Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World Season 1 Why Britain? 2003
In this programme we learn about the origins of the British empire in the 17th century and how its foundations were laid, not by a grand political strategy but by British pirates, especially in the Caribbean. The British economic style of reinvesting in places like Jamaica led to commercial success as its raw materials – sugar, tobacco and coffee – were in huge demand back at home in Britain. Seventeenth-century India was a rich nation, producing a quarter of the world's output, so it is no surprise that the major nations fought over it. The British won the seven-year war with France over supremacy in the colonies, thanks to its superior warships and much stronger finances, which left Britain as the controlling force in India. We get a glimpse of how the British lived in India, the central role played by the East India Company, and how a commercial base developed into political control.
- Released: 2003-01-09
- Runtime: 50 minutes
- Genre: Documentary
- Stars: Niall Ferguson
- Director:
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1. Why Britain? 2003-01-09
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2. White Plague 2003-01-16
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3. The Mission 2003-01-23
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4. Heaven's Breed 2003-01-30
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5. Maxim Force 2003-02-06
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6. Empire for Sale 2003-02-13