Name: ___________________________Date: ______________ Class: ____________________
World Studies for Georgia Students-Grade 6
Chapter 8: The Commonwealth of Nations
Section 1: A Brief History of British Colonization
Guided Reading
Instructions: Read the section and complete each item with words from
the passages in this section.
1. By the mid-1600s there were a number of English _______________ in the
western hemisphere.
2. Even though other __________________ countries had colonies in North
America, the Kingdom of Great Britain won out over its European rivals that
included the Dutch, French, and _________________.
3. ___________________ became part of the British Empire in 1763 as a result of
the British victory over _________________ in the French and Indian War.
4. In 1788, the British also colonized the continent of _________________ and
the many islands along their trading routes.
5. Although _________________ too was a British colony, its people did not join
the other colonies in forming the United States. The British maintained control
over ________________ and _________________ until the 20th century.
6. Countries that peacefully won independence generally maintain stronger ties to
the United Kingdom today as part of the _______________ _______________.
7. The British _______________ remained strong until the war-torn 20th
century.
8. After the war, most territories and colonies of the British Empire became
_________________.
Name: ___________________________Date: ______________ Class: ____________________
World Studies for Georgia Students-Grade 6
Chapter 8: The Commonwealth of Nations
Section 2: British Culture Abroad
Guided Reading
Instructions: Read the section and complete each item with words from
the passages in this section.
1. Throughout history, the ________________ of people has resulted in the
sharing of languages, religions, and ______________.
2. In many cases, British ________________ was forced upon indigenous (native)
people for the comfort of colonists.
3. In other cases, the United Kingdom encouraged British people to
_________________ en masse (as a group) to new colonies in order to secure
ownership of the land.
4. This was the only way of life they had known, so they _________________
their home abroad.
5. Although they did try to _________________ (absorb into their cultural
tradition) indigenous people, the British colonists __________________
indigenous people in many colonies.
Name: ___________________________Date: ______________ Class: ____________________
World Studies for Georgia Students-Grade 6
Chapter 8: The Commonwealth of Nations
Section 3: The British Commonwealth
Guided Reading
Instructions: Read the section and complete each item with words from
the passages in this section.
1. As you learn about ________________ and _________________, you are
going to hear the phrase British Commonwealth.
2. As the colonies gained their independence throughout the 1900s, some colonies
chose to ________________ their ties with the United Kingdom.
3. The land area of the __________________ includes about one-quarter of the
earth.
4. The British _______________ is the head of the Commonwealth and is also the
head of ______________ in 16 countries that are part of the Commonwealth.
5. In order to join the ___________________, countries must have equal rights
within their country and agree with the Commonwealth’s position on unity,
peace, equality, and free trade.
6. There are _____________ countries around the world that are part of the
Commonwealth.
7. The member countries include some of the _______________ and
______________ countries in the world. There are actually two member
countries now, ________________ and Mozambique, that were not even part
of the British Empire.
8. One of
the most important ________________ is having diplomatic
relationships with other member nations throughout the world. In other words,
they have _______________ around the world.