An Imperial World

An overview of global imperialism during the last three centuries. 

Part of the "Connections: Key Themes in World History" series, this text helps students understand world history by focusing on an issue that has profoundly shaped the modern world order: the establishment and collapse of global empires since 1750.

An Imperial World uses a combination of primary documents and analytical essays, both tightly focused around four case studies: India, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.Itexamines the historical development of colonial systems and shows their enormous role in shaping the modern world order. It is meant to be thematic and suggestive, offering arguments and information to serve as a starting point for discussion and exploration.

Learning Goals

Upon completing this book readers will be able to:

• Understand how large empires grew
• Describe the structures of imperial power
• Understand the hard side of modern empires:
  • Their ideological underpinnings
  • The practical techniques used by colonial authorities and their military
  • Their economic and political goals
• Explore the enormous cultural and social impact of colonial systems on the everyday lives of people in todays world