Introduction to Imperialism
The Height of Imperialism
1800 -1914
1
Definition of Imperialism
Process by which one state, with
superior military strength and more
advanced technology, imposes its
control over the land, resources, and
population of a less developed region
Slide 2
What is New Imperialism?
Imperialism: The political and economic control of one
country by another.
New Imperialism:
A type of foreign
policy practiced
by
European nations
and Japan
throughout the
1800s and early
1900s.
Slide 3
Motives for Imperialism
Capitalism required new markets and
raw materials
Heated rivalries
Nationalism
Social Darwinism and racism
Moral responsibility of a Christian
Slide 4
The Rationale
Think about the Industrial Revolution - how
did we get here?
Nationalism - large colonies meant power
Industrialization - vast access to natural
resources and cheap labor
Humanitarianism - Europeans thought it was
their duty to civilize and uplift African people
Social Darwinism - Survival of the fittest
people
Slide 6
Nationalism (1800-1914)
French Revolution
and Napoleon
spread nationalism
throughout Europe
Pride in one’s
country was based
upon industrial
production, military
strength, and size of
empire
Slide 7
Industrialization (1750-1900)
Increased
population in Europe
Great technological
advances - military,
transportation, and
communications
Continued economic
expansion requires
more resources and
markets
Slide 8
Humanitarianism
Christian missionaries saw Africa and
Asia as fertile ground for converts
Cultural superiority - Europeans must
“save” the rest of the world
Must stop the Arab slave trade in Africa
(still in practice in North/East Africa)
Slide 9
Social Darwinism
•The strongest or fittest should survive and flourish in
society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to
die.
•This theory is cross applied from biological to
social/cultural concepts. Whole cultures should either
advance or recede based on this theory.
•Proponents heavily impacted by ideas of racial
superiority that is marginally backed by the science of
the day.
10
Scramble for Africa
Prior to the Age of
Imperialism, Europeans
only controlled port
towns (except for
Portugal who had two
larger colonies)
British took South
Africa, Sierra Leone,
and Gambia in the mid1800s
Slide 11
Scramble for Africa
Between 1875 and
1900 European control
of Africa went from 10%
to 90%
Only two nations,
Liberia (home to many
freed American slaves)
and Ethiopia remained
independent
Slide 12
What did this look like?
Slide 13
SUEZ CANAL
Slide 14
People in History: Cecil Rhodes
1892 cartoon
Slide 15
The Berlin Conference
Tensions began
to mount between
rival European
nations
Conference called
in 1884 by Bismarck of Germany to defuse
disputes and set guidelines for colonization
Slide 16
The Berlin Conference
Conference in Berlin essentially divided up
Africa – no African representatives were in
attendance (or were even invited)
While dividing up the continent tribal
territories and rivalries were not
considered. Boundaries were drawn that
divided tribes and coupled enemies
together, leading to modern problems in
Africa.
Slide 17
Quick review
The main characteristic of new imperialism compared to earlier
imperialism was that it was driven by
1. the need for raw materials and markets due to the Industrial
Revolution
2. The desire to sustain trading posts in far-flung ports
3. a desire for colonies
4. an interest in converting people to Christianity
Which characteristics describe “nationalism?”
Slide 18
Quick Review
Which body of water connected the Red
Sea to the Mediterranean?
Why were Africans left out of the Berlin
Conference?
Why did resistance movements fail?
Slide 19
Boer Wars 1899-1902
Fierce Guerilla resistance to British—
angered Brits
Brits respond with “scorched-earth
policy
Eventually win and create South Africa
Appease Boer’s by agreeing that only
whites with a few propertied Africans
would vote (set-up for apartheid)
Slide 20
JAPAN
AFRICA
ASIA
CHINA
IMPERIALISM
INDIA
EUROPE
Slide 21
MEIJI RESTORATION
TAIPING REBELLION
•INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
BOXER REBELLION
•NATIONALISM
MATTHEW PERRY
•RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR
“OPEN DOOR POLICY”
SINO-JAPANESE WAR
WHITE MAN’S BURDEN
SHAKA ZULU
SUEZ CANAL
•TOKUGAWA SHOGUNATE
BOER WAR
“JEWEL IN THE CROWN”
CECIL RHODES
•SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA
OPIUM WAR
BRITISH EAST INDIA CO.
