de-londres/2540/les-joyaux-de-la-couronne http://dht.revues.org/1502 http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposition_universelle_de_1851 http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Palace_(palais_d 'expositions) http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/roman_0048-8593_1994_num_24_83_5935
British empire : British Empire's wealth: Something positive for all? The Europeans shared Africa between them, but Britain got a lot more countries than the others because they were the first to be involved in the conquest of Africa. They took control in West Africa, Egypt and south Africa.
How did the British empire's wealth benefit the rich more than the poor? The British empire was really developed in all of Africa, but the relationship between British and Africans wasn't really amical. In fact British obliged Africans to work for them as slaves, in diamond or gold mines, for example. British traders and merchants became richer and richer than the Africans who just stayed poor and in addition were not seen as human at all, just as slaves. At first, Africa didn't understand that they were being robbed by the British because they didn't use gold and diamonds, so there was no problem, but progressively British rule became more and more authoritarian, the population had to pay high taxes, and Africans began to be poorer than before the arrival of the English.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/g2/cs3/background.htm
British empire : Case study : West Africa Document 1 :
http://www.victorianschool.co.uk/empire.html
Document 2 : In 1700 British were heavily involved in the West African slave trade, it was just in 1800 that the slave trade was abolished. British merchants and traders who didn't want to lose all the resources of Africa got involved in West Africa's politics, chieftain's families http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/g2/cs3/background.htm benefited form British rule Questions : (education, language), which was why rich people 1) How many countries was were favorable to British British West Africa made of? domination. Gradually the 2)Why did the British get more British made Africans African countries than the other everyday life change which European settlers? allowed British to continue 3)Why did some Africans approve of the British domination? to exploit the African 4) What ressources did the population. It was a really British exploit in West Africa? unfair trade. 5)When did the last British West African colony become independent?
→ How did British undermine cultures of colonized countries? The British took the British culture with them to the colonized countries. This led to many native cultures disappearing. This happened to the Aborigines in Australia. During the reign of Queen Victoria, at the height of the British Empire, British subverted cultures of colonized countries by bringing their language and their religion. The British underestimated the value of the land to the aborigines and they simply moved them to different land. The British settlement started to take place in Australia that was also inhabited by aboriginal tribes, they neglected their existence. The British culture replaced the one which was already established in colonized countries. The British also established church structures in new geographical territories and converted non-Christians. http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/land/meaning-of-land-to-aboriginal-people
At the end of the 18th century, when the British arrived in Australia, they considered the land as their own without thinking about how Aborigines were attached to their land. The aborigines were really attached to their culture, if they moved their spiritual ties would be broken with the land.There was a special link between Aborigines and the land, they were connected to it. All of their life was connected to the nature, they considered land as their « mother ». British didn't care about this spritual connection and the Aborigines' traditions. They just decided Australia was their land and that they could do what they wanted to do.
“We cultivated our land, but in a way different from the white man. We endeavour to live with the land; they seemed to live off it.” —Tom Dystra, Aboriginal elder “The land is my backbone… I only stand straight, happy, proud and not ashamed about my colour because I still have land… I think of land as the history of my nation.” —Galarrwuy Yunipingu, Aboriginal musician “In white society, a person's home is a structure made of bricks or timber, but to our people our home was the land that we hunted and gathered on and held ceremony and gatherings.” —Nala Mansell-McKenna, Youth Worker, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre http://www.australianinspiration.com.au/Quotes/Authors.aspx
From 'Saltwater people of the fatal shore'. A rare coastal Aboriginal image found by John Ogden http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/wermugga-corroboree2c-1892/4629912
The Aborgines around Sydney were divided into 29 clans. For example, there were the Cammeraigal, the Kameygal, the Birrabirragal and the Illawarra. Each clan spoke different dialects or even different languages, they had their own stories, traditions and initiation rites. The British destroyed that, they arrived in Australia in order to establish their languages, their laws. They just wanted to be more powerful, they took gold, wool and other materials from Australia. They forced them to learn English, to move to other countries. Aborigines were considered as slaves, almost as animals.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/g2/cs2/background.htm
Questions : – What is the link between Aborigines and their land? Why did they feel connected to it ? – What did the British take from Australia ? – How did the British colonization lead to native cultures disapearing ?
