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 Muslimand 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 Sepoysthat this cover had been greased with beef and pork fat.

� This angered Muslim Sepoys who were not supposed to consume pork, and the Hindu Sepoyswho 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!