The Penguin Historical Atlas of the British Empire traces the emergence of the world's greatest empire from its earliest beginnings in the British Isles, through its ascendancy in Victorian times, to its ultimate collapse in the mid-20th century. It examines the impact of British dominance in America, India and Africa, and the enormous changes brought by Britain's settlement of Australasia. Coverage of major events - the colonization of Ireland, the American Revolution, the South African wars - is complemented by discussion of themes such as Imperial exploitation and trade, hunting for plants and animals, the Imperial exhibitions and the importance of British naval power. Also assessed are the impact of the Empire on different areas of the world and the legacy it has bestowed. Richly illustrated with photographs and full-colour maps, this is an illuminating and multi-faceted one-volume introduction to the rise and fall of the British Empire.

Grade level: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, e, i, s, t.

Maps trace the development of the British Empire from 1500 to the present

Organized in the same innovative manner as Colin McEvedy's other Penguin historical atlases, but presented in a new, larger, and more accessible format, The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Pacific features forty-nine double-page spreads, with text facing the maps, that provide overviews of crucial moments in the history of the Pacific and the lands around it, from the formation of the ocean some twenty-eight million years ago to the end of the twentieth century. The spreads show the movements of peoples along the Pacific Rim, the occupation of oceanic islands, the development of nations, and the rise and fall of empires within and around the huge Pacific basin. The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Pacific is an essential acquisition for schools, libraries, and students of Asian and American history.

The breakup of the Soviet Union has been accompanied by a new surge of interest in this most fascinating and contradictory of nations. This atlas covers Russia's history from the coming of the Slavic peoples and the invasion of the Swedish Rus and the Mongols through the territorial expansion of Catherine the Great to the rise of communism, the Cold War era, and the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Full color.

In 1815, the British controlled the seas. Before the end of the nineteenth century, they ruled Australia, India, New Zealand, half of Africa, half of North America, and islands all around the globe. Theirs was the most powerful empire the world has ever known. Here is the story of how the English acquired their vast domain; how they ruled, maintained, and exploited it; and how, within decades, they presided over its dissolution. Here are Britain's triumphs and also her stinging defeats, her heroes and her scoundrels. It is a full and fascinating chronicle of the growth of the British Empire and its people and of the impact that empire had on the rest of the world.

From its humble origins as a cluster of rival chiefdoms along the banks of the Nile, ancient Egypt rose to become one of the most advanced civilizations of its time. This atlas traces its turbulent history and remarkable cultural development, from the founding of Memphis around 5000 BC, through the territorial expansion and flourishing trade of the ‘age of empire’, to Greek domination and ultimate collapse. Political rivalries are charted through the successive dynasties, from the strife of the intermediate periods to the golden ages of prosperity and artistic glory under Akhenaten, Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. The latest archaeological evidence is used to cast new light on the vast architectural legacy of the world’s first great nation state. The authoritative narrative, illustrated with over sixty full colour maps and over seventy plates, makes this an indispensable handbook for history students and enthusiasts alike.