History - Britain 1873-1911

This course is for students with an interest in history in general and British or Monarchical history in particular

For the first session students will need an interest in history, an open mind, a desire to learn and a willingness to enquire and question

The course aims: The course will offer an overview of political, social, economic and military developments in Britain during the reigns of Queen Victoria and King Edward VII.

The course will cover:

Key stories about the royal family, politicians and leading figures from science, industry, literature and religion in this era with particular focus on:

• Domestic politics including Home Rule for Ireland, public protests, changes in voting rights and the Suffrage campaign, and the role of key political figures including the Prime Ministers and other leading politicians
• Reactions to major changes in British society including concerns over poverty and ill-health, criminal activity and declining religious observation, with special emphasis on the Liberal Reforms
• Developments in the British Empire and competition with the other major powers, including the Scramble for Africa
• The importance of industrial, technological and economic developments and the impact of rising competition with the USA, Germany and France
• Britain’s role in significant wars and conflicts such as the Anglo-Zulu wars, the Boer Wars and the Boxer Rebellion
• Developments in literature, the arts, the mass media and sport and their impact on Britain and the world

By the end of the course students will have a deeper understanding of the key factors that affected Britain’s role as the dominant nation in global affairs, the impact of major political and social changes with the ideas that shaped them and the legacy of this era with its impact at the time and in the decades that followed