Indian army during World Wars: World War I : • The Indian Army during World War I contributed a large number of divisions and independent brigades to the European, Mediterranean and the Middle East theatres of war in World War I. Over one million Indian troops served overseas, of whom 62,000 died and another 67,000 were wounded. In total at least 74,187 Indian soldiers died during the war.
Indian army
Lien
• In World War I the Indian Army fought against the German Empire in German East Africa and on the Western Front. At the First Battle of Ypres, Khudadad Khan became the first Indian to be awarded a Victoria Cross. Indian divisions were also sent to Egypt, Gallipoli and nearly 700,000 served in Mesopotamia against the Ottoman Empire. While some divisions were sent overseas others had to remain in India guarding the North West Frontier and on internal security and training duties.
Lien Indian cavalry Lien • The cavalry brigade had one British and two Indian regiments while the infantry brigades consisted of one British and three Indian battalions. Indian Army battalions were smaller than the British battalions, consisting of 30 officers and 723 other ranks as compared to the British 29 officers and 977 other ranks.
The end
Lien
• In 1919, the Indian Army could call upon 491,000 men, but there was a shortage of experienced officers, most of the officers having been killed or wounded in the war.[71] In 1921, the Indian government started a review of their military requirements with the protection of the North West Frontier and internal security their priority. Official figures suggest that 64,449 Indian soldiers died in the war.
180
During World War II : British India British India was controlled by Britain and thus India officially declared war on Nazi Germany in September 1939. The British Raj, as a possession of Great Britain, formed part of the Allied Nations and sent over two and a half million volunteer soldiers to fight under British command against the Axis powers. Additionally, several Indian Princely States provided large donations to support the Allied campaign during the War. India also provided the base for American operations in support of China in the China Burma India Theater. Indians fought with distinction throughout the world; in the European theaters of Germany and Italy, in the north African deserts against Rommel, in the West African campaign, and in the Asian region defending India against the Japanese, and liberating British colonies such as Singapore and Hong Kong when the Japanese surrendered in August 1945. Source
British Indian Army In 1939 the Indian Army numbered 205,000 men. It took in volunteers and by 1945 was the largest all-volunteer force in history, rising to over 2.5 million men. These forces included tank, artillery and airborne forces. Indian soldiers earned 30 Victoria Crosses during the World War II. Sources
A devastating famine The region of Bengal in India suffered a devastating famine during 1940-43. Some of the key reasons for this famine are : a) ever increasing financial and resource needs due to the war; b) the Japanese invasion of Burma which cut off food and other essential supplies to the region, c) mismanagement by Indian regional governments; The British government denied an urgent request from Leopold Amery, the Indian secretary of state, and Archibald Wavell, the Viceroy of India, to stop exports of food from Bengal in order that it might be used for famine relief. Winston Churchill, then prime minister, dismissed these requests in a fashion that Amery regarded as "Hitler-like," by asking why, if the famine was so horrible Source
A) Compare the number of Indian soldiers of WWI and WWII. B) What is the impact of The Indian army during WWs ? C) What do you think the most terrible War for the Indians was? 181
British Empire Sports How were the most popular sports in England introduced in the colonies? The British Empire has given birth to lots of international sports: football, rugby, cricket, golf, tennis, table tennis, badminton, squash, rounders, hockey, boxing, snooker, billiards and curling. From the British West Indies to Australia, from South Africa to Somaliland, from India to Canada. Each sport has is period to be played ; football is played from August to May. Rugby is also a winter sport. Cricket is played in the Summer, from April to September. There is also a professional Ice Hockey league operating in Great Britain called the Elite Ice Hockey League. These sports allow a union between the commonwealth countries. To celebrate this agreement, the British empire created the Commonwealth Games in 1930.
