HARD COPY OF CORNELL LECTURE NOTES – “THE AGE OF IMPERIALISM”-Kirby CHS
Guiding Questions: Do the positive outcomes outweigh the negative outcomes of imperialism? In other words, was it
worth it? What effects did it have?
HOT Questions/Answers
HOT #1:
What were the key European
motivations for Imperialism?
HOT #2:
What were the consequences
of the Berlin conference?
Lesson #2: Lecture Notes
What is Imperialism?
 When a stronger country takes control of the government, the economy, and culture of
another country.
Key motivations for imperialism:
Technology: Steam engine and telegraph
Economic: Key factor. Wanting to make $ off of cheap labor, raw materials, etc
Exploration: David Livingstone and many others
Nationalism: patriotism, loyalty, and sometimes a feeling of superiority over other
nations
Weapons: Maxim gun 500 rounds per minute
Ideological motives: missionary activity, Social Darwinism, and White Man’s Burden
Industrialization: Markets for finished goods, source for raw materials
THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA
King Leopold II
King of Belgium – Believed his country needed to create colonies but couldn’t get his
nation’s support. In 1876, he created his own holding company and hired Henry
Morton Stanley to create a colony in the Congo. This began the “scramble for Africa”.
By 1882, his private company controlled most of the Congo, 900,000 sq miles of
territory. His company, under Stanley’s leadership, negotiated treaties with several
African chiefs – many of whom were tricked. As a result, Leopold privately owned the
Congo
Leopold told world leaders he was establishing Christianity and abolishing slavery.
What he really did was much worse:
o Forced Congolese to collect rubber and live under harsh conditions
o Over 10 million died
Eventually, information began to leak out to the world about Leopold’s abuses. Photos
and accounts outraged Americans and British. Finally the Belgium govt. seized the
Congo from Leopold, and he died shortly afterward.
Berlin Conference
1884 – German Prime Minister Otto Van Bismarck called a conference to deal with the
“Africa problem”. No African representatives present.
European leaders were anxious to meet: Many countries already had colonies. Many
natural resources available, including diamonds. Worried about going to war.
European leaders decided the following:
a. The Congo would still be under the control of Leopold II (this is before they
knew of his abuses)
b. No nation could stake a claim without telling other nations
c. Territory cannot be claimed unless occupied, and the occupying nation must
retain control over the area
The consequences:
o By 1914, Britain had 30% of Africa, France 15%, and Germany and Belgium each
about 10%. Only Liberia and Ethiopia remained independent.
o Little thought given to ethnic and linguistic groups already living there, leading to
much conflict decades later. Remember, no Africans present to give feedback on
boundaries.
Summary Paragraph (five sentences at least)
Guiding Questions: Do the positive outcomes outweigh the negative outcomes of imperialism? In other words, was it
worth it? What effects did it have?
Hot Questions/Answers
Lesson #3: Lecture Notes
IMPACT OF IMPERIALISM IN AFRICA
HOT #1:
Which kind of control gave
people Of Africa less control?
Give three specific reasons to
prove your point:
HOT #2:
Define in your own
Words:
1. Assimilation:
2. Paternalism:
Changes for Africans:
Europeans wanted colonies mostly for natural resources such as copper, rubber, and tin.
This lead to massive changes in infrastructure.
Traditional subsistence farming no longer allowed – European occupiers wanted cash crops
such as peanuts
Improvements in transportation – Europeans built roads and bridges and thousands of
miles of railroad to move goods and people across the continent
Built telegraph lines to improve communication
Helped Europeans exploit natural resources and gain political control, but obviously
benefited Africans as well
Other changes:
o Improvements in healthcare practices, education, sanitation
o Reduced local warfare between tribes
o But these changes were mostly made to benefit the European occupiers
Direct vs. Indirect Control
European nations chose one of two different paths when it came to colonial rule:
Indirect Rule – colonies given some internal autonomy (Britain)
Direct rule – colony is directly controlled (France)
So what is direct control?
o Outside officials are brought in to rule. No self-rule
o Goal = assimilation (over time, local peoples would become more European)
o Govt. based on European styles
o Influenced by paternalism – providing for needs but not rights
So what is indirect control?
o Local govt. officials used, limited self-rule
o Goal = to develop future leaders
o Govt. based on European styles but may have local rules
Other forms of imperialism:
Protectorate – A country or territory with its own government but under the control of an
outside power. Indirect control Ex. British colonies, U.S. colonies
Sphere of Influence – an area in which an outside power claims exclusive trading privileges.
Ex. Liberia was under sphere of influence of the U.S.
Economic Imperialism – An independent country controlled by private businesses rather
than a govt. Ex. – The Dole Fruit Co. controlled Hawaii.
Summary Paragraph (6-8 sentences):
Guiding Questions: Do the positive outcomes outweigh the negative outcomes of imperialism? In other words, was it
worth it? What effects did it have?
HOT Questions/Answers
Lesson #4: Lecture Notes
EFFECTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
HOT #1:
Why did the British win the
Boar War (1899-1902)?
-
-
-
HOT #2:
Why was governing Nigeria
not easy and how did the
British Change their control of
Nigeria because of this?
HOT #3:
Why was Ethiopia a “Success
Story?”
