The Age of New Imperialism
1800-1914
Imperialism
• A policy where stronger nations dominate the
political, economic, or cultural life of weaker
nations.
• New wave began in the 1800s. Original wave
started in the 1400s.
• Born out of the new industrial society of the
1800s. Countries were richer and more
powerful.
Causes
1.
2.
3.
4.
Economic Interests ($$$)
Political/Military Interests (Nationalism)
Humanitarian/Religious Goals
Social Darwinism
Economic Interests
• The Industrial Revolution
– natural resources
• Ex: rubber, petroleum, manganese for steel, palm oil for
machinery
– new markets to sell factory goods to
– colonies were outlets for overpopulation in home
countries (emigration)
Raw
Empire
Materials
Colony
Emigrants
Finished
Goods
Political/Military Interests
• Naval bases
– Seized islands and harbors
• Competition/maintaining balance of power
– Empire = prestige and greatness
– Ex: when France gained colonies in West Africa,
Great Britain and Germany did too to prevent
France from becoming too powerful
Humanitarian/Religious Goals
• Westerners believed they had a moral duty to
spread their “superior” way of life
– Western technology, law, medicine, education
• Also felt they needed to “Christianize” the
“barbarians” in other parts of the world
• Very ethnocentric…but…many well-meaning
missionaries and doctors accompanied the
imperialists
• Two arguments: western advances did benefit
natives; natives were denied their culture
Social Darwinism
• Imperialism was based on feelings of racial
superiority; this theory justified colonies.
– Racism: the belief that one race is superior to
others
• Social Darwinists applied Charles Darwin’s
ideas about natural selection and survival of
the fittest to human societies.
• Imperialism was nature’s way of improving the
human race.
What made Imperialism possible?
• Weakness of conquered areas
– Africa was weak because of slave trade
– Lack of weapons/technology
• Western strengths and advantages
– Strong economies and governments
– Powerful armies and navies
– Superior technology
• Steam-powered ships, Maxim machine gun (1889),
repeating rifles, the telegraph, quinine
Meeting in Berlin
• Berlin Conference,
1884
– A gathering of
European powers held
in Berlin.
– This was a means of
avoiding war between
the powers.
– It established ground
rules for staking claims
in Africa.
Forms of Imperialism
• Colony – direct control, most intrusive
• Protectorate – local rulers left in place, but still
under control of European advisors
• Sphere of influence – exclusive investment or
trading privileges
Impacts
• Positive: medical advances, hospitals, schools
– Life expectancy and literacy rates increased
• Negative: Africans lost control of land and
their independence
– Forced to mine or plant cotton and other cash
crops instead of their own food crops
– Famine
– Loss of traditional culture