A dwindling economy, and the cost of two world wars, saw this oncemighty empire crumble, giving in the process independence to nearly all of its dominions in the years after 1945. This is a relatively neglected period in the historiography of british decolonization, coming as it does after the more well researched era of the late 1940s that saw the start of moves to decolonize the empire. Aug 01, 2016 aleph book company will publish a long darkness. Here are just a few of the views expressed about british rule in the 1800s. The rise and fall of the british empire the national. The penguin historical atlas of the british empire jh libraries. The cambridge illustrated history of the british empire. Until relatively recently, the connection between british imperial history and the history of early america was taken for granted. Volume i of the oxford history of the british empire explores the origins of empire. This book is not, and nor does it claim to be, a history of the british empire or any specific part of it.
A history of england and the british empire download link. Also assessed are the impact of the empire on different areas of the world and the legacy it has bestowed. The national archives education british empire living. This is the age of general wolfe, clive of india, and captain cook. The penguin historical atlas of the british empire nigel.
The penguin historical atlas of the british empire traces the emergence of the worlds greatest empire from its earliest beginnings in the british isles, through its ascendancy in victorian times, to its ultimate collapse in the mid20th century. North america covers a very large area, from the arctic areas of newfoundland to the tropical lands of the caribbean. Whats the best history book about great britain as well as. This was the age of general wolfe, clive of india, and captain cook. The british empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other. Ten books that shaped the british empire duke university press. The war of independence was fought between great britain and of its colonies. History of the british empire william francis collier. The nineteenth century oxford history of the british empire vol.
British overseas enterprise to the close of the seventeenth century. The war of independence was fought between great britain and. Narrative and analysis are interwoven with revealing eyewitness quotation to provide keen insight into the minds of those involved in conquering, settling and ruling the greatest empire the world has seen. A history of the british nation 1912 edition open library. This collection of studies examines the history of the british empire during the 1950s. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection.
Against a background of striking illustrations, twelve experts on imperial history survey the experience of colonialism in north america, the caribbean. For most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the british ruled over a colossal empire that stretched from one end of the map to the other. Creating an imperial commons are not what you might expectnot charles kingsleys westward ho. Doubts about empire seem to have intensified in the last quarter of a century. Lets end the myths of britains imperial past books the guardian. Aug 02, 2001 the cambridge illustrated history of the british empire is an illuminating survey of the development and impact of the british empire from the end of the american revolution to the present day. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our.
Oxford history of the british empire oxford university press. Aleph book company is delighted to announce shashi tharoor. Volume ii of the oxford history of the british empire examines the history of british worldwide expansion from the glorious revolution of 1689 to the end of the napoleonic wars, a crucial phase in the creation of the modern british empire. The cambridge illustrated history of the british empire is an illuminating survey of the development and impact of the british empire from the end of the. Illustrated with photographs and fullcolour maps, this is an illuminating and multifaceted onevolume introduction to the rise and fall of the british empire. This cambridge illustrated history, dating from 1996, is a retrospective of the british empire. Lawrence james, the rise and fall of the british empire 1 likes the growth and improvement of new york was a wonderful example of the vast and irrevocable benefits reaped by the english empire during the four years when england was at peace and her rivals were at war. In his history of the british empire, written in 1940, a. Browse the independent s complete collection of articles and commentary on british empire. A book with so ambitious a title as the rise and fall of the british empire holds much promise for the reader. Several texts of the 1890s offered warnings about the consequences of britains actions overseas.
The cambridge history of the british empire, volume 8 eric anderson walker snippet view 1963. Germany and north america had gained more economic power and were competing with britain. There are numerous books about aspects of the british raj, there are several that extol the virtues of empire, there are other books that touch upon the excesses of the east india. The best books on the british empire five books expert. British empire latest news, breaking stories and comment. After all, there is a lot of time and history involved with so monumental a subject. The ten books discussed in ten books that shaped the british empire. The 100 best english and british history books provides a reading list for those serious about history. The british empire in the 1950s retreat or revival. Victorian web home victorian political history victorian social history names designate, they do not describe. How much is the contribution of british colonies in. Whats the best history book about great britain as well.
