imperialism spring 2010
DESCRIPTION
Used for our unit on Imperialism in the 1800s. There is more in here than actually needed. I tend to pick and choose various parts as needed and hide the others.TRANSCRIPT
The Era of Imperialism:
Chapter 25
1870-1914
Late Nineteenth Century European Imperialism
Objective
To understand the causes of European imperialism of the late 19th century
To understand the extent of European imperial expansion
To understand the consequences of European imperialism for Europe and the developing world
Definitions
Imperialism“extending a nation’s influence directly or indirectly over weaker areas”
ColonialismTaking direct control of an area and turning it into a colony under a nation’s authority
NationalismBelief that an ethnic group should rule itself
Belief that one nation is better than all the others
IndustrialRevolution
IndustrialRevolution
Source forRaw
Materials
Source forRaw
Materials
Markets forFinishedGoods
Markets forFinishedGoods
EuropeanNationalismEuropean
Nationalism
MissionaryActivity
MissionaryActivity
Military& NavalBases
Military& NavalBases
EuropeanMotives
For Colonization
EuropeanMotives
For Colonization
Places toDump
Unwanted/Excess Popul.
Places toDump
Unwanted/Excess Popul.
Soc. & Eco.Opportunities
Soc. & Eco.Opportunities
HumanitarianReasons
HumanitarianReasons
EuropeanRacism
EuropeanRacism
“WhiteMan’s
Burden”
“WhiteMan’s
Burden”
SocialDarwinism
SocialDarwinism
Motivations for ImperialismMoney / Resources
Raw materials• Cotton, Oil, Rubber, Tea, Iron, gold, diamonds, silk, copper etc
People (cheap workers)
MarketsColonies with people who will buy your stuff
Dumping GroundSend your excess population / criminals there
• Canada, Australia
Strategic Control strategic seas and land areas to gain power
Keep OTHER countries from gaining them
Resources and Strategic Areas:
Where are the important geographical areas to control?
Co
R
R
G
R
British Landlords want to make money
Require farmers to grow crops they can sell for money – not for food
“Cash Crops”
Cash Crops”. The agricultural products are grown primarily for exporting purposes. Products such as indigo, banana, pineapple, coffee or sugar cane are grown to be exported to developed countries.
But what
will we eat?
Causes of Late 19th Century European Imperialism
Culture / ReligionBelief in European / Christian superiority
Desire to “spread civilization and Christianity to the heathens”
• Social Darwinism
PrestigeWhoever has the most must be the best
• “He who dies with the most toys wins!”
“The White Man’s Burden”Take up the White Man’s Burden--
Send forth the best ye breed--Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captive’s need;To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild--Your new-caught sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child.Take up the White Man’s Burden
The savage wars of peaceFill full the mouth of famineAnd bid the sickness cease;
And when you goal is nearestThe end for others sought,
Watch sloth and heathen follyBring all your hopes to naught
--Rudyard Kipling, 1899
Take up the White Man's burden-
No iron rule of kings,
But toil of serf and sweeper--
The tale of common things.
The ports ye shall not enter,
The roads ye shall not tread,
Go, make them with your living
And mark them with your dead.
Take up the White Man's burden,
And reap his old reward-
The blame of those ye better
The hate of those ye guard-
The cry of hosts ye humor
(Ah, slowly!) toward the light:-
"Why brought ye us from bondage,
Our loved Egyptian night?"
Take up the White Man's burden!
Have done with childish days
The lightly-proffered laurel,
The easy ungrudged praise:
Comes now, to search your manhood
Through all the thankless years,
Cold, edged with dear-bought wisdom,
The judgment of your peers.
Take up the White Man's burden-
Ye dare not stoop to less-
Nor call too loud on Freedom
To cloak your weariness.
By all ye will or whisper,
By all ye leave or do,
The silent sullen peoples
Shall weigh your God and you.
Does the spirit of the poem make sense
now?
Social Darwinism and Imperialism
Some thought the theory of evolution justified the exploitation of “lesser breeds” by “superior races.”
Europeans (and Americans) would suggest that they had evolved more than Indians, Africans and Asians
After all, our countries are more developed and richer – doesn’t that prove it?
Thus, nature gave them the right to rule others.
Social DarwinismSocial Darwinists – sounds rather racist.
They applied evolution to the social order.Europeans felt they must “save the savages” and “civilize” them• Missionaries sought to convert “heathen” unbelievers in
faraway lands. • “The white man’s burden” – introducing civilization to
the “colored” races of the world.