1652 – Dutch East India Co. is established in S. Africa by Jan van Riebeeck. Europeans begin
moving to there and native population is forced inland or into slavery.
1815 – Britain takes control of Cape of Good Hope, S. Africa and they abolish slavery and
give native Africans more rights. This creates conflict with Dutch settlers already living
there.
Boers / Afrikaners – White Dutch farmers who felt the British had violated their natural
right to dominate native Africans – they decide to leave in what is known as the Great Trek
Diamonds and gold are discovered soon afterward, many deposits in Dutch-controlled
areas. Dutch and British fight over who controls the territory and this leads to war.
Boer War – 1899 to 1902 – A bitter war but British had more men and resources and
eventually the Dutch gave up. First total war meaning all resources – including civilians –
were considered the enemy.
1910 – Britain establishes Union of South Africa. Works to find ways for Afrikaners (Boers)
and British to cooperate.
EFFECTS IN NIGERIA

British gained control through diplomacy and military intervention. Although there were
many rebellions, they were all unsuccessful. Britain had complete control by 1914.
 Governing Nigeria was not easy:
o 250 ethnic groups lived here. Three largest groups: Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo
o Hausa-Fulanis were Muslim and had a strong central govt. while Yorubas and Igbo
had traditional religions and local chiefs
 British had to switch to indirect control because of the constant rebellions. Hausa-Fulani
given most control, ruled over Yoruba and Igbo. Local chiefs resented having power limited
by British
AFRICAN RESISTANCE
Unsuccessful Movements
 Active military resistance: Ex. Algeria – 50 year resistance against France
 Religious resistance: Ex. German East Africans believed that magic water would protect
soldiers from bullets. 75,000 recorded dead.
 Almost all resistance failed.
Ethiopia – Success Story
 Only African nation to successfully rebel.
o Menelik II – Emporer of Ethiopia, was able to play British, French, and Italians
against each other. Also gathered weapons from Russia and France
o 1896 – Battle of Adowa – able to successfully fight off Italians and gain
independence.
Summary Paragraph (6-8 sentences):
Guiding Questions: Do the positive outcomes outweigh the negative outcomes of imperialism? In other words, was it
worth it? What effects did it have?
Hot Questions/Answers:
Lesson #5: Lecture Notes
HOT #1:
What deal did the U.S. and
Europe make in the “Monroe
Doctrine”?
HOT #2:
How did Hawaii become an
annex (part of) the U.S. in
1898?
HOT #3:
What countries did the U.S.
gain control of after the
Spanish American War?
HOT #4:
How did the U.S. gain control
of the Panama Canal?
UNITED STATES AND IMPERIALISM
Monroe Doctrine
 By early 1800s, the US was becoming a strong industrialized nation.
 1823 – President Monroe, in a message to Congress, warns Europe not to interfere with
nations in the Western Hemisphere, and in return, the US wouldn’t interfere in European
colonies elsewhere. Thus began a pattern of US involvement in S. America and Latin
America that continues to this day.
Hawaii
 Hawaii was once an independent kingdom. In the 1800s,American missionaries arrived,
along with those seeking economic opportunities.
 Most successful – Dole Pineapple Company. They helped fund a coup that overthrew
Queen Liliuokalani in 1894. Sanford Dole was “elected” president and allowed the US to
annex Hawaii to the US in 1898.
Causes of Spanish-American War
Cubans rebelled against Spanish conquerors in 1895 – Spain sent 150,000 troops and
forced 100,000s of Cubans into unsanitary holding camps where over 200,000 died. The US
was reluctant to intervene.
Riots broke out in Havana and President McKinley sent the battleship USS Maine there to
protect Americans. On Feb. 15th, 1898, an explosion occurred, the ship sank and 260 US
soldiers died.
The explosion was likely an accident but American journalists and the public blamed Spain,
claiming that Spanish forces had fired on the ship.
The US and Spain tried to negotiate but McKinley eventually declared war after much
pressure from the American public. War began April 1898.
The war ended quickly and left the US with the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
The Philippines
 The Spanish-American War was fought in Cuba and in the Philippines:
o Aug 1898 – American Admiral Dewey launched surprise attack in Manila Bay,
Philippines and destroyed Spain’s Pacific Fleet. Also landed 10,000 American
soldiers who joined forces with rebel Filipinos.
o After the war, the US didn’t give Filipinos independence as they had promised.
 Filipinos fought back against US for three years. Thousands of Americans died and nearly
200,000 Filipino civilians died.
 Eventually they had a sort of stalemate with sporadic fighting over the next 40 years.
 US had control until the end of WW2 in 1946.
The Panama Canal
 A private company first tried to build a canal in Panama (controlled by Columbia) but failed
and sold rights to the US in 1903. The US then had to negotiate rights to the land from the
country of Columbia. Columbia stalled…
 President Roosevelt responded by telling Panamanian rebels that if they rebelled against
Columbia, the US would support them.
 The rebels successfully revolted in Nov. 19103 and the US recognized Panama as an
independent country.
 The US signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty which permanently granted the US a ten-mile
strip of land across the isthmus to build the canal. It also basically made Panama a US
Colony, promising independence if the US had the right to intervene.
 Construction began 1904 and finished 1914. The US controlled this until 1999.
Summary Paragraph (AT LEAST Five sentences):