Empire, the sea and global history : Britain's maritime world, c.1760-c.1840

Between the end of the Seven Years war in 1763, and the abolition of slavery within its Empire in 1833, Britain's maritime engagement with the wider world was transformed.

The period was characterized by the contradictory and competing forces of revolution and reaction, 'liberty' and imperialism, war and peace, enlightenment and enslavement.

The essays in this collection offer the path-breaking research of leading scholars to explore the significance and complexities of Britain's maritime world in this key period through a series of thematic discussions, comparing similar and contrasting movements and events.

They were originally delivered as lectures in a series jointly sponsored by the Institute of Historical Research and by the Centre for Imperial and Maritime Studies at the National Maritime Museum.