The British Empire in the Nineteenth Century

During the nineteenth century the British Empire reached its greatest extent. India became the "jewel in the crown" — administered first by the East India Company and, after the rebellion of 1857, directly by the British government. Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877. Large parts of Africa were brought under British rule in the "Scramble for Africa" of the 1880s and 1890s.

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Settlement colonies in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were given increasing self-government and eventually became "dominions" within the empire. By 1900 the empire covered roughly a quarter of the globe and ruled over a quarter of its people. The legacy is mixed: the spread of the English language and parliamentary institutions on the one hand, slavery, exploitation and warfare on the other.

You may be asked which country was called the "jewel in the crown" (India), or which queen was Empress of India (Victoria).

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These questions from the official-format question bank cover the same material. Tap any question to see the correct answer and a short explanation.

1. In 1776, ______ colonies of the British Empire decided to declare their independence
2. In which part of the British Empire did the Boer War of 1899–1902 take place?
3. Which colonies of the British Empire decided to declare their independence in 1776?
4. During the Victorian period, the British Empire grew to cover all of India, Australia and large parts of Africa.
5. The Boer War of 1899-1902 took place in ______
6. Commonwealth members are

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