The world we inhabit today was, in no small sense, created by the British Empire. Starting in the eighteenth century Great Britain underwent a dramatic transformation, from small island kingdom to pre-eminent global power, formally ruling a quarter of the world’s land and population and informally exercising a wider influence still. Yet after World War II, the British Empire experienced a rapid decline. How can these developments be explained? How were they experienced by the British themselves, and by the peoples who fell under their sway? Such questions are at the heart of this course.

CILO-1: Examine the long history of the British Empire, from the early modern period to the present. CILO-2: Engage with historical processes, problems, and perspectives. CILO-3: Acquire basic reading, writing, and presenting skills.