The Rise and Fall of British Power

(5 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course explores the rise and expansion of British power during the nineteenth century, and charts its gradual decline in the twentieth century. It will investigate the reasons for Britains changing fortunes as a global power during this period, by examining the relationship between domestic, foreign or imperial and military policies from Vienna settlement in 1815 to the mid twentieth century. Themes to be addressed will include the foundations of British power, the emergence of rival powers, the impact of two World Wars, and Britains responses to altered international conditions.