By: Donald V. Watkins
Copyrighted and Published on September 10, 2022
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022. Her death caused me to reflect on the long, ugly, and violent history of British colonization of countries around the world during the height of the British Empire and the imperial monarchy of Elizabeth's ancestors.
For over six hundred years, the sun never set on the British Empire because it spanned the globe.
Great Britain invaded foreign countries and took the natural resources out of them by force. At the time, British colonizers acted in the name of the King or Queen of England in power.
Great Britain never developed these countries beyond what it took to get the riches out of them with the least amount of expense to the British Crown.
The violence, mayhem, and subjugation that was inflicted upon the indigenous people of each country that was colonized were sustained, horrendous, and lasted for hundreds of years.
At its height, the British Empire consisted of more than 70 colonies, dominions, territories, and protectorates. Currently the British Empire consists of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Even after the British colonies, dominions, territories, and protectorates gained their independence, the British Crown retained the riches taken from them by force during Britain's occupation of them.
To this day, the British Crown owns vast real estate holdings and palaces in many of these independent nations.
A Listing of Former British Colonies, Dominions, Territories, and Protectorates
Former British colonies, dominions, territories, and protectorates and their year of independence are listed below. These places are depicted on the global map featured in this article.
Afghanistan -1919
Antigua and Barbuda-1981
Australia-1901 -1986
The Bahamas-1973
Bahrain-1971
Barbados-1966
Belize-1981
Botswana-1966
Brunei-1984
Canada-1867–1982-(From 1949 this included Newfoundland and Labrador).
Cyprus-1960
Dominica-1978
Egypt-1922
Fiji-1970
The Gambia-1965
Ghana-1957
Grenada-1974
India-1947
Iraq-1932 (British Mandate)
Ireland - 1948
Jamaica-1962
Jordan-1946
Kenya-1963
Kiribati-1979
Kuwait-1961
Lesotho-1964
Malawi-1964
Malaysia-1957
Maldives-1965
Malta-1964
Mauritius-1968
Myanmar-(Burma)-1948
Nauru-1968
New Zealand-1907–1986
Nigeria-1960
Pakistan-1947
Qatar-1971
St Lucia-1971
Saint Kitts and Nevis-1983
St Vincent and the Grenadina Lines-1979
Seychelles-1976
Sierra Leone-1961
Soloman Islands-1978
South Africa-1910–1961
Sri Lanka-1948
Sudan -1956
Swaziland-1968
Tanzania-1961
Tonga-1970
Trinidad and Tobago-1962
Tuvalu-1978
Uganda-1962
United Arab Emirates-1971
United States-1776. Prior to the American Revolution the 13 colonies were governed separately, these were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
Vanuatu-1980
Yemen-1967
Zambia-1964
Zimbabwe-1980
Current British Territories and Protectorates Overseas
Anguilla
Bermuda
British Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Falkland Islands
Gibraltar
Montserrat
Pitcairn Islands
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Island
Turks and Caicos Islands.
Epilogue
Every time a British monarch dies, I think of this sad history and remember the millions of indigenous peoples who died in the quest to liberate their countries from British rule. I save my tears for them.
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