The Cambridge History of the British Empire facts for kids

The Cambridge History of the British Empire was a large collection of history books. It told the story of the British Empire. These books were published by Cambridge University Press between 1929 and 1961. There were eight main books in total, but one of them (Volume Seven) was split into two parts. Important historians like John Holland Rose, A. P. Newton, and Ernest Alfred Benians helped lead this huge project. The first set of these books came out between 1929 and 1936. Later, some of them were updated and re-released.

When these books were being written, the world was changing a lot. The British Empire, where Britain ruled many countries, was slowly becoming the British Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is now a group of independent countries that used to be part of the Empire. Because of these big changes, how people saw the Empire also changed over time. This was clear in how people reacted to the later books in the series. For example, a new edition of the book about South Africa, published in 1963, was criticized for using old ways of thinking. Today, the original series of books is no longer printed. Another book, The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire, came out in 1996, but it is also out of print now.

Some historians, like Caroline Elkins, have said that the books mostly showed the British Empire in a very positive light. They believe the series sometimes didn't fully explain the role of tough or violent actions used to expand and keep control of the Empire.

About the Books

The Cambridge History of the British Empire was a very detailed project. It aimed to cover the history of Britain's rule over many different parts of the world. Each book in the series often focused on a specific region or time period. For example, some volumes also served as parts of The Cambridge History of India, showing how closely linked these histories were.

Changes Over Time

Over the years, some of the books were updated. This happened as new information became available or as historians' views changed. For instance, the book about South Africa had a second edition in 1963, edited by Eric A. Walker. Even a volume about Australia was reissued in 1988 for a special event called the Australian Bicentenary. These updates show how history is always being looked at and understood in new ways.

See also

• Historiography of the British Empire
• The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire
• The Oxford History of the British Empire