Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World
tv show

6 total episodes
-
1 seasons
First Aired January 09, 2003
Genres:
Overview
How did Britain come to rule the world? asks Niall Ferguson in Empire. What would today's world be like now if it hadn't? Could such an organisation – run by, according to Winston Churchill, 'the greedy trader, the inopportune missionary, the ambitious soldier and the lying spectator' – ever have been a force for good?
The Mission
Season 1 - Episode 3 - 1h 50m
Air Date
January 23, 2003
Overview
Following the religious revival that started in the late 18th century, missionaries began working in Africa and India in an attempt to bring Christianity and civilisation to societies perceived as heathens. We learn of David Livingstone's adventures in Africa as he attempted to link the three 'C's – Christianity, commerce and civilisation. From his discovery of the Victoria Falls to his famous meeting with Henry Stanley, we follow the career of this fascinating character. Presenter Niall Ferguson also travels to India and examines the changing attitudes towards Indian religions and culture during the 19th century. He also traces the Indian mutiny of 1857 and its brutal aftermath in which thousands were brutally killed.