1800s – 1950s
Imperialism
What is imperialism?
Imperialism occurs when a strong nation takes over a
weaker nation or region and dominates its economic,
political, or cultural life.
Imperialism has occurred ever since the Age of Exploration
(1500s) as European nations set out to establish “colonies”
“Old Imperialism” (1500 – early 1800s)
“New Imperialism (mid-1800s – 1950s)
What is imperialism?
What causes imperialism?
A nation would experience industrialization prior to
practicing imperialism on a foreign nation or region.
To fuel industrialization, nations needed cheap raw materials and the
need for markets to buy manufactured goods.
nations began looking outside of their borders for cheaper and more
abundant raw materials.
Foreign populations were also viewed as vast markets where goods
produced in the strong nation’s factories could be sold.
What causes imperialism?
Nationalism, or pride in one’s country, also contributed to
the growth of imperialism.
Citizens were proud of their country’s accomplishments, which
sometimes included taking over foreign areas.
As European nations became competitive with one another,
there was an increased pressure to practice imperialism in order
to maintain a balance of power in Europe.
What causes imperialism?
As Europeans took over foreign lands, they viewed the
culture of the native population to be inferior to their own.
This concept became know as “The White Man’s
Burden” after a popular poem by the same name was
published by Rudyard Kipling in 1899.
This idea is also referred to as Social Darwinism, or the
belief that all human groups compete for survival, and that the
stronger groups will replace the weaker groups.
What causes imperialism?
“White Man’s Burden”
What will be the impact of imperialism?
Economic growth for the strong nations
Conflict between strong nations as they compete with each
other for control of weak nations
Conflict between strong nations and the weak nations that
they are trying to control
Weak nations want to be independent! (nationalism!)
Cultural diffusion: exchange of ideas, goods, etc.
Imperialism in India
During the 1700s, a joint-stock company called the British
East India Company was created by Queen Elizabeth I of
England.
Objective: make a profit for shareholders by exploiting the abundant
natural resources and gaining access to the markets in India.
How they made it happen: “divide and conquer” strategy was used
to increase their control over entire regions of the Indian
subcontinent.
This strategy entailed exploiting religious division between native Muslim
and Hindu groups, and taking advantage of the political rivalries that existed
between local native rulers.
By dividing the Indian people against each other, it made it easier for the
British to control them!
Imperialism in India
By the 1830s, the British government had taken over control
of the East India Company.
Under British rule, native customs such as sati, the ritual
suicide of a wife after her husband’s death, were banned.
The British built schools and railroads, and missionaries spread
Christianity.
Imperialism in India
Sepoy Mutiny
The rifle cartridges that were distributed to the
Sepoys (Indian soldiers in the British army) had to
be bitten to remove a cover before being inserted
into a gun. Rumors circulated among the Sepoys
that this cover had been greased with beef and pork
fat.
This angered Muslim Sepoys who were not
supposed to consume pork, and the Hindu Sepoys
who were not supposed to eat beef.
Sepoys revolted against the British army
(unsuccessfully)
Result: British government took control of India
from the joint-stock company, making it a colony –
enlarging the territory that it controlled
Big Idea: Sepoy Mutiny = first attempt by Indians
to fight back against British control!!!!
Imperialism in the Middle East
Why did European nations want to control
territories in the Middle East?
Industrialization requires oil (lubrication and
engines)!!!!!
Imperialism in the Middle East
Suez Canal
The French originally set out to build
the Suez Canal in 1859.
Britain soon became jealous because of
the potential impact the shortcut
between the Mediterranean and Red
Seas could have on trade with its Indian
colony.
In 1875, the British take control of the Suez
Canal
Egypt becomes a British protectorate
(“colony”) in 1882.
Imperialism in Southeast Asia
Resources:
coffee, pepper, cinnamon,
sugar, indigo, and tea. Tin,
copper, valuable timber and
rare hardwoods
Dutch East India Company
Great Britain: Burma
France: Vietnam, Cambodia,
Laos (“French Indochina”)
Japan: After Meiji Restoration
(end of feudalism), Japan
begins to industrialize
Japan has no natural resources
= need to expand
Imperialism in China
British are losing money buying tea from China!
China’s ethnocentricism (“Middle Kingdom”
attitude) causes them to adopt an arrogant attitude
and not purchase British goods
Britain – how do we stop this trade imbalance?
Solution: Sell opium from India!
China tries to ban opium (it’s an addictive drug!)
Opium Wars: Superior British military technology
allowed them to claim victory and subject the Chinese to
a series of unequal treaties.
Treaty of Nanjing (1842)
China must pay for war
Open several ports to British trade
Britain gets complete control of Hong Kong
British citizens in China are not subject to Chinese
law
Imperialism in China
Other European countries want access to China
Established Spheres of influence: An area of one country under the
control of another. In China, these areas guaranteed specific trading
privileges to each European nation within its respective sphere.