Football The most popular sport in the British Empire is association football. The rules were first drafted in England in 1863 by Ebenezer Cobb Morley. England has the oldest football clubs in the world. Like association football, rugby union and rugby league both developed from traditional British football games in the 19th century. Rugby football was codified in 1871.
Repartition of english sports in the British empire
Cricket is claimed to have been invented in England. It's the national sport of England. It was a respectable game, a Gentleman’s game. By the late 1600s, English settlers had begun to play cricket in New England; the game was first played in Calcutta and Bombay by the early 1700s. a very
popular year-round sport in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, African and Caribbean countries.
Cricket
In Australia and New Zealand, cricket was introduced early in the 19th century, and made it's first appearance in Cape Town, South Africa with the first British occupation of the Western Cape in the late 18th Century.
The Commonwealth Games
The Games were originally called the British Empire Games, and first took place in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada, with 11 countries and only six sports. The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. They have been held every four years since, except during the Second World War, and were renamed the Commonwealth Games in 1978. England has dominated the Games for the first time in 28 years, winning 56 gold medals . Australia is in second place.
The first commonwealth games.
Some sports are unique to the U.K. The most notable is cricket which is played in every Commonwealth country. Football and rugby are also very popular. Football is now a global game and rugby is most notably played in the Unied Kingdom, NewZealand and South Africa. Cricket and rugby are now starting to catch on in Canada which was always distinctly known for hockey.
Questions : 1.How did Commonwealth Games help the British Empire to be united? 2. What are the sports the most exported in the colonies ? 3.What is the most played sport in the British Empire ? The third commonwealth games
Links : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Games http://web.uvic.ca/vv/student/cricket/empire/empire.html http://qz.com/244162/the-british-empire-is-still-going-strong-in-the-world-of-sports/
4.How have sports allowed colonies to become independant? 5.From the questions write a paragraph about the sports introduced in the colonies.
English is one of the most spoken languages in the world.
DOC I : On this graph we can see the proportion of people for which English is the language of origin according to their nationality. English is a language used today for commerce. It goes back to the Victorian period, English was the language for the exchange of products from the colonies towards the capital. The distribution of English has nothing to do with its grammatical structure or its attributes but only to the colonial politics of the British empire. The British empire was very important and possessed colonies on every continent.
On this map we can see the colonies of the British empire and the main shipping lanes.
English is one popular language and very known because it was imposed on the world by the colonization and by the fact that English was always the language of the most powerful countries of world. Today English is the language of the USA and of United Kingdom (2 countries with power and an important influence). Moreover the language absorbs words from other countries. Most of the native foods of the colonies have keept their names after their integration into the English language. Ex:Sugar, Naan, Lassi, curry (India) Other words from other languages: bungalow (Inde), dÊtente (français), kebab (turc), potat, Avatar, Nirvana, loot, karma (Inde) English is a constantly evolving language. This map shows countries where English is the official language.
In green it's Quebec, an old British colony but it's not English the official language but French. We notice these countries are British colonies and another country neighbor of these countries colonized . Question 1: Why do the United states represent 60 % of the international population for which English is the mother tongue? Question 2:Why do countries not colonized by the British Empire have English as an official language? Question 3:Why is English the most spoken language in this world? Sources/ http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglais http://angleterre.org.uk/anglais/histoire-del-anglais.htm http://blog.esl.fr/blog/apprendre-les-langues/anglais-fr/anglais-premiere-langue-internationale/ http://www.dailywritingtips.com/15-english-words-of-indian-origin/ http://www.iluenglish.com/list-and-etymology-of-indian-words-in-english/
Why are many former colonies still using the British democratic system of parliament? The parliamant of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. The acts created a new unified kingdom of Great Britain and dissolved the separated English and Scottish parliaments in favour of a single parliament, located in in the Palace of Westminister. The British parliament, known as « The mother of Parliaments » is considered as the oldest of modern times. A parliament is an assembly of elected representatives of a people or a nation, which forms the supreme legislative authority for that people or nation. However, the fundamental parliamentary concepts of assembly, representation and legislation go back thousands of years. The word parliament comes from the French word parler, meaning « to talk » Many countries around the world were originally English colonies who directly copied the Westminister system for their Parliament. Westminister Palace http://www.google.fr/imgres?
