This course will introduce students to British history during the so-called "long eighteenth century," a period in which a recognizably "modern" nation state emerged in the British Isles and the nation became the world's pre-eminent economic and imperial power. The course will explore the complex processes by which such ascendancy was achieved, an ascendancy that cemented a cohesive sense of national identity and purpose and grew from the nation's highly-developed economy. Several themes will be addressed: British society before industrialization; the political and ideological structure of the British state in the wake of the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the Hanoverian succession of 1714; social conflict in pre-industrial Britain; the domestic consequences of Britain's foreign wars and imperial ventures; the advent of a new consumer economy; the causes and consequences of the industrial revolution; the emergence of the middle and working classes; the domestic impact of the French Revolution; and, finally, the reform of British political institutions in the first third of the nineteenth century. Format: discussion (and four lectures). Evaluation will be based on class participation, two 8- to 9-page interpretive essays, and a self-scheduled final exam. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 25 (expected: 15-20). Open to all. Priority to upperclass students. Groups B and D