Sepoy Mutiny, 1857
History

The Sepoy Rebellion and the Threat to British India

February 25, 2019

The Sepoy Rebellion—the uprising of thousands of Indian soldiers—was the single greatest threat to British India since the Battle of Plassey in 1757. But this uprising was much more than a simple military mutiny or nationalist uprising. […]

Image of Thomas Hardy taken between 1910 and 1915
British Literature

Victorian Writers and Critics Clashed over Content—Who Won?

February 25, 2019

The late Victorian period is known for great literary talent and the controversies that embroiled it. For example, authors and critics clashed over the depictions of sexuality and of unhappy marriages in print and on the stage. But is it really true that there is no bad PR? […]

Interactive Course Guides

Britain’s Medieval Castles

October 30, 2018

Like the medieval castles, Britain’s cathedrals are astounding sites and an absolute must for any visitor to the island. Here, Professor Allitt explores the major milestones in cathedral architecture, from the Romanesque style of Durham Cathedral to the gothic style of Canterbury. He also takes you to the world-renowned Westminster Abbey. […]

Painting of a Scullery Maid
British History

The Life of Domestic Servants in Victorian England

December 1, 2017

As standards of social decorum for the upper classes increased in the later Victorian period, the need for servants increased as well.

A Difficult Life

The British census of 1891 found that 1.3 million girls and women worked as domestic servants. They were usually recruited between the ages of 10 and 13, after they had been through some elementary schooling. Many employers hoped for the servants they hired to have at least some elementary literacy and numeracy. […]

Execution of James P. Casey and Charles Cora by the Vigilance Committee, of San Francisco, California.
American History

Vigilante Justice in the American Wild West

December 1, 2017

The sudden rush to California in 1849 was something new. Population rose there much faster than the local authorities’ ability to deal with the problems the gold-seekers, nearly all men, brought with them. These were the perfect conditions for vigilante justice to arise. […]

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