Empires and colonies / Jonathan Hart.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hart, Jonathan Locke, 1956-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Imperialism--History.

Imperialism.

History.

Territorial expansion.

Colonies.

Europe--Colonies--History.

Europe.

Europe--Territorial expansion--History.

Physical Description:

ix, 387 pages ; 23 cm

Other Title:

Empires & colonies

Place of Publication:

Cambridge ; Malden, MA : Polity, 2008.

Summary:

Empires and Colonies provides a thoroughgoing and lively exploration of the expansion of the seaborne empires of western Europe from the fifteenth century and how that process of expansion affected the world, including its successor, the United States.

Whilst providing special attention to Europe, the study is careful to highlight the ambivalence and contradiction of that expansion. The book illuminates connections between empires and colonies as a theme in history, concentrating on culture while also discussing the rich social, economic and political dimensions of the story. Furthermore, Empires and Colonies recognizes that whilst a study of the expansion of Europe is an important part of world history, it is not a history of the world per se. The focus on culture is used to assert that areas and peoples that lack great economic power at any given time also deserve attention. These alternative voices of slaves, indigenous peoples and critics of empire and colonization are an important - and compelling - element of the book.

Empires and Colonies will be essential reading not only for students of imperial history, but also for anyone interested in the makings of our modern world.

Contents:

1 First Expansion: 1415-1517 19

2 From the Reformation to English and French Settlements in the New World: 1517-1608 48

3 The Relative Decline of Portugal and Spain: 1608-1713 92

4 The Rise of Britain and France: 1713-1830 125

5 High Imperialism: 1830-1914 171

6 European Civil War and World Conflict: 1914-1945 224

7 Decolonization or Neo-imperialism: 1945 to the Present 255.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780745626130

0745626130

0745626149

9780745626147

OCLC:

166626468