Small Island, Big History: Essays On the British Empire

Description

Overview: The island of Britain may be small geographically but its proverbial reach touched every corner of the globe by the end of the nineteenth century. Exploration had been the impetus behind the Age of Discovery and the news of far-away lands intrigued governments and captivated the masses. Britain knew that the future lay in across these vast expanses of open ocean and made every effort to become a key player in the changing international landscape. This is a crucial point to remember because Britain did not become "Great" until she had invested the heart and soul of her people, time and again, into an idea that may easily have bankrupted the country or, worse, led to its conquest by weakening it to such a pitiful state. But the British people possessed an entrepreneurial spirit that could not be quenched and continually persevered no matter what situation or challenge they faced. This same spirit was the backdrop that fueled the Industrial Revolution. British attitudes and identity are directly correlated to Britain’s empire-building and help to explain why “Britain” and the “Empire” were indivisible to the British people.