The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume I: The Origins of Empire: British Overseas Enterprise to the Close of the Seventeenth Century [Paperback]

Nicholas Canny (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0199246769 | ISBN-13: 978-0199246762

Volume I of the Oxford History of the British Empire explores the origins of empire. It shows how and why England, and later Britain, became involved with transoceanic navigation, trade, and settlement during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The chapters, by leading historians, both illustrate the interconnections between developments in Europe and overseas and offer specialist studies on every part of the world that was substantially affected by British colonial activity. As late as 1630, involvement with regions beyond the traditional confines of Europe was still tentative; by 1690 it had

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The first two volumes of this five-volume history of the British Empire establish a very high standard of scholarship. Over three dozen scholars examine both major and minor aspects of the modern imperial experience. The chronological focus develops from the 16th century, when Ireland was the starting point of the empire, to the end of the 18th, when the 13 American Colonies were lost. The essays form an interlocking analysis of the origins of empire from an intellectual, military, economic, and technological perspective. There is some overlap; for example, several essays discuss the role of naval power, but each author approaches the topic with a different focus, such as technology in N.A.M. Rogers's essay and politics in John Appleby's. The various chapters, therefore, reinforce the overall picture instead of being redundant. Separate chapters in the first volume analyze the origins and implementation of the British imperial expansion, or contraction, in each region and then continue in the second volume, as do discussions of new subjects, such as the colonization of Australia. The interrelationship between the mother country and the Colonies also receives continued emphasis. Jonathan Israel's chapter, in Volume 1, on the continental perspective of British empire building helps place events in an even broader context. There is a short bibliography after each chapter. Three following volumes will see the empire through to its 20th-century decline. Recommended for all libraries.?Frederic Krome, Jacob Rader Marcus Ctr. of the American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"An extremely useful volume, and it will be the principal reference work for many years to come."--Journal of American History

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (September 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199246769
• ISBN-13: 978-0199246762
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #410,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent start to a very good series, December 15, 2008

By 

Lehigh History Student (Bethlehem, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume I: The Origins of Empire: British Overseas Enterprise to the Close of the Seventeenth Century (Paperback)

Nicholas Canny in the origins of Empire organizes historians into the key categories on the foundation of the British Empire. By taking not only a macro approach and looking at how the empire developed through trade, seapower, and technology but also a micro approach. Each author walks the reader through their area of expertise and the development of how each colony came into existence is clear. This truly is a study in early world history as the reader is taken around the world from the shores of Bombay to the wilds of the early North American continent and the Indians that interacted with empire. It also assesses what one might call the development of the domestic empire by analyzing Ireland and Scotland. As no study of the time period would be complete without NAM Rodger's seapower analysis and Canny's immigration theories this book really does have it all. For those who want to understand the development of the British Empire this is the essential book to own and a must read for those who love British and Atlantic world history.

2 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for History Buffs, October 17, 2007

By 

piomio (tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume I: The Origins of Empire: British Overseas Enterprise to the Close of the Seventeenth Century (Paperback)

If you are a history buff then this is the book for you. It gives you a lot of detail. I plan on getting the other books in this series. It is top notch and a must have for anyone that seriously wants to study history.