Between 1550 and 1850, how were the English people able to transform themselves from a disparate group of individuals and localities into an imperial power? This book supplements Raymond Williams' seminal work on the country and the city by applying exciting new interdisciplinary perspectives on the question. During the great age of mercantilism, new conceptions of space, time, and social identity began to emerge that are still with us today. This collection of essays by major scholars looks afresh at central issues of early modern English history.