1907 Imperial Conference facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 1907 Imperial Conference |
|
|---|---|
| Host country |  United Kingdom |
| Dates | 15 April 1907– 14 May 1907 |
| Cities | London |
| Heads of Government | 7 |
| Chair | Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (Prime Minister) |
| Follows | 1902 Colonial Conference |
| Precedes | 1911 |
| Key points | |
|
Dominion status, co-ordination of Imperial defence, Irish Home Rule, self-government for India, Imperial preference
|
|
The 1907 Imperial Conference was an important meeting held in London from April 15 to May 14, 1907. Leaders from the British Empire came together to talk about how their countries would work together. During this meeting, they decided to officially call these gatherings "Imperial Conferences." Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, led the conference.
A big decision made at the conference was to change how they referred to some self-governing British areas. Instead of calling them colonies, they gave them the new title of "dominion status." This meant these areas had more control over their own affairs, even though they were still part of the British Empire. Canada and Australia were already called dominions. After this conference, Newfoundland Colony and the Colony of New Zealand also officially became dominions.
The leaders also talked about important topics like allowing Ireland to have more self-rule (known as Irish Home Rule) and giving India more control over its own government. Another idea discussed was "Imperial preference," which meant giving special trade benefits to countries within the Empire. However, the British Prime Minister did not agree to this because Britain supported free trade, where all countries trade equally.
Contents
Who Attended the 1907 Imperial Conference?
The conference was hosted by King-Emperor Edward VII. The main participants were the prime ministers and other important government members from the different parts of the British Empire. These leaders came together to discuss the future of the Empire and how its various parts would relate to each other.
Key Leaders and Their Roles
Here are some of the important people who attended the conference:
- United Kingdom: Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, the Prime Minister, was the chairman of the meeting. Other key figures included Edward Grey, the Foreign Secretary, and Winston Churchill, who was an Under-Secretary for the Colonies.
- Australia: Alfred Deakin, the Prime Minister of Australia, represented his country.
- Canada: Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Prime Minister of Canada, was a major participant.
- Cape Colony: Leander Starr Jameson, the Prime Minister of the Cape Colony (a part of what is now South Africa), attended.
- Natal: Frederick Robert Moor, the Prime Minister of Natal (another part of what is now South Africa), was present.
- Transvaal: Louis Botha, the Premier of Transvaal (also in South Africa), participated.
- Newfoundland: Sir Robert Bond, the Prime Minister of Newfoundland, represented his dominion.
- New Zealand: Sir Joseph Ward, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, also attended.
These leaders worked together to shape the future of the British Empire, especially by giving more self-governance to the dominions.
What Was Dominion Status?
Before 1907, many self-governing areas within the British Empire were called "colonies." The 1907 Imperial Conference changed this for some of them.
More Control for Dominions
When a country was given dominion status, it meant it had more independence and control over its own government. It could make many of its own laws and decisions. However, it still recognized the British monarch as its head of state and remained part of the British Empire. This was a step towards greater self-rule for these nations.
New Dominions After 1907
- Canada and Australia were already seen as dominions.
- Newfoundland Colony and Colony of New Zealand officially became dominions on September 26, 1907, after the conference.
- The Natal and Cape Colony later joined with the Orange River Colony and Transvaal Colony (which had gained self-government in 1907) to form the Union of South Africa in 1910. This new union also became a dominion.
Other Important Discussions
Besides dominion status, the conference talked about other big ideas for the future of the Empire.
Self-Rule for Ireland and India
The leaders discussed the possibility of Irish Home Rule. This was about giving Ireland its own parliament and more control over its local affairs, while still being part of the United Kingdom. They also talked about giving India more self-governance. These were complex issues that would continue to be debated for many years.
Trade and Imperial Preference
The idea of Imperial preference was brought up. This would mean that countries within the British Empire would give each other special, lower tariffs (taxes on imported goods) compared to goods from outside the Empire. The goal was to encourage trade among Empire members. However, the British Prime Minister, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, did not support this idea. Britain at the time strongly believed in free trade, which meant treating all trading partners equally without special preferences.
Images for kids
-
Flag of the Natal Colony (1875-1910)
See also
- Imperial Conference
