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How are empires ruled? How do military, economic, logistic and cultural constructs combine to create 'systems of empire'? This free course, How do empires work?, introduces these questions by briefly sketching in the dramatic events of the Anglo-Chinese conflict over Hong Kong from 1839 to 1842.
FREE
This course includes
Hours of videos
60 minutes
Units & Quizzes
5
Unlimited Lifetime access
Access on mobile app
Certificate of Completion
Introduction
This course asks you to think about what glues empires together: what makes an empire into a ‘system of power’? It does this by looking at dramatic events in 1842, when Royal Navy ships and British East India troops penetrated right into the inland heart of the Chinese empire, 120 miles up the Yangzi River. It shows what military, economic, cultural and logistical components made up the contrasting British (maritime) and Chinese (land) empires. It uses this analysis to explain how Britain could successfully overawe another, mighty empire thousands of miles away from Europe, and so gain Hong Kong.Learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:- Understand what a ‘system of empire’ is
- Understand the key components – economic, military, logistic and cultural – which can help to make up a system of empire.
Course Currilcum
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- Empires as systems of power 00:15:00
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- The Qing empire 00:10:00
- The British empire 00:10:00
- Conclusion 00:10:00
