This book tells the story of more than two thousand years of British history, from 55 BC to the 21st century. Open its pages to see how Britain rose step by step over 1,800 years, and why it then declined so rapidly within a century! The long road to greatness took 1,800 years. From a barren island in the Atlantic to an empire on which the sun never set, ruling a quarter of the world’s population and territory, Britain’s rise took more than 1,800 years.
Beginning in 55 BC, Rome invaded Britain and brought civilization to the desolate island. After the Romans left, the land was plunged into endless warfare, its political power deeply fragmented. Worse still, in 1066 Britain fell into the hands of the Duke of Normandy in France, and the Normans used force to strengthen royal authority. To curb its ever-expanding power, the famous Magna Carta was born in 1215. From then on, Britain’s rise seemed unstoppable: royal power reached its peak under the Tudors; after Elizabeth established naval supremacy, Britain entered its “Golden Age”; the Glorious Revolution of 1688 paved the way for modernization; and the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century made Britain the world’s dominant power and carried it to the height of empire!
A century of rapid decline: prosperity vanished like a bubble. No one could have imagined that this mighty empire would fall so quickly within a hundred years. After the Boer War of 1899, Britain’s economic strength declined sharply. The First World War severely depleted its national power. After the Second World War, the United States rose, Britain’s colonies declared independence one after another, and its glorious empire collapsed in an instant. By the 21st century, the Iraq War and the 2008 financial crisis had dealt further heavy blows to Britain’s economy and standing in the world. Open this book and follow Kenneth O. Morgan, Fellow of the British Academy, to see how Britain rose step by step over 1,800 years, and why it then declined so rapidly within a century!
This book vividly depicts the history of Britain for more than two thousand years, and its rise and decline are both thought-provoking. The author's academic background is also very strong, and the ideas in the book are very enlightening. After reading it, I understand better that the development of the country needs to constantly adapt to the changes of the times, and it also makes me cherish my current life more. Recommended to friends who are interested in history!
It is not first-hand material, nor is it a systematic level like domestic history books. I don't know if it's a translation problem, but it reads almost like a second-rate novel. Many of the author's views in the article are subjective, but the stance is left-leaning. It is a very interesting book. However, in terms of perspectives and materials, many things in Europe are isolated evidence. The history from the Celts to ancient Rome is like an epic.