Cecil Rhodes & the British Empire

Cecil Rhodes was a British imperialist and businessman in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for expanding British influence in Africa through mining and colonization. He founded the De Beers diamond company and aimed to create a British-controlled corridor from Cairo to Cape Town, fostering British dominance across southern Africa. The British Empire, at its height, was a vast global network of colonies, territories, and influence, driven by economic, strategic, and political interests. Rhodes's actions and ideas exemplify how individual ambitions helped shape the empire's expansion, but also raise questions about imperialism's impact on indigenous peoples and global politics.