Chapter 24: The West & the World, 18701914
Aim: What were the causes and
consequences of European imperialism in
the late 19th century?
Growth of the Global Economy
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Growth of international trade brought tremendous
benefits to all participants- trade fashioned to “flow west”
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Global Inequality- wealth and power of non-industrial
nations dwarfed in comparison to industrial nations
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However, Europe willing to use force with reluctant participants
Industrialized nations- western Europe and U.S.
Non-Industrialized nations- Asia, Africa, and Latin America
Status became institutionalized into global trade network
Modern day debate regarding 3rd World Nations
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Socioeconomic status determined my rate of industrialization,
modernization, education, and food supply
The World Market
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Growth of World trade in 19th century centered world
economy upon Europe
Ex- Great Britain’s Empire- the Trade connection
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Empire encompassed India, Canada, Australia
Indus Rev and textile industry foundation for empire and national
wealth
Promoted policy of free trade (limited tariffs)
RR’s constructed in territories that supplied Europe with
resources- Industrialization spread and promoted
westernization
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Steam power ships promoted trade
Transportation in Asia, Africa, and Latin America linked their
economies to Europe- became export economies
Encouragement of foreign investment pivotal to national growth
Opening China to British Trade
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Chinese policy of isolationism stymied trade with Europe- China
rejected Western trade and influence
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Increasing demand despite prohibiting non-medical uses
Led to out flowing of silver bullion from Chinese imperial treasury to
British merchants
1839- Lin Zexu- Chinese official appointed to appeal to Queen
Victoria to curtail opium trade on moral and practical grounds British
response- You don’t’ have to buy it, but we will continue to sell it
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British desire for Chinese tea and trade regulated by Qing- Chinese Imperial govt
Trade limited to several months and only in Port of Canton, where elusive Opium
trade boomed into calls for armed intervention to secure Opium trade in China
Opium- Grown in India and shipped to China
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British: 1793- Lord Macartney; 1816- Lord Amherst
Lin Zexu’s response: imposed penalties on smokers, arrested dealers,
seized supplies from Opium smugglers
Refusal of British merchants to leave Canton and stop Opium trade
led to Opium War (1839-42)
The Opium War (1839-42)
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Opium War (1839-1842)- result of Chinese
seizure of British products
• Demonstrated British military superiority
• Treaty of Nanjing (1842)- concluded Opium War
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China agreed to open 5 coastal ports to British trade
Limited tariffs in British imports
Grant extraterritorial rights to British citizens in China
China pay indemnity (reparation) for war
China ceded Hong Kong to British
Spheres of Influence established in China
Japan & the West
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Japan was historically isolated from European
influence- sought to preserve Japanese culture
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Forced to open doors to trade as result of war threats
w/U.S.
1853- U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry
Both Japan and China would westernize
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China by force
Japan by choice
Egypt
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Egypt under Muhammad Ali (1769-1849)
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Trend continued under grandson Ismail
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Helped transform Egypt into modern power- army, education,
transportation- modernization
“Modernized Agriculture”- export economy that subdues position
of peasantry
Supported irrigation projects
Oversaw construction of Suez Canal
Egyptians became educated in west, and helped modernize
Egypt
Projects resulted in debt and European interventionboth politically and economically
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British ended up occupying Egypt until 1956 to maintain P and E
stability
Model for expansionism- military force and political domination
The Great Migration
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Between 1815-1930, European population
doubled while 60 mil Europeans immigrated
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Reasons for immigration:
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Population boom led to demands for territorial acquisition
Economic opportunity
Political upheaval
Religious oppression
Profile of immigrants:
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Small farmer or artisan
Many returned to homeland
Settled in ethnic neighborhoods- ghettos
New Imperialism (1880-1914)
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Imperialism- Efforts of western capitalist states in the
west to seize markets, cheap raw materials, and areas
for investment.
Economically motivated; direct consequence of modern
industrial economy- Economic, Social, and Political
Darwinism among European Nations
Western Europe in Asia and Africa
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No longer about religion and spices
Need for resources to fuel Industrial Revolution- oil, tin, rubber
Colonies also serve as market for European exports- if not for
these markets, glut occurs- leads to depression
New Imperialism (1880-1914)
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Politically motivated- mark of empire, wealth, and power
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Early imperialism- attempted only to control trade networks of
Asia, India, and Africa- no direct political or social control
New Imperialism- required extensive European control over
areas to promote market for manufactured goods, extraction of
resources, and protect areas of interests from European rivals
Provided False sense of national unity**
Tools for Imperialism:
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Machine Gun
Malaria vaccine
Naval Superiority
Scramble for Africa
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European control in Africa prior to 1880
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Only controlled 10% of continent
Dutch and British wrestled for control in S.
Africa
By 1900- virtually entire continent had
been carved up by European powers
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Most European powers ruled strictly by
establishing colonial governments in African
nations by 1914
Scramble for Africa
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Why sudden rush?
