The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire

Cambridge Illustrated Histories

by Peter James Marshall (Editor)

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.

Genres: History, British Literature

404 pages, Hardcover

First published January 26, 1996

About the author

Peter James Marshall CBE, FBA (1933-2025) was a British historian known for his work on the British empire, particularly the activities of British East India Company servants in 18th-century Bengal, and also the history of British involvement in North America during the same period.

Reviews

[NCHS Library]

From Follett
The British Empire at the end of the eighteenth century. 1783-1870: an expanding Empire. 1870-1918: the Empire under threat. 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 rules in India: an assessment / Tapan Raychaudhuri. Covers the history of the British Empire from the American Revolution to the last stages of the Empire in the late twentieth century including questions of economics, politics, art, language, culture, and the formation of nations.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the British Empire itself this history book has a lot of colour but in the form of coloured pictures, rather than colourful text. The history represents a British liberal tradition at a time that it grapples with the fall of empire and its legacy. The result is somewhat mixed and as a result the history is drained a little of its colour (here I'm referring to the subject matter). So it needs those pictures to lift it up.

[William Boyle · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a good book for what it’s worth, the writing would get stale at points but the images were nice, and it had some decent maps as well. The first chapter was definitely my favorite, although the other two were fine as well.

[Laura]

The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire (Cambridge Illustrated Histories) by P. J. Marshall (1996)

[Jbondandrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reasonable overview of the British Empire. A book that didn't really reveal anything new but was a worthwhile read.

[Georgi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt that the book was too chaotic and unorganized, I didn't finish it because I didn't get a clear understanding of the subject from reading this book..