The British Parliament http://www.herodote.net/Aux_origines_de_la_democratie_anglaise-article-1100.php
Two examples: Canada and New Zealand Canada gained its own parliament in 1867, after a history of both French and British colonisation. The British monarch is still the Canadian head of state, represented by a Governor-General. Canada has bicameral parliament made up of a House of commons to which members are elected, and Senate to which members are appointed by the prime minister. New Zealand: From 1854 until 1951 the New Zealand Parliament consisted of a Governor, an elected House of representatives and legislative Concil appointed by the government. In 1951 the legislative Concil was abolished. http://short-history.html/
The British parliamentary system is still used today because of its advantages: • • •
• •
Every week the British prime minister appears before the house of Commons and must answer questions put to him or her by the members of Parliament. Parliamentary systems allow for flexible legislative structures such as bicameral, unicameral, etc. The Prime Minister, or head of the executive cabinet, can be replaced without an election. Poor performing or unpopular Prime Ministers can be replaced by the majority party without requiring the approval of the electorate. Powers are constantly being devolved from the Ceremonial Executive and into more democratic bodies. Parliamentary systems have adopted varied, progressive and innovative electoral systems, possibly to compensate for the lack of separation of powers between the Executive and Legislative.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/researchstarters/presidents/ http://www.southsearepublic.org/article/2811/read/pros_and_cons_of_the_westminster_or_parliamentary_system/
the systems of Governance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_system_of_government
orange : Parliamentary republics red : Parliamentary constitutional monarchies (the monarch does not exercise power) Questions: 1. Give the name of five countries which use the Parliamentary system. 2. Why is the British parliament called “The mother of Parliaments”? 3. Give two pros of the British democratic system of Parliament.
Keywords: bicameral: a bicameral Parliament consists of an appointed Senate and a popularly elected House of Assembly. Unicameral: consisting of a single chamber, as a legislative assembly.
The railway systems, a new way to cross the world. The nineteenth century saw many technological upgrades. The railway system had the biggest repercussion. Applying this power to move heavy goods and people over long distances was of course one application that would serve the British Empire for at least one hundred years. We can see railways in India, West Africa, Canada, Australia etc. All these colonies have been improved by the British Empire.
http://www.google.fr/imgresimgur
George Stephenson realized the full power and potential of this new engine. He invented The Rocket which was the first train engine able to take advantage on all of the other vehicles. The railway system was born in United Kingdom with a completion of the Liverpool and Manchester in 1830. Then railways grew in Ireland, Scotland and the North of England. They were used to go trough viaducts, bridges and tunnels. During it expansion, iron was needed for the rails and its mass production was necessary to reduce the costs of the railway industry. So a huge workforce was needed but these people worked dangerously on bridges, landscapes with bad conditions and they were paid a pittance. In addition, colonial administrators directly saw the benefits that such an infrastructure could bring to the colonies they were in charge of. For example, India size is 3,287,263 km², horses and ships were too slow so the railways could improve the movement of goods and people. Around 1850, railways expanded in every colony because of all the benefits. By the outbreak of the First World, British investors owned 113 railways in 29 countries, by far the world’s greatest source of railway capital, stimulating a massive growth in the activities and power of the City of London . Britain, too, used railways to cement its control over its own colonies, notably in India where a huge network of lines was created partly for military purposes and a line was built across Egypt in order to allow the British to reclaim control over Sudan.
http://www.google.fr/imgres?
