The Growth of the British Empire (Story of the World, Vol 5)
By M. B. Synge (1903)
The nineteenth-century transformation of the globe: Queen Victoria's coronation, Stephenson's Rocket and the railway revolution, Livingstone discovering Victoria Falls in Africa, the Indian Mutiny, Australian goldfields, and Arctic polar exploration.
Reading The Growth of the British Empire (Story of the World, Vol 5) this term?
Schedule chapters into your Charlotte Mason week with one tap and read the full unabridged text in a calm, distraction-free reader with zero ads or Gutenberg formatting quirks.
Instant setup • No credit card required • Keep your pace forever
Chapter 1 Sample & Typography Preview
Distraction-Free ReaderBelow is an unabridged preview of Chapter 1 formatted in our peaceful Living Term reader typography. No ads, no sidebars, and no eye strain.
Ch. 1: How Spain Lost South America
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
"So grew and gathered through the silent years
The madness of a people, wrong by wrong."
—LOWELL.
The storms of war had passed away and Europe was at peace. But, like the waves after a great storm, the influences that had worked for freedom, continued to work. For two centuries, this sixth part of the world, had been governed by Spaniards and Portuguese: for two centuries, she had borne the oppression of despotic viceroys sent from Spain, whose cruelties defy description. It was small wonder then that, with the spirit of revolution in the air, the people of South America should rise and fight to free themselves from Spain.
Brazil belonged to Portugal, and the hatred of the people towards the Portuguese, not being so bitter, the country worked out its freedom by more peaceful means. The Spanish colonies rose after the deposition of their king by Napoleon.
It is impossible to follow the many battles that took place during the next twelve years: let us rather tell the story of two heroes, whose names stand out clearly against the horizon of South American history, as the liberators of their country—Bolivar and San Martin.
The earliest plans for the revolution, that was to free South America from the yoke of Spain, were laid by a secret society in London, founded by Miranda. England herself took no part; but Bolivar and San Martin both caught the enthusiasm of the master, and swore to do all in their power to carry out Miranda's ideas. Both men sailed for South America.
San Martin landed at Buenos Ayres in the year 1812—an unknown man. He at once roused the people of Argentina, a country ten times the size of Great Britain and Ireland, called from the great silver river—La Plata, which flowed through it. It is one of the richest territories in the world to-day, and largely populated by European emigrants. San Martin, who had served in Spanish armies for twenty years, soon fired the enthusiasm of the people. An army was raised, which soon became famous under his leadership. It was not long before the arms of Spain were torn down, to be replaced by the blue and white colours of the revolutionists, the cruel tortures of the Spanish Inquisition were abolished, and the last links with the mother country broken. Early in the year 1816—the year after Waterloo—Argentina declared her independence.
The spirit of revolution had meanwhile spread to the neighbouring province of Chili, a strip of country between the high Andes and the Pacific Ocean, so called from the Peruvian word for snow. But the Spaniards were strong in Peru, and marching south, they defeated the Chilians, under the leadership of the famous Irishman O'Higgins. He now looked to San Martin for help. But the mighty range of the Andes, rising between the two provinces, was considered quite impassable. Nevertheless San Martin determined to march to the aid of Chili. And the march of the army of the Andes is one of the most brilliant feats ever recorded in the world's military history. It is a feat that ranks with Hannibal's famous passage over the snowy Alps and Napoleon's march to Marengo.
Keep reading The Growth of the British Empire (Story of the World, Vol 5) in Living Term
Get instant access to all 43 unabridged chapters, plus 350+ other Charlotte Mason living books, poetry, hymns, and a peaceful weekly schedule builder.
Table of Contents
43 ChaptersEvery chapter below is pre-indexed for oral narration and easy 1-click scheduling into your weekly Charlotte Mason lesson plan.
Ch. 1: How Spain Lost South America
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 2: The Heroes of Independence
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 3: The Greek War
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 4: Victoria—Queen of England
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 5: The Great Boer Trek
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 6: The Story of Natal
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 7: The Story of Canada
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 8: The Fur-Traders' Land
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 9: The Winning of the West
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 10: A Great Arctic Expedition
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 11: Discoveries in Australia
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 12: The Last King of France
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 13: Louis Kossuth and Hungary
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 14: The Crimean War
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 15: The Indian Mutiny
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 16: The Awakening of Italy
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 17: King of United Italy
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Chapter 18: War in America
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 19: The Mexican Revolution
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 20: Founding the German Empire
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 21: The Franco-German War
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 22: The Dream of Cecil Rhodes
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 23: The Dutch Republics in South Africa
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 24: Livingstone's Discoveries in Central Africa
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 25: China's Long Sleep
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 26: The Land of the Rising Sun
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 27: Japan—Britain's Ally
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 28: Russia
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 29: The Annexation of Burma
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 30: The Story of Afghanistan
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 31: The Empire of India
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 32: Gordon—The Hero of Khartum
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 33: The Redemption of Egypt
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 34: The Story of British West Africa
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 35: The Story of Uganda
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 36: The Founding of Rhodesia
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 37: British South Africa
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 38: The Dominion of Canada
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 39: Australia—The New Nation
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 40: Freedom for Cuba
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 41: Reign of Queen Victoria
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 42: Welding the Empire
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
Ch. 43: Citizenship
The Growth of the British Empire — 19th Century Expansion & World Transformation
When you assign The Growth of the British Empire (Story of the World, Vol 5) to your weekly schedule, Living Term advances your bookmark to the next chapter every time a lesson is completed.
Add to Weekly Schedule (Free Trial)Why Charlotte Mason Parents Read With Living Term
Living Term replaces messy PDF downloads, ad-cluttered public domain archives, and lost paper bookmarks with one peaceful morning time habit.
Click Monday on your schedule, tap the reading row, and the next chapter opens immediately in your browser or tablet.
Complete spines from H.E. Marshall, Charlotte Yonge, Arabella Buckley, Thornton Burgess, plus 109 traditional hymns and poetry.
Every chapter includes noble narration prompts and copywork excerpts ready to go, saving Mom hours of Sunday evening prep.