1850-1914
Chapter 14-15
The Age of Imperialism
Questions to ask?
• What are some reasons/motives on
why countries(think of yours) would
take over another country? (Create a
list)
• How will the actions of Europeans
impact the people of the nations
Europeans are taking over?
So what is Imperialism?
• It is the takeover of a country or
territory by the stronger nation
with the intent of DOMINATING
the political, economical, and
social life of the people of that
nation.
• NEED OF RAW MATERIALS AND
MARKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• WHY????????????
MOTIVES: CSI IMPERIALSIM
1. Nationalism (Glory)
2. Social Darwinism: We are better than
the people we conquer. “Survival of the fittest”
Why would Europeans develop
this ideology and what basis did
it serve?
3. Militarism(Glory): Building of army,
now European countries want to test them out
and to protect their invested places/colonies
Motives continued……
4. GOD: Desire to spread their religions and
beliefs
5. Civilization: Western way of life and
culture superior to that of other nations because
of new advancements and progress
6. Economic (greed): Need for natural
resources, expand markets, desire to invest
profits, outlet needed for growing population.
What allowed Imperialism to happen?
A. Internal forces in Europe:
1. Industrial Revolution
2. Age of Exploration
3. Easy travel and communication
4. Technology: Weapons= Maxim gun
5. Revolutions!!! Dramatic change!!!
B. External forces:
Areas such as Africa, S. America, Asia all were
disunited and were troubled with internal
problems. No real feeling of Nationalism to bring
the people together. Life disrupted by events
such as the slave trade and early exposure to
European Explorers who came and conquered.
Forms of Imperialistic Rule
1. Colony: Governed internally by a foreign
power.
2. Protectorate: its own internal government,
but under the control of a foreign power
3. Sphere of Influence: Area where an
outside power claims ownership for
economic purposes
4. Economic Imperialism: independent, less
developed nations controlled by private
business interests rather than by other
goven’t.
Direct and Indirect Rule
• Direct rule= Where a countries rulers and elite
are replaced by the country taking over them
and where the new country puts in power their
own officials.
• Indirect Rule= Where the country taking over
allows local officials to continue to rule, but in
the reported to the dominating country
European countries now had
two main goals:
1. Keep
peace within Europe
2. Help the undermined, feeble,
weak exist in the new society of
European power and dominace
So let’s investigate the impact
and effect of Imperialism in
South East Asia and Latin
America
Now onto Africa….
Questions to think about….
1. Why did Europe want to take over
Africa?
2. Why was it known as the “Dark
Continent”?
3. How did they decide who gets what?
4. What was the significant impact of
imperializing Africa?
Video Clip: Imperialism in Africa
• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/9539
-when-civilizations-end-europeanimperialism-in-africa-video.htm
So, What was Africa like before
the arrival of European nations?
Africa Before Imperialism
-Hundreds
of ethnic groups and
religions
-Thousands of languages
-Varied political systems
-Powerful armies
-Difficult terrain, natural
-Trade networks already in place
-Full of Resources/materials, etc.
• Several factors led Europeans
to claim control of almost all of
Africa. Some Africans resisted,
but most efforts failed.
1. Christian missionaries
supported imperialism (thought
European rule would end the
slave trade and help to convert
natives)
*But did Slavery
really end?
2. Technology – helped to control
Africa while maintaining contact with
home; (machine gun, quinine)
Pg. 439
3.The Ottoman Empire broke apart,
and European powers took some
of its lands in Northern Africa
(Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia,
etc. )
What would be some other
factors as to why Europeans
would eventually “wander” into
the “Dark Continent”?
1.Lack of unity of African
people
2. The discovery of gold
and diamonds and other
valuable resources in
Africa increased
European interest in the
continent
CECIL RHODES(British
Entrepreneur)
QUOTE: CECIL RHODES
“ I THINK WHAT {GOD}
WOULD LIKE ME TO DO IS TO
PAINT AS MUCH OF AFRICA
BRITISH RED AS POSSIBLE”.
Ignoring claims of
African ethnic groups,
kingdoms, and citystates, European
established colonial
claims in Africa.
HOW WERE THEY GOING
TO DO THIS?
What are the Five Regions of
Africa?
What do each of these regions
have that Europe wants?
Berlin Conference 1885:
Slicing Africa like a cake!!! Everyone
can enjoy as long as you don’t take
too much!
European powers met and agreed that
any nation could claim any part of
Africa simply by telling the others and
showing that they had control of the
area.
France and Britain fight over
Egypt
• Why:
–Economic value of the Nile River
–Modernized (Muhammad Ali)
–Gateway to various places ( India
and China)
–$$$$$$ and POWER!!!!!!
–Wanted to build a canal
Henry Stanley
“Dr. Livingston, I presume.”
King Leopold II (Belgium)
Video Clip: King Leopold II of
Belgium and the Conquest of
the Congo
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx2Sj1f
hSso&feature=related
British and their “Cape Colony”
• British seize South Africa from the Dutch
• Find Gold and Diamonds
• Boers (Afrikaners/Dutch descendents) became
upset at the British authority in South Africa
• Moved to a separate region, put the
“indigenous”/natives on reservations
• Boers believed superiority came from God
• Conflict soon began between the Boers and the
native people called Zulu tribe
• British don’t like this and help out..Who wins?
So how did Europe
manage to get control?
1. Some used a policy of
assimilation – all institutions,
way of life, etc. were patterned
after the imperialist country’s
mother land.
IE. Tried to make people more
“French” or more “British).
(Food, religion, politics, customs,
traditions, values, morals, etc. )
2. Some used Paternalism
• A policy of governing in a fatherly
way…meet peoples’ needs but
don’t give them rights
• Europeans brought in their own
government and didn’t train
natives how to rule themselves:
WHY?????
3. Force
• Europeans had more advanced, well
organized militaries that dominated the
local natives into submission
• Natives had little to no influence in any
decisions that were being made to their
homelands.
Did anything good
come out of
Imperializing Africa?
SOME BENEFITS…….
1. Education and schools
2. Rise of African Nationalism
3. Infrastructure was built up
(roads, railroads, etc.)
4. Temporary stability
Damages out weigh the benefits
1. Destroyed traditional African society
2. Forced poor working conditions (for all)
3. Problems created by boundaries drawn by
Europeans
4. Segregation (Europeans received all the best
and Natives received little to nothing)
5. Legacy of European superiority
6. Robbed of natural resources
7. Conflict and wars (still occurring today)
8. Genocide
AFRICA LEFT IN SHAMBLES!!!!!
Opposing Viewpoints: page 440
• For tomorrow: Read opposing view points
• Answer the questions in your notes
• We will be going over this on Friday