The railway system was a very huge project all around the British Empire where the Sun Never Sets but it did not reach its goal everywhere. There is a famous example. The Cape to Cairo Railway is an uncompleted project to cross Africa from south to north by rail. This plan was initiated at the end of the 19th century, during the time of colonial rule, in the attempt to connect adjacent African possessions of the British Empire through a continuous line from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt. While most sections of the Cape to Cairo railway are in operation, a major part is missing between northern Sudan and Uganda. The construction of this project presented a major technological challenge. Trains also changed people's everyday life. A lot of people took the train to visit the coast and Bank Holiday Act of 1871 fixed holidays for all the sectors of the society. Travelers in large numbers made fishermen's small villages as Worthing, Brighton, Morecambe and Scarborough into important tourist centers and people like Thomas Cook saw in tourism - in Great Britain and overseas - a lucrative opportunity. Trains influenced the daily life, all the clocks in Great Britain were adjusted according to the "hour of the train". The railroad improved the links of communication. Study this document carefully.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/g2/cs5/g2cs5s8.htm
1 What impression does this source give of life in the British empire in terms of the following issues: • the benefits of economic development in the empire? • the economic benefits of the empire to Britain? • the British giving independence to some countries in the empire? • the relationship between the British government and the settlers? 2 Explain whether you think this source gives a positive or negative view of the Empire.
BRITISH EDUCATION SYSTEM IN BRITISH COLONIES How did the British colonies benefit from the British education system? In the XVIIth century, the British Empire was the largest empire that the world had never known, its power and influence stretched all over the globe. In this chapter, we will see how the British Empire succeeded in imposing their educational principles around the world during colonial times, principles which are still conserved today. We will show you positive points and some negative points also. We’ll take the example of 3 colonies from different continents: India, Canada and South Africa. We will see that they teach colonial children in the same way British children are taught. As a first step, we will show you a picture taken in India.
This photo shows that in India they teach colonial children in the same way British children are taught. http://blog.esl-languages.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/British-Empire-colonies.jpg
-Can you describe the picture? Where are the little girls going? -What habits have they got in common with British students? -How did they teach colonial children in the same way British children are taught?
Canada: As in Britain principals have the freedom to shape the culture of their schools, but only within the remit of the district. Each principal is a team player and is moved around schools as the superintendent sees fit. There is a lot of competition between schools. Each school have its own budget and spends its money in the way they want.
India: Educational
expenditures in India, under the British Empire, never exceeded 1% of GDP. For 1860-1913, the independent « Princely States « were spending about twice as much on education as India under the British Empire. Other parts of that empire were spending about eighteen times as much. Education in colonies was not a priority: there were not much rules, building of infrastructure. Education for girls was not developed and primary schools were especially weak. The money which is spent on this domain in Bombay was ten times higher than in Odisha, a little India's state. Education ended up as a side show, and that meant only a minimal importance on education.
South Africa: Universities and research centres in African nations once ruled by the British are much more scientifically productive than those in former European colonies. This is the result of inherited education institutions and an efficient, open and dynamic research model, comparative language advantages, political and economic institutions which the higher education . The British model offered a relatively better research culture during and after colonisation, the study pointed out. It appears that scientific cooperation with the former British colonial power offers relatively higher spill-over effects compared to any other colonial power. 1. Is there competition between schools in Canada? Why or why not? In India, we want to show you a negative point, Which one is it? Does South Africa benefit much from the British education model? RABADAN Siloé TEXIER Claire
THE COMMONWEALTH Everybody has already heard about the Commonwealth but just a few of us really know what it means. So, first I would like to talk about what is concretely the Commonwealth, and then, I will focus on that simple but essential question: Why does the Commonwealth exist? Many of the former colonies, though now independent, choose to belong to The British Commonwealth which is a force for friendship between nations.
