This work encompasses a tradition of British democratic freedom, governmental and legal systems which have been adapted in many countries, and world figures in science, literature and the arts. Britain's rich historical heritage is witnessed in the archives contained in The British Library and Public Record Office. From King Arthur, Alfred the Great and William the Conqueror, to the end of Empire and the Commonwealth, the swinging 60s and multi-cultural Britain, the volume displays, in chronological order, treasures and key documents from these and other sources which illuminate defining moments in British history. The documents are accompanied by commentaries by curators placing the material in context and explaining its significance. Alongside the major treasures (for example the Domesday Book and Magna Carta) are many less well-known items.