Bloomsbury Envisioning Empire: The New British World from 1763 to 1773

Examining the intervening period between the end of the Seven Years' War and the emergence of the American Revolution, Envisioning Empire rethinks the conception of the British Empire in the 18th century. With exceptional geographical scope, this book shines new light on actors and events in many imperial arenas, including West Africa, North America, the Caribbean and South Asia. 1763 has long marked a turning point in British Imperial history, but Envisioning Empire examines this pivotal year, and the following decade, in its own terms and as a discrete but significant moment when the First British Empire made way for the Second. Exploring the incorporation of vast territorial lands and millions of new subjects into the British state and imperial system, it demonstrates how the years between the end of the Seven Years' War and the beginning of the American Revolution saw major historical shifts in the evolution of Britain's Empire. Looking at the competing imperial visions and conceptions put forward during this defining decade, it discusses how the Empire was conceived, discussed and debated during an era of transformation.