I
What is the Commonwealth ? The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of fifty-three independent and equal sovereign states. It is spread over five continents and includes more than 2.2 billion inhabitants which represent thirty percent of the world’s population. This association is composed of states and territories stemming from The British Empire. Every type of country is represented, the poorest as well as the smallest or the biggest, they feel solidarity with each other. The Commonwealth is supported by an active network of more than eighty intergovernmental civil societies which are cultural and professional organisations. It supports member states and civil societies and promotes education (distance Learning), sport development (Commonwealth Games), world peace, equality, the opposition of racism, among other goals. Another aim is to strengthen social cohesion in order to create a political force. In this way, The Commonwealth is a force which extends all over the world.
Doc http://www.thecomme ntator.com/article/2075/s omething_in_common_thin king_outside_the_eu_b ox
II Why does the Commonwealth exist ?
The idea of this association came from The Governor General of Canada, Lord Durham, in 1839. He wanted to create the Commonwealth to prevent colonies’ secession. Marchal Jan Christiaan Smuts suggested calling it the “BRITISH COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS” in 1915.
This association and its definition changed between 1926 and 1931. In fact, in 1931 during Westminster’s Status that it has been decided to substitute the designation “British Empire” for ”Nations Community” which included England, English Colonies and Dominions (Canada, Australia, New-Zealand, and South Africa ).
The Commonwealth was officially established in London with the declaration of 28th April 1949. Commonwealth’s members are totally independent from England. They act together because their unity is the best way to succeed in many areas. Each country can help and bring advice in the common interest. Acting together makes them more powerful, that’s why the Commonwealth still exists. Doc 2 : Commonwealth logo http://www.dfat.gov.au/intorgs/commonwealth/
Doc 3 : Commonwealth Games
http://www.teara.govt.nz/files/37923-atl.jpg
Doc 3
Doc 2
EXTRACT FROM THE OFFICIAL COMMONWEALTH CHARTER
Doc 4
http://thecommonwealth.org/sites/default/files/page/documents/CharteroftheCommonwealth.pdf
 Recognising that in an era of changing economic circumstances and uncertainty, new trade and economic patterns, unprecedented threats to peace and security, and a surge in popular demands for democracy, human rights and broadened economic opportunities, the potential of and need for the Commonwealth – as a compelling force for good and as an effective network for co-operation and for promoting development – has never been greater, Recalling that the Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent and equal sovereign states, each responsible for its own policies, consulting and co-operating in the common interests of our peoples and in the promotion of international understanding and world peace, and influencing international society to the benefit of all through the pursuit of common principles and values, Affirming that the special strength of the Commonwealth lies in the combination of our diversity and our shared inheritance in language, culture and the rule of law; and bound together by shared history and tradition; by respect for all states and peoples; by shared values and principles and by concern for the vulnerable, Affirming that the Commonwealth way is to seek consensus through consultation and the sharing of experience [...] Affirming the role of the Commonwealth as a recognised intergovernmental champion of small states, advocating for their special needs; providing policy advice on political, economic and social development issues; and delivering technical assistance, Welcoming the valuable contribution of the network of the many intergovernmental, parliamentary, professional and civil society bodies which support the Commonwealth and which subscribe and adhere to its values and principles, Affirming the validity of and our commitment to the values and principles of the Commonwealth as defined and strengthened over the years [...] Affirming our core Commonwealth principles of consensus and common action, mutual respect, inclusiveness, transparency, accountability, legitimacy, and responsiveness, Reaffirming the core values and principles of the Commonwealth has declared by this Charter.
Questions: Use what we did in class + Documents 1) Who are the Commonwealth's members?
Doc 1
2) What are the Commonwealth's aims? (What does it promote and support? ) 3) a) Why does the Commonwealth (still) exist ? Doc 2 and 3 b) Quote one example showing the solidarity and the union of the Commonwealth members. 4) What is the Commonwealth according to the Charter? Write a paragraph. Don't forget to quote examples. Doc 4 5) Summarize what you have learnt about the Commonwealth (250 words) All documents Sources : http://thecommonwealth.org/ http://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/autre-region/Commonwealth_of_Nations/114245