Chapter 21
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Get out a sheet of paper and put the
following headings on it:
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New Imperialism
Reasons for expansion
Colonial takeover in SE Asia
United States
Direct vs. Indirect rule
Colonial economies
Benefits of Colonial Rule
Leave about a third of a page between
each one.
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Identify and list both positive and
negative effects of colonial rule on the
colonies.
Describe how colonial export policies
exploited native populations and
opened up markets for European
manufactured goods.
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Nineteenth century - Western
expansion into Asia and Africa begins
 These nations were a source of industrial
raw materials
 Market for manufactured goods
 Oil, tin, rubber needed to fuel European
economies
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1880s – Europe begins to scramble
for overseas territory.
Instead of “trading posts” in countries,
Europe looked for direct control of
countries.
Europeans wanted more of a direct
control over raw materials that were
being imported
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Strong economic motive
 Looking for economic markets for
products
 Raw materials – rubber, oil, tin
needed
 Looking for more direct control of
areas with raw materials
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Heated rivalries with European states
 Colonies source of national prestige for
countries
 European states sought to acquire
colonies abroad in order to gain an
advantage over their rivals
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Imperialism tied to Social Darwinism
and Racism
 Best survive and certain races are superior
to others
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Europeans also saw Expansion as a
religious obligation to spread
Christianity
Humanitarian approach – Europeans
had a moral responsibility to civilize
“primitive” people
 “white man’s burden”
Major Regions of European Control
Southeast
Asia
Britain
Africa
Britain
Belgium
France
France
Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Netherlands
Portugal
Portugal
Spain
Spain
India
Britain
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Great Britain
 “The sun never sets on the British empire.”
 Singapore – major stepping point for traffic
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going to or from China.
Burma – wanted
control to protect
its possessions in
India.
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Missionaries in Vietnam
 Local authorities saw missionaries as
threat to Confucian doctrine
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Makes Vietnamese Empire a French
protectorate (dependent on France for
protection)
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Siam (Thailand) - only country in SE
Asia free
King Mongkut (The King and I)
Son, King Chulalongkorn
 Both promoted Western learning and
maintained friendly relations with the
major European powers
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In 1896, Britain and France agreed to
maintain Siam as an independent
buffer state in SE Asia
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1898: Spanish-American War
 Under the leadership of Commodore
George Dewey, the U.S. defeats Spain in
Manila Bay in the Philippines.
 President McKinley makes the Philippines
a colony.
▪ Emilio Aguinaldo revolts against
▪ the U.S. but U.S. keeps control
 Takes control of Puerto Rico and Guam
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Dutch East Indies example of Indirect
Rule. Local landed aristocrats
controlled their own government.
Indirect rule was less costly and more
convenient
Burma had direct rule as the
monarchy opposed colonial rule.
Indochina had both
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Raw materials
 Burma – teak wood
 Malaya – rubber and tin
 East Indies – spices, tea, coffee and palm
oil
 Philippines – sugar
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Plantation agriculture in
some countries
 Peasants worked as wage laborers owned
by foreign investors
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Beginning of modern economic
system
Colonial governments built railroads,
highways, and other structures
Export market raised up
entrepreneurial class
Most countries were against
colonial rule though