0 0 8 ), ▁and ▁Phill ip ▁J . ▁Smith , ▁The ▁R ise ▁And ▁Fall ▁Of ▁The ▁British ▁Empire : ▁Mer c ant il ism , ▁Diplom acy ▁and ▁the ▁Col on ies ▁( 2 0 1 5 ). ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁also ▁large - scale ▁popular ▁histor ies , ▁such ▁as ▁those ▁by ▁W inst on ▁Church ill , ▁A ▁History ▁of ▁the ▁English - Spe aking ▁Pe op les ▁( 4 ▁vol . ▁ 1 9 5 6 – 5 8 ) ▁ ▁and ▁Arthur ▁Bry ant , ▁The ▁History ▁of ▁Britain ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁Pe op les ▁( 3 ▁vol s . ▁ 1 9 8 4 – 9 0 ). ▁ ▁Obviously ▁from ▁their ▁titles ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁writers ▁have ▁been ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁famous ▁The ▁History ▁of ▁the ▁Dec line ▁and ▁Fall ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁( 6 ▁vol s ▁ 1 7 7 6 – 1 7 8 1 ) ▁by ▁Edward ▁Gib bon . ▁Br end on ▁notes ▁that ▁Gib bon ' s ▁work , ▁" bec ame ▁the ▁essential ▁guide ▁for ▁Brit ons ▁anxious ▁to ▁plot ▁their ▁own ▁imperial ▁traject ory . ▁They ▁found ▁the ▁key ▁to ▁understanding ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁in ▁the ▁ru ins ▁of ▁Rome ." ▁W . ▁David ▁Mc Int y re , ▁ ▁The ▁common wealth ▁of ▁nations : ▁Orig ins ▁and ▁impact , ▁ 1 8 6 9 – 1 9 7 1 ▁( Univers ity ▁of ▁Minnesota ▁Press , ▁ 1 9 7 7 ) ▁provides ▁compreh ensive