Why was the Suez Canal built?
As the British Empire gained in power, large numbers of ships had to make the long and hazardous journey around the southern tip of Africa to reach India and the Far East. The Suez Canal reduced this sea voyage by 6,500 km.
The canal was designed and built by a French company, and opened in 1869. The British bought the company from the Egyptian government. The Suez Canal was so important to British trade that Britain took over the island of Cyprus to protect the canal’s northern end.
How did railways open up the Great Plains of the USA?
After the Civil War, the American government encouraged people to settle in the largely empty land of the Great Plains. The American Indians had already been driven out. The distances involved were enormous, and the railways were able to help the spread of people into the undeveloped areas.
By 1869 the Union Pacific Railroad linking the east and west coasts of the United States was finally joined up. A network of other lines spread out across the plains. The railway provided an essential link between remote farming communities and cities, making it easier for people to buy goods and trade their produce.
What was the Boxer Rebellion?
Towards the end of the 1800s, the Chinese Empire was weak and dominated by foreign powers. Powerful trading groups from Britain, Germany, Russia, Japan and Italy controlled large parts of the country, while the Chinese struggled to modernize and still retain their independence.
A revolt against all foreigners began in northern China in 1900. It was led by a secret society popularly called the Boxers. The members of the society attacked many foreign embassies and massacred the Christian Chinese population. However, an international force managed to prevent the Boxers from carrying out further attacks, and forced the Chinese government to give more concessions to the foreign traders.
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