Morison cambridge, 1930 the impact of the great famine of 1845 49 was obviously a huge influence on irelands relationship with the empire and the wider world and in particular north america. There is no reason to expect states which we happen say to call the british or roman or chinese empires to have any more in common than a. This work is intended in the first place to appeal to the general reader who finds less than he requires in the books written expressly for the use of schools. Summary the penguin historical atlas of the british empire traces the emergence of the worlds greatest empire, from its earliest beginnings in the british isles, through its ascendancy in victorian. A history of the british empire new ed by lloyd, trevor isbn. The list offers suggestions of the best books to read, but being limited to one hundred books is not entirely. An intimate history of the british empire the new yorker. Slavery and the british empire provides a clear overview of the entire history of british involvement with slavery and the slave trade, from the cape colony to the caribbean. The national archives education british empire rise of. Feb 18, 2003 volume ii of the oxford history of the british empire examines the history of british worldwide expansion from the glorious revolution of 1689 to the end of the napoleonic wars, a crucial phase in the creation of the modern british empire. Jun 01, 2007 this scarce antiquarian book is included in our special legacy reprint series. It allows us to have a full understanding of a specific region, rather than a quick overview that would be found in a site of the entirety of the empire. Pretoria becomes the administrative capital of the new nation, while the legislative capital as the seat of parliament is cape town. Burkes handbook most excellent order british empire abebooks.
It examines the impact of british dominance in america, india and africa, and the enormous changes brought by britains settlement of australasia. For a 60year period beginning in 1840, the british empire reached its height. Creating an imperial commons will prove invaluable to scholars working on imperial print cultures, attempting to think globally in victorian or american studies, or otherwise seeking to unfield british empire studies. British north america in the seventeenth and eighteenth. In the meantime, its five volumes will gather little dust on library shelves. Aleph book company is delighted to announce shashi tharoors. These comments on the nature of the british empire reflected the lack of interest of the government and the british public in the british empire for much of its history. The impact of the east india company upon british culture cannot be underestimated. B efore we look at your five book choices, for the uninitiated, can you describe when the british empire was at its height.
In the rise and fall of the british empire, lawrence james has written a comprehensive, perceptive, and insightful history of the british empire. Mar 09, 1998 volume i of the oxford history of the british empire explores the origins of empire. A history of england and the british empire by arthur d. A map of the world published at this time shows britains extensive colonies in their characteristic red, with britannia lolling on a globe accompanied by a british soldier and sailor, a turbanned indian with elephant and tiger, a barebreasted. Duke university press ten books that shaped the british. Innes, 1912, jack edition, a history of the british nation 1912 edition open library. The contributions of british colonies and dominions during world war ii are immense. The oxford history of the british empire will take many years to be digested. The book combines economic, social, political, cultural, and demographic history, with a particular focus on the atlantic world and.
This is a genuine british empire magazine original box. A good rule of thumb is that if a book on british history compiles the 600 years between the fall of the western roman empire and the norman conquest into only a couple chapters, it isnt a very good book and it is likely to treat potentially legendary accounts such as hengest and horsa as fact and, even worse, will probably adopt the. Spanning the years from 1600 to the present day, this critically acclaimed book combines detailed scholarship with readable popular history. Burkes handbook to the most excellent order of the british empire containing biographies, a full list of persons appointed to the order, showing their relative precedence, and coloured plates of the insignia by thorpe, a. Full text of a history of england and the british empire. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. In recent times, however, early american historiography has begun to suffer from a loss of coherent definition as competing manifestos demand various reorderings of the subject in order to combine time periods and geographical areas in ways that would have. Empire is a succinct and highly readable account of this extraordinary rise and fall. This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special legacy reprint series. This category has the following 27 subcategories, out of 27 total. It is in the members of the commonwealth, oddly enough, that the whole empire has lost ground as a field of historical studymainly for the sake of increased national history.
