Reasons:
Trying to keep up with the competition. European countries begin competing
with one another, leads to battles among colonies.
Searching for natural resources to use in manufacturing and for markets to
sell their finished products.
A good place for people to go to get a new opportunity. Countries needed
loyal people to go to these foreign lands to colonize them, this was a fresh start
for those people.
Missionary reasons, for religious and humanitarian reasons. Spread western
ideas and technology. “White man’s burden” Social Darwinism
Berlin Conference: European leaders got together to decide rules for
colonizing. If you can control territory, you can keep it. No Africans invited.
Forms of Imperialism
Colony- was a territory that an imperial power ruled
directly through colonial officials.
Protectorate- had its own government, but its policies were
guided by a foreign power. (Puppet)
Sphere of Influence- Region of a country where an imperial
power had exclusive investment or trading rights.
Effects of Imperialism
They took natural resources, mining, plantations.
Hired Africans at low wages and imposed taxes.
Men were separated from their families.
Destroyed African traditions for European’s including
Christianity.
India Under British Rule
“The Jewel of the Crown”
Positives
Developed India economically
Built paved roads and railway system
Telegraph system
Irrigation canals
Established schools and universities
Negatives
Discriminated against Indians
Forced them to change their ancient ways
Attempted to get them to surrender their religious beliefs
Made Indians farm cotton for textiles rather than wheat, which led to a
food shortage.
Everything positive above was done to make G.B. money.
Sepoy Rebellion- Put down and Britain takes direct control
of India from 1857-1947, called Raj.
Drive for self-rule
Indian National Congress- This struggle lasts many
decades, well into the 1900’s
Mahatma Gandhi used non-violent protest to gain
India’s independence from Britain. He was a pacifist
which meant that no matter what your oppressor does to
you, you never strike back. Dr. Martin Luther King used
Ghandi’s ideas to fight for equality for African Americans
in the U.S.
U.S. did not want European countries colonizing Latin America.
The Monroe Doctrine stated that any attempt to colonize South
America would be looked at a danger to the U.S. peace and
safety.
The Roosevelt Corollary- extended the Monroe Doctrine which
Latin America did not like, they believed the U.S. was trying to
colonize them.
Japan had been isolated from outside influence from the 1600’s,
until Matthew Perry sailed into Japan in 1853.
Japan accepted the idea that it was time to industrialize. “Rich
country, strong military”
By 1914 Japan had become one of the world’s leading industrial
nations.
Japan could now compete with European countries, of course they
also became an imperialist expanding their empire up through
WWII.
Opium War between China and Great Britain-1839, Great
Britain won and gained control of the island of Hong Kong.
Other European countries and Japan claimed large sections
of China as spheres of influence.
U.S. asked that China be opened up to all nations through
the Open Door Policy, which the others reluctantly agreed.
Boxer Rebellion, 1900, Chinese attacked foreigners in
China, they were stopped by multinational forces.
Sun Yat-sen became president of China in 1912 with a goal
of nationalism, democracy and livelihood (econ. well being).