The Empire shrunk, then grew.
Cambridge University Library/Wikimedia Commons
Cambridge University Library/Wikimedia Commons
One could be forgiven for thinking the British Empire was in decline at the beginning of the Victorian age — after all, the Empire had recently lost its American colonies in a humiliating defeat.
But thanks to wealth from other territories and a seafaring tradition, Britain bounced back. Efforts to colonize territories around the world — most notably India — led to the popular phrase “the sun never sets on the British Empire.” This was quite literally true, as there were British outposts all around the world.