by Patrick N. Allitt
We've been immersed in Mater Amabilis™ for over ten years now. Repeatedly in that time, there have been issues raised with recommended books and Charlotte Mason herself regarding attitudes toward non-Western people and the history of England. This course has helped me put vast amounts of those readings in context. Professor Allitt came of age as the British Empire disintegrated and therefore is able to provide a personal story alongside the historical context. He touches on all aspects of the Empire, including the American colonies, the spread of cricket, and two lectures on some of the relationships between British literature and the Empire. (He pointed out some details in Jane Austen's novels I would never have connected with the Empire. Guess I'll have to read them again!) Many of the lectures touch on important milestones and attitudes that continue to impact world relations today. Quotes from primary sources intersperse all the lectures.
I think you could substitute this lecture series for Churchill's A History of the English-Speaking Peoples in Level 5 (the abridged one). You would lose the early British history and Churchill's sardonic wit, but it would probably be easier than reading Churchill. You might also read Churchill to the end of his book, then pick up this lecture series to follow just the decline of the Empire. If you wanted an honors level course, I think Churchill and this series would fit marvelously together.
The PDF included in an Audible purchase includes recommended reading for each lecture and questions to consider, some of which would make excellent exam or essay questions.
Another option might be to use a subset of the lectures either in history or geography courses.
America / The New World
Lecture Two: The Challenge to Spain in the New World
Lecture Three: African Slavery and the West Indies
Lecture Six: Wolfe and the Conquest of Canada
Lecture Seven: The Loss of the American Colonies
Lecture Eighteen: How Canada Became a Nation
Lecture Thirty-Three: The White Dominions
Africa
Lecture Three: African Slavery and the West Indies
Lecture Eleven: Abolition of the Slave Trade and Slavery
Lecture Twelve: Early African Colonies
Lecture Nineteen: The Exploration and Settlement of Africa
Lecture Twenty: Gold, Greed, and Geopolitics in Africa
Lecture Thirty-One: Israel, Egypt, and the Suez Canal
Lecture Thirty-Two: The Decolonization of Africa
Asia
Lecture Four: Imperial Beginnings in India
Lecture Five: Clive and the Conquest of India
Lecture Thirteen: China and the Opium Wars
Lecture Sixteen: India and the "Great Game"
Lecture Seventeen: Rebellion and Mutiny in India
Lecture Twenty-Seven: British India between the World Wars
Lecture Thirty: Twilight of the Raj
Lecture Thirty-One: Israel, Egypt, and the Suez Canal
Australia / New Zealand
Lecture Eight: Exploring the Planet
Lecture Ten: The Other Side of the World
Lecture Thirty-Three: The White Dominions
This is one of my favorite courses from The Great Courses. I enjoyed it immensely and would happily listen to it all over again.
I have received nothing in exchange for this post of my honest opinions. I purchased this course during one of Audible's recent two-for-one sales. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.
