5 Turning Points of the British Empire

Here are 5 pinnacle dates in the Rise and Fall of the largest empire in all history:


1). Defeat of the Spanish Armada(Aug. 8, 1588)-The first but far from the last time the English overcame a European land power during the Age of Sail. The near-invincible reputation of the Royal Navy was established which endured through 4 centuries.

2). The Capture of Quebec (Sept. 13, 1759)-The British led by General Wolfe, secured Anglo-Saxon domination of the Northern Hemisphere, thus allowing for the rise of the American nation.

3). Siege of Yorktown (Sept. 28-19 Oct., 1781)-With the defeat of Cornwallis by George Washington's rag-tag continentals, the Empire lost its greatest asset in the 13 American Colonies, and sowed the seeds of a future commercial and military rival.

4). Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815)-The final defeat of French dictator Napoleon led to a 100 years of relative peace, and prosperity unseen in world history. Known to posterity as the Pax Britannica, and the Victorian Age.

5). The Battle of Jutland (May31-June 1, 1916)-The British Grand Fleet of Admiral Jellicoe failed to win a decisive victory over the German Navy led by Admiral Scheer, thus leading to 3 more years of attrition warfare at sea. After the conflict, the worn Royal Navy was soon displaced by the burgeoning rivalry from the American Fleet.