Britons: Forging the Nation 1707-1837 was an amazing book to read for me. I enjoyed it so so so much. I had to lead a discussion on it in class for two weeks and Colley's writing style is very enjoyable. Britons: Forging the Nation 1707-1837 can appeal to a general audience and historians. One of her central arguments is Britons in the past dealt with multiple identities. She talks about how pan-Britishness is a shadow of what it once was and how Britishness has de-evolved over time.

Covering the struggle with France and Francophobia, Colley shows how the competition with France caused Great Britain to evolve. The binding together of Scotland, Wales, and England is shown throughout the book. The idea of religion, specifically Protestantism, being a general binding agent for the people and a separating influence to the Brits from the rest of Europe. Protestantism was a backbone for Britons, but it also shows national identity was bound up with self-interest. Protestantism was patriotism and Patriotism brings profits. Colley covers how mercantilism helps with the growth of Great Britain, its trained navy, and its international prestige.

War helps to bind the Scots and Welsh to the English. Linda Colley shows how the seven years war and the American War helped to bring Great Britain together again. The Scots play a huge part in making British imperialism move towards political style, post-American War. While I was in class, we talked about the view of George the III from the American perspective versus the British perspective and it is crazy how two nations can spin history to fit their narrative. Seeing how the Hanover dynasty brought monarchy's popularity up and George III left the monarchy more British and a rule book for every other monarch after him to follow up until World War I.

The Battle of Waterloo was the culminating point of the British empire helping it grow to its pinnacle under Victoria. The Catholic Emancipation shifts the binding forces of Great Britain and how the Reform Act of 1832 and the Emmanicapation of slavery throughout the British empire helped unite Great Britain again under one common banner. Colley shows The Hanover dynasty ushered in Nationalistic thought and united people together but Welsh, Scottish, and English still had divides; regionalism was still a thing. There's a lot more information Colley covers but this really hit me. Britons: Forging the Nation 1707-1837 is a great read.