Imperial decline
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe the trend of British imperial decline that took place towards the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries.
Key learning points
- By the early 20th century, Germany and the USA had overtaken Britain as dominant global powers.
- The British government created the 'two-power standard' in 1889 to maintain British naval supremacy.
- Anxiety around the decline of Britain's empire led to a movement called 'national efficiency'.
- By the end of the First World War Britain's power was severely weakened.
Keywords
Two-power standard - the 'two-power standard' was the British policy of maintaining a navy which was larger than the next two largest navies combined
National efficiency - 'national efficiency' was the argument that British society needed to become more productive to maintain imperial dominance
Decline - decline is a gradual and continuous loss of strength
Common misconception
The trend of British imperial decline was caused by foreign policy and external threats.
There is a link between foreign and domestic policy, both of which contributed to imperial decline.
Teacher tip
In the first learning cycle, show pupils a picture of HMS Dreadnought and explain her revolutionary design as another example of how Britain engaged with the two-power standard.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.This keyword is the sense of unease within an empire due to potential threats to its power
Q2.Support for the political independence of a country is known as...
Q3.Which of the following events showcased British supremacy?
Q4.This event showcased remarkable items and technological innovations in Hyde Park
Q5.The Irish Republican brotherhood believed in...
Q6.Which of the following statements about Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee is correct?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.A gradual and continuous loss of strength is known as...
Q2.The argument that British society needed to become more productive to maintain imperial dominance is known as...
Q3.Which of the following contributed to imperial decline in the late nineteenth century?
Q4.In which of the following two places did Germany pursue territorial expansion at the end of the nineteenth century?
Q5.Which of the following are economic outcomes of WW1?
Q6.What was the impact of the creation of the League of Nations for British imperial power?
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: Imperial decline, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: Imperial decline, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the Interpreting the British Empire: how has it been commemorated and contested? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.