Article examines the factors that drove forward the expansion of the British Empire during the nineteenth century and asks whether it was desire for trade or "thirst of conquest." Archived.

Was British rule in India a success or failure? Examine the consequences of British colonization of India in the following article that lays out the history and pros and cons of British rule. Primary source documents include a telegram...

In the 17th century, London was at the center of global trade, with goods and individuals arriving in the capital from all over the world. This article looks at how travel, trade, and empire shaped the works of Daniel Defoe, Alexander...

Provides a nice timeline to the events of the Mutiny of 1857 along with a list of battles fought during the Mutiny.

A detailed and insightful article which examines the colonial rule of the British in India. The author explores the origins, the Indian independence movement, how the British gave up India and more. Archived.

UCLA provides a thorough history of The (British) East India Company and its role as the governing body in India from 1757 to 1857. Includes links to relevant topics and people, providing a nontraditional look at imperialism and its...

An overview of the British presence in India, 1600-1947, from university professor Vinay Lal. Includes links to related topics, such as the British East India Company, and to biographical details of many key figures from this period in...

The companion website to a documentary on Queen Victoria and the British Empire.

Biography of author Rudyard Kipling which references his views on British colonial rule across the world.

Learn about the art of the Byzantine empire in this historical overview and image gallery with detailed descriptions, from the collection of the British Museum.

An excellent and detailed site which lists over 750 British authors. The site provides links to more information about each author and is categorized by alphabet and time period. Some links may no longer work in the archived URL.

Although this is a personal site, the History Channel calls it "Very comprehensive." That is definitely true! Author provides extensive timelines, biographies, information on science and technology, discussions, and more! Be sure to...

"Empire of the Sun" is a semi-autobiographical novel by the British writer J.G. Ballard. Read an overview and view additional resources such as articles and collection items.

The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, also known as the Empire Air Training Scheme, was put in place during World War Two. Its goal was to train pilots from Britain, Australia and Canada for the Royal Air Force in Britain. Canada...

A discussion of the several reasons the American colonies were able to defeat the head of the British Empire and become an independent country. See also a very brief description of how the Continental Congress paid for the war.

An interesting article that looks at the question of what England could have done to prevent a revolution of the American colonists in 1776. The author believes that there are lessons that one can draw from this series of particular...

Learn about the art of ancient Rome in this historical overview and image gallery of Roman art with detailed descriptions, from the collection of the British Museum.

Learn about the cost of maintaining a maritime empire in America by considering the wreck of the British sloop Industry, which sank off the coast of Saint Augustine in 1764. The loss of the ship along with her cargo demonstrates that...

The period between 1660 and 1785 was a time of amazing expansion, when Britain became an empire and its society and literature had to adapt to circumstances for which there was no precedent. The topics in this Restoration and Eighteenth...

A five-part article describing the British antislave trade movement. All major figures in the abolition movement discussed. Archived.

Perhaps the Loyalists had some concrete reasons to support staying part of the British Empire. Read about who was a Loyalist and why. Particularly interesting is the reason behind so many slaves supporting Britain and what happened to...

India was the crown jewel of the largest empire in the history of the world. To understand how India arrived at this point, we need to look at india before colonization, specifically the rise and fall of the Mughal Empire in India. Vivid...

The American Revolution is one of Canada's least -known, yet most important wars. Learn about the historical background and then test your knowledge on Canada's military history.

Find out how war and conflict shaped literature throughout the 20th century.