In their view, war was nature’s way of eliminating the unfit.
Using terms such as “survival of the fittest” Social Darwinists insisted that nations and races were engaged in a struggle for survival in which only the fittest survive and deserve to win.
Social Darwinism: Lasting Implications
It promoted the military build-up that led to World War I.
It would become the core doctrine of the Nazi party before World War II.
Holocaust and Eugenics
Provided a “scientific” and “ethical” justification for genocides in the 20th century.
What is being advertised?
Where is this taking place?
How can you tell?
What is going on?
What does it tell us about imperialism / colonialism?
Who was the queen at the time?
Common advertisement during Imperialism
A British Merchant's Home in Colonial India
Britain (United Kingdom)Includes England, Scotland, Wales,Ireland
Largest colonial empire “Sun never sets on the British Empire”Colonies established to protect trading interests in Africa and AsiaTwo kinds of colonies
• “White” Colonies (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) Populated mainly by people that moved there from Britain
Given self-rule
• “Non-white” Colonies (India, Africa) Under indirect rule Populated mainly by people who are native to the area Few people from Britain actually live there – but control the
government
All the territories the British ever ownedNote: They also had a “sphere of influence” in China
as well
France
Northwest Africa and Southeast Asia
Took colonies to make up for loss of Alsace-Lorraine in 1870
Tended to use “Direct Rule”Control all aspects of the colony from Paris.
French Colonial Empire - 1905
Ignore these parts
Germany
Bismarck originally opposed colonial expansion
Unnecessary for Germany
Did not want to threaten France or Britain
Germany eventually took colonies in 1880s for status symbols
In Africa and Asia
United States
Did not get involved in European affairs
Became colonial power after 1898Spanish-American War
• U.S. gains control of Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines
Monroe Doctrine allows US to extend influence into Latin America
American Territorial Expansion after 1898
Case Study #1
Imperialism in Africa
Scramble for AfricaEurope had been interested in Africa for centuries
Through the slave trade
Much of Africa still unexplored until 1880s
European influence restricted to coastline
Initially difficult to get to interior due to geography
Diseases made exploration difficult. (malaria, yellow fever
etc)
Technology Encourages Europeans to explore African interior
Steamboats
Advances in medicine• Quinine – stops malaria
Suez Canal
Geographical Impact of the Suez Canal, 1869
16,000 KM
10,000 KM
See why the Suez canal
is a “strategic” location?
Scramble for Africa
By 1914, 90% of Africa under European controlFrance Northwest Africa
Britain from Egypt to South Africa
Belgium in the Congo (central Africa)
Italy in Libya and Eastern Africa
Portugal in southern Africa
Germany in scattered areas
Berlin Conference in 1885 sets ground rules for European colonization of Africa
Berlin Conference
The scramble threatened European stability.
Bismarck called an international conference in Berlin in 1884 to lay some ground rules for the development of Africa.
They made the Congo a free trade zone
Outlawed slavery and the slave trade that the Arabs and Africans were still practicing.
Before European colonization of Africa in 1880
Africa 1914
Scramble for Africa
Consequences Traditional way of life disrupted
Economic exploitation of Africans
European racism imported into Africa
Spread of European culture
Spread of Western technology
Conquest of Africa
The consequences of European partitioning (dividing up) of the continent were devastating to Africa
newly drawn borders don’t match up with ethnicity, language, culture of people living there.
In the decades before World War I, opposition to European colonial rule in Africa gathered strength.
How do you control your empire??
British in South AfricaDutch had first settled the Cape Colony in South Africa
Dutch settlers called Boers (Dutch word for “farmer”)
Early 1800s -British take over South Africa from DutchBoers move north into the Transvaal Area to get away from British
Transvaal
“The Great Trek”
British in South Africa
Native Zulus and Dutch fighting
British push into Zulu’s lands
Dutch Boers ally w/ Brits
Zulu
land
The Zulu Wars
British pick a fight with Zulus
You lose some, you win some
Isandlwana
Rorke’s Drift
Discovery of Gold!1880s Boers find gold and diamonds on their new lands in the “Transvaal” areaBrits want that gold and diamondsThe “Boer War”
New methods of warfareBoers use guerrilla tactics
Hit and runOperate in small units called
“commando’s”
British counter this by rounding up Boer
in “concentration camps” to keep an
eye on them
Remember this one – it will come back again
End of the Boer WarBritish win and consolidate their lands in South AfricaEventually South Africa is given autonomyMost of the white settlers in South Africa are Dutch, but the land is owned by Britain.Most of the population is blackMinority, white dominated, government establishes system of “Apartheid”
Complete separation of the racesNon-whites made into second class citizens in their own landStays in place until 1996 when international pressure forces South Africa to eliminate Apartheid
European Imperialism in Asia
IndiaBritain trading in India since 1600s
• British East India Co. gradually took over parts of India
British government gradually took over India in the 1800s
• Sepoy Mutiny Indian soldiers revolt against British East India Co Rebellion put down by British army British government takes over control from British East
India Co.