SEPOY MUTINY
TREATY OF NANJING
BERLIN CONFERENCE
Slide 22
JAPAN
ASIA
CHINA
•MEIJI
•TAIPING
RESTORATION
REBELLION
•SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA
•MATTHEW PERRY
•BOXER
•SHAKA ZULU
•SINO-JAPANESE WAR REBELLION
•TOKUGAWA
•OPIUM WAR
•BERLIN CONFERENCE
•TREATY OF
SHOGUNATE
•BOER WAR
NANJING
•RUSSO•EXTRATERRITORIALITY
•CECIL RHODES
JAPANESE WAR
•OPEN DOOR POLICY
•SUEZ CANAL
•SPHERES OF
IMPERIALISM
INFLUENCE
AFRICA
INDIA
•JEWEL IN THE CROWN
•BRITISH EAST INDIA CO.
•SEPOY MUTINY
•AMRITSAR MASSACRE
•DIVIDE AND CONQUER
EUROPE
•NATIONALISM
•WHITE MAN’S BURDEN.
•INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
Slide 23
Competition for Asia
Subjugation of Asia
less violent and
more diplomatic
than in Africa (other
than the French
campaign for
Indochina)
Slide 24
Competition for Asia
British East India
Company had long
controlled large
parts of India, but
other areas were
soon being sought
after
Slide 25
Administrative Styles
Colonies (Direct Rule)
French, German, Portuguese
European rule imposed
Highly centralized
No attempt to preserve African institutions
Protectorates (Indirect Rule)
British
Governor appointed by British gov’t
Local leaders advised by British
Supposed to preserve African institutions
Slide 26
Administrative Styles
Spheres of Influence
Local rulers maintain control of internal affairs
Europeans control port towns
China
Company Rule
European country grants economic and political
control to trading company
India (revoked later)
Belgium Congo (terrible abuses)
Slide 27
Positive and Negative effects of British
Imperialism
Positive
In India stabilized society badly
divided by civil war
Built new schools and hospitals,
roads, RR
Improved infrastructures
Modern medicine and sanitation
people live longer
New farming techniques
improved food production
Literacy rate grows
A select few learned
government and Law—caveat-
Negative
Arbitrary boundaries led to civil
wars among groups in Africa
Ignored culture, religion, and
needs of other nations
Enforced European culture and
made inhabitants learn English
People of Southeast Asia,
Africa, and India were never
considered equals of the British
In India forced to grow cotton
instead of food leading to a food
shortage.
Knowledge of freedom led to calls for freedom from
colonial rule
Slide 28
POSITIVE
•New roads &
railroads link parts
of India
•Telegraph & postal
systems unite people
•Irrigation systems
improve farming
•New laws mean
justice for all classes
•British schools
offer education
•Customs that
threaten human
rights are ended
NEGATIVE
•Indian resources go
to Britain
•British made goods
replace local goods
•Farms grow cash
crops rather than
food crops; Indians
go hungry
•Top jobs go to
British
•Indians are treated
as inferiors
•Britain tries to
replace Indian culture
with western ways
POSITIVE
•European medicine &
improved nutrition
increased life span of
Africans. This caused an
increase in population.
NEGATIVE
•European domination
led to an erosion of
traditional African
values and destroyed
many existing social
relationships
•Modern transportation &
•African peoples
communications;
were treated a s
telegraphs, railroads,
steamships, and telephones inferior. Forced to
work long hours for
•A small minority received
low pay.
improved education and
•Europeans divided up
economic opportunities.
Africa ignoring tribal,
ethnic, and cultural
boundaries. These
divisions have led to
ongoing tribal clashes
Slide 29
Why were the British so successful as
imperialists?
Led the IR
Had political system that gave
capitalists great freedom
Huge Hunger for profit
This was a time of peace in GB giving
focus on expansion of empire instead of
trying to protect it.
Slide 30