Age of Imperialism

Western hegemony and its impact

British India

Motives

• Nationalist Competition– Britain not only wants India for herself, but

also wants to keep it out of French hands

• Industrial: Goods and Markets– India is rich in raw materials (e.g. cotton)

that are critical to British factories– India’s huge population can become a

market to sell finished goods too (e.g. textiles)

Keys to Conquest

• Division on the Subcontinent– Political: No one centralized

group strong enough; British play one side off the other

– Religious: Hindu-Muslim split

• Native Support– Sepoys

• Case Study: Battle of Plassey

Imperial Administration

• British Raj– Presidencies:

Madras, Calcutta, Bombay

– Princely States– Viceroy of India

• CCOT– East India Company

(“nabobs”) to the British Raj

Reaction and Resistance

• Sepoy Mutiny (1857)– Sparked by an

ammunition controversy, Hindu and Muslim sepoys rebelled

– Huge number of states revolted, only put down by the British with much time and trouble

• Indian Nationalism– Ram Mohun Roy– Indian National Congress

and the Muslim League

Impacts

• “Jewel in the Crown”– Wealth derived from India makes it the centerpiece of

the global British Empire

• Westernization in India– European values, education, and technology are spread

in India– Abolition of sati; Ease of Hindu-Muslim tensions

• British exploitation and Indian suffering– Economic: British destroy native industry and place

punishing taxes on farmers– Political: Indians lack basic legal rights and are forbidden

from any significant role in government

Southeast Asia

Motives

• Ports– Access to goods (e.g. spices) and trade routes of

the Asian sea trading network

• Plantations– Control farms growing tropical fruits with coerced

labor

• “Scramble Effect”– Nationalist competition between groups like

England and France leads them to grab what territories they can

Keys to Conquest

• Military Technology– Not just firearms, but

also heavily armed naval vessels that could strike coastal areas with impunity

Imperial Administration

• Case Study: French Indochina– Direct Rule: French

governor-general rules over entire region from capital of Hanoi by coercion of local rulers

– Assimilation: French Catholics active in missionary activities, and French officials encourage upper class Vietnamese to adopt French culture

Reaction and Resistance

• Case Study: Siam (Thailand)– Thai King Mongkut imports

British teacher (Anna Leonowens) to tutor his son

– Prince Chulalongkorn eventually abolishes slavery in his domains

• Significance– Westernization– “Buffer Zone”: Siam one of

only a few countries to escape European domination in this period

Impacts

• Westernization– Catholicism in Vietnam, Abolition of slavery in

Siam

• Social and Economic Problems– Restructuring of economy around European

demands (e.g. cash crops grown instead of food)– Abuse of natives (coerced labor, deaths from

colonial wars, impoverishment of lower classes)

Africa“The Dark Continent”

Motives

• Economic: Trade and Industry– Desire for raw materials or other important products

for Europe• Examples: Nigeria = palm oil, Congo = rubber

• Religious– Christian missionaries more active on Africa than

probably any other imperialized region

• Scramble Effect– European nations carve up Africa into territories by

establishing rules for domination of the continent• Berlin Conference (1884-85)

Keys to Conquest

• Weapons– Repeating rifles and

Maxim guns used with deadly efficiency

• Example: Maji Maji Rebellion

• Quinine– Chemical provides

Europeans with some basic protection against malaria, though it still took a devastating toll

Imperial Administration

• Case Study: French West Africa– Direct: French Governor General in Dakar, Senegal,

overseas administration of lieutenant governor for each of the 8 colonies

– Assimilation: French language and dress encouraged for all inhabitants

• Case Study: British Nigeria– Indirect: Conquered rulers submit to British High

Commissioner, but are still in charge of ruling their people– Question: Does every Nigerian group have a ruler? So

what do the British have to do?

Reaction and Resistance

• West Africa– Samori Toure’s guerilla

resistance

• South Africa– Battle of Isandhlwana

(Chapter Intro Story)

• Ethiopia– Defeat of Italians in

Battle of Adowa allows it to remain only independent African state (Note on Liberia)

Impacts• Additions

– Modernization: Western technology introduced into Sub-Saharan Africa

– Trade: African products (not slaves!) now in demand by world market

– Religion: Christianity adopted by many and begins to have a large cultural impact

• Problems– Death: Colonial wars and abuses of people kill millions– Economic: African economies become dependent on Europe

and are taken advantage of– Loss of culture: Local languages displaced by European

tongues, for example

Pacific

Motives

• Ports– Trade: Refueling stations on

the way to China and Japan– Military: Assert influence on

Asia

• Plantations– Tropical products– Example: Sugar and

Pineapples from Hawaii

• Pride– Manifest Destiny:

Americans meant to spread freedom by conquering others

Keys to Success

• See SE Asia

Imperial Administration

• Case Study: Hawaii– American settlement and the Dole Corporation – Queen Liliuokalani – Republic of Hawaii – Annexation by the United States (1898)

• Case Study: Philippines– Spanish American War (1898)– Philippine-American War (1899-1902)– Territorial Rule

Resistance

• Philippine American War (1899-1902)– Emilio Aguinaldo’s

guerilla movement– American counter-

insurgency

• Thought question: What does this sound like?

Impacts

• Westernization– Example: Tim Tebow in the Philippines

• Long Term Political Control– Hawaii becomes and American state, many

other areas still U.S. possessions

• Problems– See Africa…