Seen through American eyes, July 4, 1776 marks a triumphant moment: the birth of a bold new nation committed to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Through British eyes, the American Revolution looked quite different. This four-part class will examine America through the lens of Britain’s Empire.

First, we’ll look at the war from the perspectives of the Palace, the Parliament, and the British people. Second, we’ll explore the conflict from the vantage of the Irish and their descendants in America. Third, we’ll pivot southward to study the fate of empire on Britain’s Caribbean islands. Finally, we’ll investigate the terms of the 1783 Treaty of Paris, the peace pact that dramatically shrank the boundaries of the British Empire and confirmed the independence of the newly United States.
Four Sessions. $205/$184.5. Led by Richard Bell