The British Isles and the modern world, 1789–1914 (A225)

The British Isles in the long nineteenth century was a place of rapid expansion and growth, when the United Kingdom became the so-called ‘workshop of the world’. It was also a period of conflict and uncertainty, where poverty and political unrest prompted widespread anxieties about the nature progress. Taking up these different perspectives, this module looks at the landmark transformations of the period such as the political union of Britain and Ireland, industrialisation, the growth of cities, and the expansion of the British Empire. By focusing on one century, this module provides space for a deep engagement with historical method and debate.