The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire (Cambridge Illustrated Histories)

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. One cannot contemplate modern history without considering the role of the 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 American Revolution to the present day. Against a background of striking illustrations, twelve experts on imperial history survey the experience of colonialism in North America, the Caribbean, India, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia. They emphasize social and cultural the movement of peoples, including slavery, and of ideas, including Christianity, art, and literature; the development of trade, transport, and urban life; the impact of imperialism on food, dress, and recreation; and the emergence of new national identities. Imperialism can be a contentious issue. While not seeking to avoid controversial topics, The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire is by no means a nostalgic look at a bygone era. It is a lively document chronicling an important part of our cultural history. It will be of wide interest to history enthusiasts, students, and scholars alike. An Overview Of The Development And Influence Of The British Empire Examines British Colonialism In Various Regions Of The World And Discusses The Impact Of Imperialism On Social And Cultural History. The British Empire At The End Of The Eighteenth Century / P. J. Marshall -- 1783-1870 : An Expanding Empire / P. J. Marshall -- 1870-1918 : The Empire Under Threat / P. J. Marshall -- 1918 To The 1960s : Keeping Afloat / P. J. Marshall -- For Richer, For Poorer? / David Fieldhouse -- Power, Authority, And Freedom / A. J. Stockwell -- Empires In The Mind / Andrew Porter -- Imperial Towns And Cities / Thomas R. Metcalf -- British Emigration And New Identities -- Ged Martin And Benjamin E. Kline -- The Diaspora Of The Africans And The Asians / P. J. Marshall -- Art And The Empire / John M. Mackenzie -- Imperial Britain / P. J. Marshall -- Australia / K. S. Inglis -- Africa / Toyin Falola -- British Rule In India : An Assessment / Tapan Raychaudhuri -- Conclusion : Empire In Retrospect / P. J. Marshall. Edited By P.j. Marshall. Map Of British Imperial Territories In The 1850s On Endpapers. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 389-391) And Index. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 389-391) And Index. A reassessment of the history and role of the British empire is timely. It is the aim of The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire to present to general readers in a clear and accessible way the findings of historians of empire over recent years. The book serves both as a full survey of the chronological development and impact of the British empire in history for readers wanting a basic introduction and grounding in the subject, and also as a challenging account from various perspectives of the implications of the empire in the areas it touched. It reveals how many features of the modern world were shaped by the experience of empire, and its chapters deal with questions of politics, economics, art, language and culture, and the formation of nations. Academically authoritative, The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire follows its subject from the American Revolution to the last stages of empire in the late twentieth century. With striking illustrations drawn from the wealth of paintings, engravings, and photographs that survive from the period, the book assesses the consequences of the empire both for the people the British ruled and for the British themselves. Worldwide in scope, The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire is a richly illustrated new history emphasising the importance of the British empire for an informed understanding of the modern world