The Atlantic in World History, 1490-1830 looks at the historical
connections between four continents - Africa, Europe, North America and
South America - through the lens of Atlantic history. It shows how the
Atlantic has been more than just an ocean: it has been an important site
of circulation and transmission, allowing exchanges and interchanges
which have profoundly shaped the development of the world.
Divided into four thematic sections, Trevor Burnard's sweeping yet
concise narrative covers the period from the voyages of Columbus to the
New World in the 1490s through to the end of the Age of Revolutions
around 1830. It deals with key topics including the Columbian exchange,
Atlantic slavery and abolition, war as a global phenomenon, the Age of
Revolution, religious conversion, nation-building, trade and commerce
and intellectual movements such as the Enlightenment. Rather than
focusing on the 'rise of the West', Burnard stresses the interactive
nature of encounters between various parts of the world, setting local
case studies within his broader interconnected narrative.
Written by a leading historian of Atlantic history, and including
further reading lists, images and maps as well as a companion website
featuring discussion questions, timelines and primary source extracts,
this is an essential book for students of Atlantic and world history.