HIST 2258 The British Empire: Its Rise and Fall
How did a relatively small country at the edge of Europe come to acquire the largest empire in history? At its height it covered 24% of the earth's surface. How was it built up? What sustained it? What were the political, diplomatic, and military accomplishments of this empire "o'er which the sun never set?" Beginning with Colonial America this course will trace the history of the empire, and the men and women who shaped it, from the loss of the American colonies in 1781 to the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997.
Course overview
- Department
- History
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Every Spring
Requirements fulfilled
- History: Free history electives (two courses at the 2000 or 4000 level) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- History: LAMA electives in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, or Africa (two courses at the 2000 or 4000 level) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- History: U.S. History elective (one course at the 2000 or 4000 level) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.36 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.59 / 5 · Excellent
- Terms evaluated
- 3
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2025 | Oliver P Rafferty | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 23 of 30 |
| Fall 2023 | Oliver P Rafferty | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 of 38 |
| Fall 2022 | Oliver P Rafferty | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4–6 hrs/week | 25 of 30 |