English National History (Complete Four Volumes) ((Complete Four Volumes))

Author: Churchill
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-02-01
Features: Nobel Prize-winning British former Prime Minister Churchill's panoramic historical masterpiece! Vividly depicts the grand history of a thousand years! Shadows of the monarchy, bloody revolutions, the founding of the United States, and fierce maritime conflicts! From Arthur's knights to Elizabeth's East India Company, from Caesar's Roman legions to Napoleon's wars of the Age of Discovery, from Captain Cook's legend to Abraham Lincoln's monument, from England's silent Stonehenge to the industrial revolution era of roaring machinery! One of the wisest, most fascinating historical works ever written. —Alan Taylor
Profound insights, sharp thinking, unparalleled in the English-speaking world. —Sir Arthur Bryant
In an era when historians tend to use microscopes rather than telescopes to study history, this is truly a monumental work. —Geoffrey Barraclough
For generations of ordinary readers, this is British history. Millions of readers worldwide have gained an understanding of history through it. —Michael Howard
This historical work will endure not just because the author is Churchill, but because of its own merits—strong writing, incisive arguments. —J. H. Plumb
The British Empire dominated the 19th century, with its dominions and colonies spread across the globe, known as the "Empire on which the sun never sets." Meanwhile, the newborn United States dominated the 20th century, influencing the political, economic, cultural, and military of the 20th century in all aspects. Since the Industrial Revolution, the two English-speaking nations have successively ruled the world for over 200 years—this is no coincidence. Winston Churchill, with his mighty pen, profoundly and vividly reveals the secrets behind this, which is his historical masterpiece A History of the English-Speaking Peoples. Combined with his monumental The Second World War Memoirs and The Second World War Memoirs, it almost completely describes the historical trajectory of the English-speaking peoples from barbarism to world dominance. Today, the world has entered a new century, with the United States remaining the only superpower and maintaining its strong momentum; under the leadership of a young prime minister, the English language is striving to revitalize itself; and in the vast ocean of the Southern Hemisphere, another English-speaking nation—Australia—is quietly rising. Churchill was not just a creator of 20th-century history; his historical writings have also influenced many people. With his relentless perseverance, meticulous research, and comprehensive synthesis before putting pen to paper, he achieved his distinctive and vivid style that balances aesthetics and the ultimate goals of history. A History of the English-Speaking Peoples centers on British history, tracing the origins and development of the English-speaking peoples from their beginnings to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. It outlines the political, military, economic, cultural, religious, and social developments of various historical periods in Britain, while also providing a complete introduction to the birth processes and relationships of English-speaking countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand with Britain. Additionally, the book details major European events related to Britain, such as the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the outbreak of the French Revolution, the rise and fall of Napoleon's Empire, and the rise of the German Empire. It reveals the secrets of the evolution and transition of world hegemony over the millennia.
Volume I: The Birth of Britain
This volume traces the history of the English-speaking peoples from their earliest stages to the eve of European discovery of the New World, ending with the Battle of Bosworth. This battle, fought in 1485, was the last major battle of England's turbulent Middle Ages. That same year, a new dynasty was established in Britain. By this time, the defining characteristics and institutions of the English-speaking peoples had already formed—not only in language but also in England. Unlike other Western European countries, which retained the features and traditions of Roman law and Roman rule, the English-speaking peoples had established a set of legal principles and principles that could almost be called "democratic spirit" by the end of the historical period covered in this volume. When Columbus set sail toward the American continent, the Commons, the jury system, local self-government, and the seeds of press freedom had already sprouted, at least in their early stages of development.
Volume II: The New World
The two centuries covered in this volume witnessed some far-reaching events. European explorers discovered the New World, and many Europeans settled there. Between 1485 and 1688, the English-speaking peoples began to expand worldwide, defeating the Spanish Empire. After establishing sea routes, American colonies sprang up like mushrooms after rain. England and Scotland turned to Protestantism, and the two kingdoms united under a Scottish dynasty. Long-standing principle disputes led to a civil war. England attempted a period of republican rule under Oliver Cromwell. However, in the end, England restored its monarchy.
Volume III: The Age of Revolution
During the period covered in this volume from 1688 to 1815, three revolutions profoundly affected humanity. The 1688 Glorious Revolution in Britain ousted the last Catholic king on the British Isles. The 1775 American War of Independence divided the English-speaking peoples. In 1789, France announced the principles of equality, freedom, and human rights to Europe by force. While these political revolutions took place, revolutions in science and industry also occurred, laying the foundation for today's industrial age.
Volume IV: The Great Democracy
After Napoleon's fall in 1815, Britain held absolute sway over a large part of the world. France and the entire European continent were exhausted, and revolutions and social unrest severely weakened many European powers, leading to the birth of new nations. The American War of Independence did not inflict a fatal wound on Anglo-American relations; instead, extensive connections were forged across the Atlantic. The British colonized Australia and New Zealand, seized South Africa during the decline of the Dutch, and thus created a new, even more vast British Empire. Through a brutal civil war that cost nearly a million lives, the United States abolished slavery and maintained its unity. The 19th century was a meaningful, progressive, enlightened, and tolerant era of civilization.