The Imperial Inquirer
19TH CENTURY NEWS FLASH:
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS HAS ARRIVED
The following countries have announced openings in their press bureaus for independent press reporting
on recent and ongoing revolutionary activities. Journalists who support the imperial expansion or
individuals who support resistance movements are welcome to apply. Creativity and historical accuracy
are essential qualifications. Ability to write in foreign languages not required. Details of job
responsibilities follow placement opportunities.
Britain
United States
France
Belgium
Germany
Italy
Spain
Japan
OBJECTIVE: Create a newspaper that provides information on imperialism from the perspective of
the colonizers and the colonized in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Steps:
1. In your assigned group, first make the following decisions:

Date and year of edition (most will be around 1900 but note that time travel is permitted if you
want to do flashbacks or predictions)
 Type of newspaper (who is your audience- Africans, British, Indians, French, etc.)
 Overall perspective (favor/disfavor/neutral towards imperialism) Are you going to give the
opinions of the colonizers or the colonized or both?
2. Now, fairly decide who will do which of the required articles below. Each person needs to
choose TWO. (each person must do at least one of the ones with a *)


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**Banner story - lead story -focus on a particular imperial event that occurred on or near
date of this edition
Allowable Topics:
-Infrastructure created in Imperial Holdings (Railroads – Shipping routes – Major mining
operations – agricultural estates (plantations) – etc.)
-Trade success or failure (Major trade Items- profits – losses – trade barriers – trade
imbalances, commodities prices)
-Wars or rebellions within the Imperial Empire
-Social Tensions within the Imperial Empire (Social inequalities – social advantages for
Europeans, ethnic groups, genders, etc.)
-Government structure in the Empire (Corruption – Honesty – Major Figures, etc.)
**Editorial (A personal opinion article covering the overall state of affairs – ex. Political,
economic, social, cultural, etc. - in your colonial empire, pro or con)
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