Open Door Policy: Proposed by the Untied States so that no one nation got
control of China
Imperialism in China
Chinese reaction to imperialism
Taiping Rebellion: A revolt by the people of China against the ruling
Manchu Dynasty because of their failure to deal effectively with the opium
problem and the interference of foreigners.
Already weakened, the Chinese officials turned to foreigners for help in putting
down the rebellion, killing millions of Chinese in the process!!!!!!!!!
Boxer Rebellion: rebellion by people of China to end foreign
interference
“Society of Harmonious Fists”
foreign nations formed an international coalition that
ended the uprising.
Imperialism in China
Impact of imperialism on China
For decades, the Chinese had been ruled by European countries
As foreign nations withdrew, Chinese people fought over what type
of government to establish
5,000 years of Dynastic Rule (divine right monarchy) came to an end in 1911
Result: Civil War!
Imperialism in Africa
“Old Imperialism:” During Age of Exploration (1500s),
Portuguese began to sail to coast of West Africa
Traded goods with certain tribes in exchange for African slaves
Slave trade would continue for 300 years!
African Diaspora: tens of millions of Africans leave the continent (forcibly)
“New Imperialism”
Scramble For Africa
Belgium: King Leopold created trade relationship with native Africans in the Congo.
Other nations of Europe, including France, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, and
Portugal sought to do the same
Imperialism in Africa
Berlin Conference
To avoid conflict with one another in Africa, European leaders met in
Berlin, Germany
With little regard or representation for native Africans, the European
powers set about carving up Africa to suit their economic needs
Consequence: Africa still suffers from tribalism.
Modern African nations often contain several different tribes that harbor ill
feelings towards one another.
Result: civil wars between the tribes!
Imperialism in Africa
Resistance to Imperialism
In the 1830s descendents of the original Dutch settlers, now called
Boers, migrated into the interior of South Africa and began to engage
in conflicts with the Zulu.
The Zulu were a south African tribe that placed an emphasis on
military organization led by Shaka Zulu.
Eventually, the Zulu came into the conflict with the British army as
they expanded their control over southern Africa and invaded the
homeland of the Zulu.
Despite early victories, the Zulu were eventually defeated by the technology and vast
resources of the British troops.
Soon, all of southern Africa would come under British control.
Imperialism in Africa
Resistance to Imperialism
Cecil Rhodes founded the De Beers Mining
Company, eventually controlling 90% of the world’s
diamond production.
Master plan: develop a Cape to Cairo railroad line that
would link British colonial interests in Africa between
Egypt and the Cape Colony in southern Africa.
Problem: The Boers, however, provided heavy and
eventually armed resistance to this proposal.
Great Britain decided to annex the Boer republics,,
causing the Boer War (1899-1902).
British needed 450,000 troops to achieve victory!
In 1910, the various British colonies in southern Africa
were united as the Union of South Africa, eventually
becoming the nation of South Africa after WWII.
Imperialism and Japan
Prior to 19th century, Japan had been isolated from the West
1853, the U.S. sent a fleet of ships under the command of Commodore
Mathew Perry to Japan in order to end the nation’s self-imposed
isolation and open it to trade.
The Tokugawa Shogunate (name of Japan’s feudal
government) was criticized by its people and ultimately
overthrown for allowing western nations into Japan.
Japan realized it would need to adopt western ways to avoid being
colonized by the West (like China)
This movement would be known as the Meiji Restoration.
No more feudalism
Modernized armed forces
Industrial economy
Avoided being imperialized – became an imperialist!
Imperialism and Japan
Japan will go to war with………
Sino-Japanese War (China) in order to gain natural resources
Russo-Japanese War (Russia) in order to gain natural resources
First time an Asian nation defeated a European nation!
As Japan continued to expand across Asia and the Pacific islands,
it eventually ran into conflict with the United States that also had
colonies in that region (ex: Hawaii, Philippines, Guam, trade
with China)
Result: Attack on Pearl Harbor and start of World War II!
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: encouraged Asian nations to
resist western imperialists in order to contribute to the industrial needs of the
Japanese war machine. In fact, Japan was practicing its own form of
imperialism by dominating its Asian neighbors.
Big Ideas for Imperialism
Imperialism: the strong taking over the weak!
Reasons:
Economics
Nationalism
Racism
Resistance to Imperialism
People are upset that they are taken over and rebel!
Sepoy Mutiny
Opium Wars
Boxer Rebellion
Boer Wars
Zulu Wars
Screwing things up for the future!
Ex: African and Middle Eastern borders are drawn without regard for the cultures and
traditions of the people living there! (Berlin Conference)
Competition between European nations is going to lead to World War I
Cultural diffusion!
Brings cultures into contact with each other!