Ideal for adoption in introductory and upper-level classes in European and world history, this book provides a concise narrative account of the rise and fall of British imperialism. Focusing on the transition from informal to formal empire which broadened and intensified Britain's relations with Asia and Africa, Timothy Parsons describes the establishment of extensive colonies and protectorates in Egypt, India, China, and the Ottoman Empire. Parsons explores the cultural, political, economic, and social implications of British authority in these areas and he describes the various ways in which subject peoples contested and adapted to the expansion of the British Crown. This book is an excellent introduction to the subject of imperialism, and will be extremely useful for those studying this history of Britain, Africa, the Middle East, India, and the Far East.