Map of Imperialism in Asia
Growth of British Power in India
European Imperialism in India
• Consequences of British Imperialism in India British educational system established Spread of English language Railroads tie India together Rise of Indian middle class
European Imperialism in Asia• China
Potentially huge market Closed to European trade until 1800s Opium War (1840)
• Britain forces China to open trade to opium Millions of addicts Unequal Treaties (Treaty of Nanking) – China forced open
By 1900, China divided into European “spheres of influence”
• Parts of China under European control Chinese monarchy seriously weakened
Reaction to Imperialism
• Rise of Nationalist Movements India
• Indian National Congress (1885)
• Group of middle class Indians begin to demand independence (Mohandas Gandhi)
China• Boxer Rebellion (1900)
• Nationalist Party
Reaction to Imperialism• Japan
Long isolated from Western trade
U.S. opens Japan to trade in 1854 Meiji Restoration (1868)
• Faction overthrows Shogun and restores Emperor to power
• Japan imports Western ideas and technology
• Ever see ….
Reaction to Imperialism
• Japan adopts imperialism by 1890s Defeats China in 1895
• Takes over Taiwan
Defeats Russia in 1905• Gains control of Korea
• Japanese imperialism worries Europeans “Yellow Peril”
Conclusion
• Different reasons for European imperialism during late nineteenth century
• European imperialism causes reactions in Africa and Asia
• European imperialism disrupts traditional way of life and continues to affect the world today
•
Nations gaining independence post-WWII
Decolonisation
A troublesome experience
1. The economic problems they inherited
2. The need to find political systems that work for the individual nations.
Popular perceptions of Colonialism
(arguments for and against) Impact of ImperialismImperialism did:• Created infrastructure in colonies - eg British railway systems • Increase levels of formal education (albeit not universally) • Gave people access to Western medicines and hospitals (but
sometimes only after introducing Western viruses) • Bring with it ideas of freedom and liberty in the sense that the
European colonial countries were almost all liberal democracies. • Plunder natural resources • Create of dual economies • Create the loss of independent political power • Eventually bring about ‘imperial over-reach’
Criticisms of ImperialismColonialism as a Theory of oppression: • Colonialism is a distinctly western evil• The west became rich and the colonies
became impoverished. • The descendants of colonialism are worse off than
they would’ve been if colonialism had never occurred.• Walter Rodney : “White hoards have sallied forth from
their western homelands to assault, loot, occupy, rule and exploit the world. Even now the fury of their expansionist assault on the rest of us has not abated”
• Activists such as Jesse Jackson have called on the west to pay repatriations for slavery and colonialism to minorities of the third world.
• The West is in possession of the ‘stolen goods’ of other cultures and has a moral and legal obligation to make some form of repayment.
The above notions suggest that the west became dominant because it was oppressive.
Arguments In Defence of colonialism• There is nothing uniquely Western about imperialism
. E.g.. India was preceded by at least six colonial powers.
• Those who identify imperialism with the West have no sense of history.
• The West did not become rich and powerful through colonial oppression.
In Defence Of Colonialism• Science
It is a basic shared human trait. But science, requiring experiments, labs, the scientific method, induction, verification – THE INVENTION OF INVENTION – is a western institution.
• DemocracyTribal participation is universal but democracy involving free elections, peaceful transitions of power, and separation of powers is a western idea
• CapitalismAgain the impulse to trade is universal, and there is nothing western about the use of money, but capitalism – which requires property rights, contracts, courts to enforce them, corporations, stock exchanges, patents, insurance -, this practice was developed in the west.
Colonialism and imperialism are not the cause of the west’s success; they are the results of that success.
THE END
DON’T BE COLONISING ANYONE!!!