This is a comprehensive survey of the entire history of the British empire. Lloyd describes the full sweep of expansion and decolonization from the voyages of discovery in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to the achievement of independence in the second half of the twentieth century. Drawing out both parallels and differences between paths of development throughout the empire, Lloyd provides a unified and coherent account of a vital period in the history of all the countries that make up the modern Commonwealth. For the second edition, he has revised the text, updated the bibliography and tables, and added a final chapter on "The World after the Empire", which examines the important contemporary events countries of the former empire, such as South Africa, Canada, Hong Kong, and Australia.