Niall Ferguson - Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World - Heaven's Breed 1/5

Historian and presenter Niall Ferguson takes us on a fascinating journey in both time and space to explore the impact of the British empire on the modern world. From the earliest British settlers in Virginia to the decline of the empire in the aftermath of the two World Wars, positive and negative aspects of the empire are illustrated through key events and players.

Niall Ferguson uses a wealth of original sources such as quotes, documents, film footage and photographs, as well as taking a contemporary look at key locations and drawing parallels with recent history, such as the USA's war against terrorism.

The series is highly entertaining, informative and thought-provoking, and provides an excellent and balanced overview of the British empire and its continuing legacy in the world.

Part four: Heaven's Breed

In this programme we discover how a few thousand British people ruled over India, a country of more than 250 million people and the centre point of the whole British empire. Niall Ferguson demonstrates the vital role played by the Indian army both within India and beyond, and the role of British technology in developing the army and modern Indian cities. Modern-day footage of the hill station at Simla gives us a glimpse of colonial life in late 19th century India.

From the early 19th century an elite class of well-educated Indians was encouraged, with men like JN Bose becoming successful lawyers and administrators. In fact, the British administrators were so few in number that it was essential to involve Indian people in their own government. Yet by the end of the 19th century the White Mutiny threatened to end this liberal attitude and ultimately led to a genuine Nationalist movement.

Looking at the Caribbean in the same period, Niall explores the conditions for black people after the abolition of slavery and the treatment of respectable black religious leaders such as George William Gordon.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• niall
• ferguson
• empire
• britain
• made
• modern
• world

[324wilson]

Thanks for posting this series. I am really enjoying waching this documentary!

[panzercat1939]

@jrm21386 I do not think that he is saying the Brits invented the telegraph,just that they used it to best effect.

[DrZenith]

An American, Joseph Henry first came up with a viable means of transmitting messages by wire. Samuel Morse is usually presented as the inventor of the telegraph but he used Henry's ideas and later took credit for them. He did though, invent the Morse code system of long/short signals, providing an easy method of encoding messages. But long distance transmission through undersea cables became a reality thanks to the work of the British physicist, William Thomson ( Lord Kelvin).

[RedTyphoon1]

@jrm21386 No, He was merely stating the British used Telegraphy and other technologies to strengthen their empire.

[jrm21386]

He makes it sound as if Britain developed the telegraph and other technologies, when in reality it was the Germans and Americans who developed the telegraph independently.