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No trade b/w Africa and Europe
European rivalries imperialized not out of desire, but
necessity
Missionary Factor- Christian missionaries worked with
govts. To spread religion with takeovers
White Man’s Burden- Europe’s responsibility to
civilize, westernize, and Christianize Africans
Establish 3 C’s- Christianity, civilize, commerce
Military superiority
Better immunity to diseases- malaria
The Berlin Conference (1884)
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Called by Otto von Bismarck- attempt to establish
peaceful guidelines for colonizing Africa
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Called to prevent clashes between powers
Set ground rules for future African annexations to European
empires
Averted war for most part, but led to increased tensions and
resentment among powers
Exception: Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902)- war b/w British
and Dutch for control of S. Africa
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British victory led to creation of Union of South Africa as well as
self-govt
Combination of British and Afrikaners legalized Apartheid to
maintain political control
The Colony of South Africa
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Bantus, Boers, and British in the South
 Boers- decedents form original Dutch settlers in Cape colony
 British takeover of colony resulted in their eastward migration away from colonyGreat Trek
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Cecil Rhodes- British explorer and founder of colonies outside of S. Africa
Result of British sympathy towards African population
Boers believed in white superiority and black inferiority
Boers formed independent republics to east
 Orange Free State
 South African Republic- Transvaal
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Met resistance from Zulus- under leadership of Shaka
 Shaka overthrown- Boers encroached on African land
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Many Africans confined to reservation system
Dutch territories annexed to Union of South Africa following Anglo-Boer War
Cecil Rhodes
Cecil Rhodes: Cape-Cairo
railway project. Founder of
the De Beers Mining
Company, one of the first
diamond companies,
Rhodes was also the owner
of the British South Africa
Company, which carved out
Rhodesia for itself. He
wanted to "paint the map
[British] red", and once
famously declared: "all of
these stars... these vast
worlds that remain out of
reach. If I could, I would
annex other planets".[1]
Africa- 1914
Imperialism in Asia
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Indonesia under Dutch control
• Indo-China under French control
• U.S. acquired the Philippines as a result of the
Spanish-American War (1898)
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Furthered by Open Door Policy
Critics of Imperialism
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Socialists- attacked imperialism as tool for
furthering capitalism and increasing social
stratification
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Imperialism also masked domestic problems
Imperialism ran contrary to basic principles such
as self-determination, personal freedom, and
free trade
Responses to Imperialism
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Biggest problem- Imperialism threatened
tradition and national identity
• Choice facing nations being imperialized:
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Traditionalists- drive Europeans out
Modernizers/ Westernizers- welcome changes and
modernization
Gap in objectives allowed for development of
imperialist regimes built upon unquestioning loyalty
from masses
Bi-product of imperialism- growth of Nationalism
Empire in India
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“Jewel of the British Empire”
Due to abundance of resources, India ruled by strict
British authority (Raj)
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Ruled by British Parliament thru white bureacracy in India
Empire secured by British East India Co- Sir Robert
Clive
Great/Sepoy Rebellion (1857)- Insurrection by Hindus
and Muslims w/in British army in India
Women- took up “White Man’s Burden” and
Christianizing effort
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British eventually offered education & govt. positions
British Raj- 1860
Birth of Indian Nationalism
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Growth of educated elite also fostered growth in
national consciousness and opposition to British
rule
• Birth of Indian National Congress (1885)
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Originally called for social equality and self govt
Calls evolved into independence by early 1900’s
Hindus and Muslims able to align for common
purpose
Japan
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Commodore Matthew Perry & Gunboat Diplomacy
emerged in 1853
Japanese society:
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Emperor
Shogun
Samurai
Meiji Restoration (1868)- political and social revolution
for modernization and westernization
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Established strong army
“Pseudo democracy”
Adopted Imperialism as foreign policy
China
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In age of Imperialism, being carved up into “spheres of
influence”
China dramatically weakened by Sino- Japanese War in
1895
Open Door Policy- opened up Chinese markets to
American trade
Chinese Response to Western threat:
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100 Days of reform- calls for political reform
Boxer Rebellion (1900)- anti-foreign movement to expel western
peoples
1912- Chinese Revolution led to democracy- temporary
Chapter Review Questions
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List European motives for imperialism.
Compare and contrast methods of old and new imperialism.
Explain events leading to European imperialism in SE Asia.
Explain events leading to European imperialism in Africa.
Describe the significance of the South African colony.
Explain the goals and outcome of the Berlin Conference.
Explain the theory of “white man’s burden”.
Explain the pro’s and con’s of imperialism on subjective peoples
and areas.
Compare and contrast the response of China and Japan to
European imperialism.
Chapter Essay Question
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Assess the causes and impact of new
imperialism upon Africa and India in the 19th
century.