Imperial powers have shaped the world almost since the beginning of history, and continue to impact the geo-politics of our modern world. But what is an empire? How do we define them? Which empires do we remember and which have we largely forgotten about? Students taking this subject will begin their investigations with case-studies of some of the most influential empires in the pre-modern world as well as some lesser-known but no less significant such as the Roman, the British, the Mughal, the Khmer. Students will be introduced to a range of empires, their major achievements and the sources by which historians know of them. The study will conclude with an examination of the role of empires and imperial pursuits in the lead up to the outbreak of World War I.
Students will have the opportunity to select an empire that they have been introduced to and work through devising a historical investigation. They will investigate their chosen empire and select a particular area of said empire that they wish to learn about in detail. They will be guided through selecting sources, taking notes and synthesising a report on their topic. The focus in this part of the unit is on building student’s agency in their own learning as well as their ability to deploy research skills.
