Empire Online This link opens in a new windowSpanning five centuries, and charting the rise and fall of empires around the world, Empire Online enables researchers to explore colonial history, politics, culture, trade, travel, and society. With primary source material from African, American, French, Dutch, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese, German and British perspectives, Empire Online provides varying points-of-view for comparative research. The vast selection of printed, manuscript and visual primary source documents available within this digital resource are supported with interactive teaching tools to enable the demonstration of the theories, practices and consequences of empire.