**Background article- This article must outline the history of the building up of your
empire, it must include the methods used to conquer, the regions subjugated, the
government structure put in place, and the resources provided by the subjugated regions)
Two minor stories: News analysis on imperialism case studies within your empire
**International news analysis (a story on another empire)
Biographical article - political figure
Feature Story on Democratic reform/ activism or on Resistance or reform.
3. Now each person needs to choose the topics they want to write on for their kind of story.
4. Each person will then work individually on his/ her stories. Stories should be typed and saved
(or emailed) at home/ school. Print out a copy of your story using 12 point font and 3” columns.
Each article is required to have 2 pictures (One will be a map of your empire or the specific
region of your empire where the events occurred – One will be a picture relating to the topic you
have covered)
5. On Assembly Day 1 everyone should have their THREE items with them, ready to paste in.
6. The group will collectively lay out the paper. You will then develop ten test questions based on
your newspaper. These questions must be answerable based on your newspaper.
Required elements for each person:
1. A news article relating to your individual topic (approx. 300 words- 3” columns). Article
should be turned in typed, possibly on disk. (20 pts.)
Headline (Banner) article - lead story
Editorial
Background article - present background to events being featured
International news analysis
2. A second article (15 points)- either a feature, a biographical article, or a minor news story.
3. Two visuals (10 points) (map, cartoon, photos, drawings etc.) One must go with your main
article. Note that original artwork (sketches, cartoons etc.) will count extra.
4. One CHOICE item: original political cartoon, an advertisement appropriate to the time, famous
quotes from someone during the time, puzzle, horoscope that relates to the time and place,
Economic report, recipes from the time/place, book review (Things Fall Apart for ex.), poetry…
(Others by approval) (10 points)
All stories must:
 Include a headline and a byline.
 Be at least 300 words long.
 At least two quotes that are based on primary sources. .
 Have a graphic (map, picture, chart) accompanying it.
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Name: ________________________________
Block: ____________________
Evaluation
There will be an individual and a group grade for this project:
Each individual in the group is responsible for a minimum of three items. This will determine the
individual component of the grade
The group grade is based on overall content and form- evident proofreading, appealing layout, no
redundancy in information, no gaps (literal or figurative), and news quality. There will be time in
class to assemble the paper.
There will be a checklist that all members will sign establishing what was done by each person.
RUBRIC
Individual Grade
Main Article typed
Second article
Two visuals
One CHOICE item
/20
/15
/10
/10
Total
/55
Group Grade
Overall Form
Proofreading
Appealing Layout
Overall Content
All terms on list addressed in paper accurately
No redundancy in information
Overall quality of information.
Equitable distribution of labor
Total
Total Project ___/100 pts
3
/15
/20
/10
/45
SPECIFIC TOPIC DIRECTIONS
Be sure that all of the following topics within your empire get mentioned in your newspaper. (for example, your group might choose seven
of the topics and write a story on each and then mention any other terms within any of the articles.) You can write them from the
perspective of the colonizer or the colonized. You can get started with research for most of your articles in your book, but then go to
the Internet and other classroom textbooks. Some articles will need to be “background” or “anniversary” pieces since they happen
much earlier in the century (they are in bold…)
British Empire
India (Sepoy Rebellion)
British East India Company
Australia- penal colony and settlement
Nationalism in India and China
Rammohun Roy
Indian National Congress
Canadian independence
Cecil Rhodes in Africa
Resistance to imperialism including Siam
Hong Kong and extra-territoriality
Opium Wars and the Treaties of Nanjing
Middle East- colonies following fall of Ottomans
Boer War – South Africa
Cecil “Rhodes
Nigeria
Persia (Russia and Britain interested in Iranian oil)
Mandate System
French
Direct control (versus indirect control)
Colonies in Africa (French West Africa: Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast….)
Suez Canal (conflict over with British)
French Indochina (Vietnam)
Samori Toure (resistance against French in West Africa)
Middle East- colonies following fall of Ottomans- role in Mandate
Algerian resistance
Haitian revolution (could be an anniversary piece)
Francois Dominique Toussaint L’Ouverture
Mandate System
American
Neo-imperialism (economic imperialism in Latin America) including United Fruit Company/ banana republics
Spanish American War – Philippines, Cuba and Yellow Journalism
Mexico and Revolution 1910-1911
Military intervention in Latin America – mid 19th to present (Cuba, Haiti, many others, almost Guano war….)
Monroe Doctrine and Roosevelt Corollary
Panama Canal
Positive US role in China (open door policy and Boxer Rebellion)
Colonies in Pacific: Hawaii, Guam
Liberia
Japan
Meiji Reformation/ Commodore Perry
Westernization
Sino-Japanese war
Russo-Japanese war
Korea
Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere
Need for oil/ fossil fuel for industry
Colonization: Southeast Asia and others
(NOT Pearl Harbor)
Latecomers:
Belgium
Joint-Stock Companies
Mercantilism
Pennsylvania
King Leopold/ rubber (Belgium)
Lado Enclave
Dutch in South Africa (Boer War) and in SE Asia
Orange Free State
Cape Colony
Shaka Zulu
Rwanda / Burundi
Rwandan Revolution
Belgian Congo
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King Msiri
Trading Post in China
Germany
German East Africa
Otto von Bismarck
Scramble for Africa
Spheres of Influence in China (China divided up between Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain…)
Fall of Ottoman empire (affects colonial gains of many—falls due to siding with Germany during WWI)
African soldiers in the trenches during WWI (for both British and Germans)
German Unification
Berlin Conference
Morocco conflict with Britain
Kaiser William II
Chartered company land management
Ghana
Mauritania
Benin
Rwanda
Burundi
German West Africa
German East Africa
German Southwest Africa
German New Guinea
German Solomon Islands
Spain
Philippines and Cuba Spanish American War (Spain)
Morocco (Spain)
Mexican Conquest
Encomienda System
Viceroyalties
Peninsulares – creoles – mestizos - mulattoes
Bartholome De Las Casas
Hernan Cortes
Incan Conquest
Mit’a System
Francisco Pizarro
Atahualpa
Columbian Exchange
Great Circuit
Manila Galleons
Treaty of Tordesillas
Olaudah Equiano
African Diaspora
Juntas
Simon Bolivar
Jose de San Martin
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Augustin de Iturbide
Italy
Battle of Adowa and King Menelik (Italy)
Italian Unification
Benito Mussolini
Scramble for Africa
Eritrea
Somalia
Libya
First Italian Ethiopian War
Second Italian Ethiopian War
Albania
Tunisia
Treaty of Wuchale
Italian Turkish War
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