▁" The ▁British ▁Empire ▁Before ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution ", ▁published ▁ 1 9 3 6 – 7 0 . ▁ ▁At ▁about ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁in ▁London , ▁Sir ▁Keith ▁Han cock ▁wrote ▁a ▁Survey ▁of ▁Commonwealth ▁Affairs ▁( 2 ▁vol ▁ 1 9 3 7 – 4 2 ) ▁that ▁dram atically ▁w iden ed ▁the ▁scope ▁of ▁coverage ▁beyond ▁politics ▁to ▁the ▁newer ▁fields ▁of ▁economic ▁and ▁social ▁history . ▁ ▁In ▁recent ▁dec ades ▁numerous ▁sch ol ars ▁have ▁tried ▁their ▁hand ▁at ▁one ▁volume ▁surve ys ▁including ▁T . ▁O . ▁Lloyd , ▁The ▁British ▁Empire , ▁ 1 5 5 8 – 1 9 9 5 ▁( 1 9 9 6 ); ▁Den is ▁Jud d , ▁Empire : ▁The ▁British ▁Imperial ▁Exper ience ▁From ▁ 1 7 6 5 ▁To ▁The ▁Pres ent ▁( 1 9 9 8 ); ▁Lawrence ▁James , ▁The ▁R ise ▁and ▁Fall ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁( 1 9 9 8 ); ▁ ▁Ni all ▁Fer g us on , ▁Empire : ▁The ▁R ise ▁and ▁Dem ise ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁World ▁Order ▁and ▁the ▁Less ons ▁for ▁Global ▁Power ▁( 2 0 0 2 ); ▁Br end an ▁Sim ms , ▁Three ▁vict ories ▁and ▁a ▁defeat : ▁the ▁rise ▁and ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁British ▁Empire ▁( 2 0 0 8 ); ▁P iers ▁Br end on , ▁The ▁Dec line ▁and ▁Fall ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire , ▁ 1 7 8 1 – 1 9 9 7 ▁( 2