1880: The British Empire is at the height of its power. More than a quarter of the world's landmass is under British rule, including large portions of Africa.

1980: Britain has long since renounced its empire and is now a middle-sized European power and a member of the European Community (EC). There is an ongoing debate in Britain about how much national sovereignty should be surrendered to an EC bureaucracy.

Today: Britain's colonial legacy is apparent in the sometimes troubled relations between the races in what is now a multi-ethnic nation. The majority of non-white Britons are descendents of Asian or West Indian immigrants (former subjects of the British Empire) who were admitted to Britain beginning in the 1950s. In 2001, race riots erupt in three northern English cities.

1880: In Britain, women are not allowed to vote, and educational opportunities are limited. In the better-off families, a...