Tourism in an age of empires and nationalism

The nineteenth century was an “age of empire,”1 a period when European countries, led by Great Britain, assumed control of territory around the world. Related news coverage, travel accounts, adventure stories, and exotic art circulated widely.2 Perhaps as a result, people in both Europe and the United States grew more interested in the world around them. Some pursued colonial service. Others avidly followed accounts of far-off adventure in the pages of books or newspapers, such as Henry Morton Stanley’s description of his search for Dr. David Livingstone.3 Still others either set out alone, or joined an organized tour, to see the world.