Empires and Imperialism

1. Empires and Imperialism

2. The Ottoman Empire • What do you remember about the Ottoman Empire? Who were the important people?

3. Selim III • Selim III (r. 1789-1807) • Intelligent and forward thinking • Looks to European models to solve the problems of the Ottoman Empire • Attempted Improvements • European style military units • Control of provincial governors • Reform the tax system

4. Selim III • Why did Selim III’s attempts to reform the Ottoman empire fail? • Janissaries • Serbian uprising • Ulma • Executed before his cousin and supporters could retake control • No success for reforms because people benefited from old systems

5. Crimean War • Greek Independence showcases Ottoman weakness • Peter the Great pushing to expand southward into Ottoman territory • Desires access to the Mediterranean sea • Russians, in exchange for help during the Egyptian invasion of Syria, named the protector of all Orthodox subjects • Sultan names French the protector of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem

6. Crimean War • The Eastern Question • Should the Ottoman Empire continue to exist? • If not, who should rule the territory?

7. Crimean War • Fought between 1853 and 1856 • Britain, France, and Italian kingdoms side with Ottomans • Why does this decision seem out of character? • What were the motives of these countries?

8. Crimean War • Nothing goes right for the Russians • Navy trapped in Black Sea • Corruption and lack of effective transportation leaves troops without supplies • Disease • Forced to seek peace agreement when their main fort in Crimea falls

9. Outcomes of the Crimean War • Peace treaty • Blocked Russians from expanding southward to the Mediterranean • Stopped the French and British from taking Ottoman territory for their exclusive use • Meant they could seize land as long as they shared with everyone else too

10. Changes due to the Crimean War • First time Newspaper propaganda campaigns were important in Britain and France • MARKED THE CHANGE FROM TRADITIONAL TO MODERN WARFARE

11. Ottoman Changes • Extraterritoriality • Allowing the Europeans to live in their own little areas in Istanbul • Intense integration into European trading network • Population movement to the cities • Inflation • Lack of exports • Movement for a secular government in 1860s and 1870’s

12. Ottoman Empire Decline • What forces led to the decline of the Ottoman Empire? • Does this list seem familiar?

13. The Russian Empire • Really big, lots of potential, but somewhat backwards compared to Europe • Only about 6% of population lives in cities by mid 1800s • Very agricultural society • Lack of effective, reliable transportation system • Industrialization and development relied heavily on the importation of knowledge and skill from Europe • Uneducated, traditional, diverse society

14. Liberal vs Conservative Leadership • Alexander I • Attempted to force reforms on Russia including • Encouraging more education including more Universities and studying abroad • Modernizing the army • New Bureaucratic regime • Decembrist movement • Death of Alexander brings chaos and confusion to empire in 1825 • Army Officers attempt a coup to take control • Exposed to the Western European system • Want to see reform in government • Movement fails and Nicholas I learns to distrust the Liberal contingents within his own government

15. Liberal vs Conservative Leadership • Nicholas I • Conservative, reactionary • Liberal ideas discouraged • Bureaucracy begins to take effect and flourish despite efforts by ruling families to discourage

16. The Russian Empire • Nicholas I feared potential political challenges if a middle class developed • Kept literacy to a minimum • Bought industrial goods and paid with exports of grain and timber • Slavophiles • Opposed to westernization • Orthodox faith the bedrock of society

17. Liberal Vs Conservative Leadership • Alexander II • Returns to a more reform-minded approach • Slavophile thinking begins to emerge as a prominent cultural current • Narodniki movement • Feodor Dostoyevsky writes in this time period

18. Qing Empire • What things aren’t going well for the Qing?

19. Qing Empire • Population growth and pressures • Destroys environment • Landless, homeless vagabonds • Annoyance growing with subjugated minorities • Distrust of government officials • Growing presence of European traders • Inability of the Qing officials to maintain control in parts of the empire

20. White Lotus Rebellion 1794-1804 • Takes hold in parts of central China • Hatred for the Qing foreign rule grows • Predict the return of the Ming dynasty and the coming of the Buddha • Militias of some areas able to successfully defend themselves from the Qing forces and attach others • Chaos ensues

21. Opium War • British response to growing trade deficit with China was to sell Opium • Huge problem for Chinese as large portions of the population become addicted • Chinese Emperor seeks a meeting with the British to discuss stopping the importation of the drug • English Refuse • Chinese declare war

22. Opium War • Chinese forces inadequate • Bannerman outdated • Most fight with swords, knives, and clubs • No navy • Old technology • Slow movement • British Marines move at will along the coast and up the Chinese Rivers

23. Treaty of Nanking • Chinese forced to admit defeat • End of the Canton system • Five ports opened to European trade • Hong Kong becomes English colony • Most-favored-nation status • Granted to Britain in the following year • Any privilege granted to another country is automatically granted to the British

24. The Taiping Rebellion 1851-1864 • What were some of the forces conspiring to start a civil war in China? • Unhappiness with the Qing • Inability to control territory • Foreign invasion into territory and trade

25. The Taiping Rebellion • Hong Xiuquan • Member of the minority group • Hakkas • Founder of the rebellion • Attempted to become a bureaucrat but failed the examinations repeatedly • Had a mental breakdown • Met protestant missionaries in Canton • Believed himself the younger brother of Jesus • Commissioned by God to drive the Manchus out of China • “Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace”

26. The Taiping Rebellion • Spread throughout parts of the country • Many feared the coming of the rebellion • Did not want to be forced into their army • Confucian bureaucrats feared the adoption of foreign gods and a change in the system • Settle the Kingdom of Heaven in Nanjing • City is seiged by the Qing but is well fortified and supplied • Eventual European involvement in conflict and second round of opium wars brings the Qing to the knees