The 19th century witnessed the expansion of the british empire, but this process did not go unquestioned. If it wasnt for britains supremacy in the naval aspect of things, britain would not have been as powerful. Pages in category history books about the british empire the following 9 pages are in this category, out of 9 total. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english suggested books for further reading. With all about historys book of the british empire, explore a controversial period in world history and grasp the lasting impact this dominating power has had on the modern world, all through amazing images, illustrations and articles. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Victorias long reign draws to its close in triumphant mood, with the queen empress emerging from a long period of unpopularity to seem like the serene matriarch of much of the globe. The british parliament passes the south africa act in september 1909. Echoes of empire the british library the british library. The british empire was once one of the foundational pillars of the world order. British empire magazine for sale in uk view 37 bargains. Now it is a memory, pleasant for some, less so for others. The variety also offers multiple answersand some nonanswersto the question of what it means to claim that a book shaped the british empire. Pdf the oxford history of the british empire volume v. The oxford history of the british empire is a major new assessment of the empire in the light of recent scholarship and the progressive opening of. And the beginnings of french colonialism in the americas olive patricia dickason, professor emeritus at university of alberta and adjunct professor department of history olive patricia dickason snippet view 1984.
Despite this, by the late 1700s british traders, soldiers, sailors, administrators and settlers could be found all over this huge area. Ten books that shaped the british empire is a collection of engaging essays by an impressive group of contributors. Historical atlas of the british empire related names. The british empire in india, bestselling author shashi tharoor writes with great insight and scholarship about the iniquities attendant on britains colonization of india. Reviews of new books ten books that shaped the british empire. The british empire and commonwealth in recent historiography. Those fortunate enough to have these books in their own library will possess a valuable publication that recommends new approaches and raises new questions about one of the greatest. Winton and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. At the time, it included more than a quarter of the worlds area and population. British empire weekly magazineeditions 1 12in title world sports international sports magazine. It shows how and why england, and later britain, became involved with transoceanic navigation, trade, and settlement during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The books listed below just barely brush the surface of the history of nineteenthcentury britain and its empire, but they are a good place to start. There has never been anything so great in the worlds history as the british empire, so great an instrument for the good of humanity. In america, imperial history has been a growing field, though at times it has grown at the expense of domestic british history.
The british empire in india by shashi tharoor on 1 november 2016. The book points out how and why britain gained the colonies, the. The rise and fall of the british empire covers the history of british expansion overseas from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. The union of south africa becomes an independent dominion within the british empire in may 1910. Made up of modern works, it covers english and british history from the medieval period to the early modern and modern period. It was only in the closing years of the c19th when britains place in the world was being challenged that people and politicians turned to the empire. It was as if he had been born an airman in the royal air force, hazel carby writes in imperial intimacies, her new book of political history.
The origins of colonialism lie, in other words, in a time when britain was still a feudal kingdom, with a parliament but little democracy, and when. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Share discover in a free daily email todays famous history and birthdays enjoy the famous daily. The volume coheres around the political mobilization of print cultures by the british empire s various constituent communities, and that coherence is reinforced by each essays concentration on a single book. Olive patricia dickason, professor emeritus at university of alberta and adjunct professor department of history olive patricia dickason snippet view 1984. I value and honour our history enormously, he said in a speech in 1997, but he thought that britains empire should be the cause of neither. By focusing on a british perspective rather than the voices of the colonised, we have attempted to reflect the way that england saw itself in this period of history, and to show how language reveals the attitudes and opinions of empire. Burkes handbook most excellent order british empire. The oxford history of the british empire as a comprehensive study helps us to understand the end of empire in relation to its beginning, the meaning of british imperialism for the ruled as well as for the rulers, and the significance of the british empire as a theme in world history. The variety is lively and refreshing, sometimes even disorientingperhaps intentionally somirroring what the editors describe in their introduction as the chaos of empire 10.
A history of the british empire paperback december 15, 2006 by trevor lloyd author 5. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues. One cannot contemplate modern history without considering the role of the british empire. A history of england and the british empire internet archive. The history professor tells us why its less interesting to argue about whether the empire was a force for good or ill, than to understand how it worked and why it fell apart. The british empire, then and now 7 f number the events in order from 1first to 5last. It is, however, a book of remarkable range and scholarship demonstrating a lifetimes erudition of empire from a leader in the field. Beyond that a friendly overseas empire and an open sea meant that england allies as whole can keep the trade routes open and hence they never ran out of raw m. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the british empire ruled over almost 25% of the worlds population.