The Age of Imperialism

1. The Age of Imperialism 1850 - 1914

2. Important Questions • How is the Age of Imperialism a logical next step after the Industrial Revolution? • What motivated European nations to colonize Africa, Asia and India? • What will be the long-term results of Imperialism on Africa, Asia and India?

3. Imperialism • What: the domination of one nation by another politically, socially, economically and culturally • Who: Belgium, England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal & Spain • Where: Africa, Asia & India

4. Imperialism • Why: resources, guaranteed markets, nationalism, military concerns, racism (Social Darwinism) & the missionary impulse • How: advanced European technology like the Maxim gun, the telegraph, the railroad, the steamship, medicines like quinine, African tribalism and a lack of African unity

5. Imperialism • When: 1850 until 1914 • Why do you suppose that it began around 1850? • Why do you suppose that it ended in 1914?

6. Regroup • What is imperialism? • Who was involved and where did it take place? • When did it take place? • How were the Europeans able to dominate so many larger countries?

7. Why Did They Do It?

8. Resources • Britain is an island with necessarily limited resources • Europe too, has limited resources • What happens if factories run out of coal or iron or if they need more cotton and can’t grow it themselves?

9. Resources • European factories will need cheap raw materials to keep the revolution going • If they don’t get them or if the price is too high what could happen? • Remember: production prices must be kept low in order to move more product & make more money

10. Guaranteed Markets • How many shirts or pants can you own? • How big is England’s or Europe’s population? • Who can trade with a colony? • Why do colonies exist? • Why is no competition good for the seller but bad for the buyer?

11. Nationalism • European nations wanted to demonstrate their superiority. • The more weaker countries taken over the more powerful the nation appeared. • Colonies give nations prestige or “bragging rights”.

12. Social Darwinism • The belief that all human groups compete for survival, and that the stronger groups will replace the weaker groups. • Darwin’s theory of evolution = “survival of the fittest”. • It is only natural that strong nations should dominate weaker nations. • This is applied to society as a justification of imperialism.

13. Military • Need for naval bases and places to refuel merchant ships. • More colonies = More power and security • More bases allow nations to use force in more different places and protect merchant ships. • Balance of Power!

14. Economic • Industrial Revolution creates need for large amounts of raw materials. • New markets for finished goods. • New places to invest profits • What happens if factories produce but no one buys?

15. Missionary Impulse • People of color seen as inherently inferior or as “God-less savages” • It was the duty of the Europeans to “save the souls” of the people in Africa, Asia & India • Sent missionaries out to bring them to the Christian God • They were doing God’s work so imperialism was OK

16. Regroup • What is a “guaranteed market”? • Why do European nations HAVE to engage in imperialism? • How is Social Darwinism a justification for imperialism? • How does religion figure into the imperialistic impulse?

17. How Did They Do It?

21. Divide and Conquer • Hundreds of different ethnic groups in Africa • Dozens of languages • Traditional African beliefs mixed with Islam and Christianity • Large, unmanageable empires • Low levels of technology

22. Regroup • How were the Europeans able to establish their colonies in the 19th century when they previously could not? • What tactic worked well for the Europeans in creating their colonial empires?

23. Colonies for Dummies • There 4 different forms of colonial control • Colony • Protectorate • Sphere of influence • Economic imperialism • There are 2 different types of management styles • Direct control • Indirect control

24. Colony • A country or a region governed internally by a foreign power • French Indochina (Vietnam)

25. Protectorate • A country or a territory with its own internal government but under the control of an outside power • The British in Nigeria

26. Sphere of Influence • An area or a region in which an outside power claims exclusive trading and investing rights but does not actually control the government • Liberia under the influence of the US

27. Economic Imperialism • Independent, but less developed, nations controlled by private business rather than by another country’s government • The control of Hawaii by the Dole Fruit Company

28. Direct Control • Officials brought in from mother country to rule • No self-rule • Laws based on European laws • Official language was the European language • Goal: assimilation

29. Indirect Control • Locals used to run most government functions • Limited self-rule • Laws based on European laws as well as local laws • Benefit: use fewer Europeans and give the locals a sense of ownership

30. Regroup • How many different kinds of colonial holdings are there? • What are they? • How many kinds of control are there? • What are they? Who used them? • What is the advantage to indirect control?

31. Scramble for Africa • The impact of the Industrial Revolution allowed Europeans to penetrate Africa’s interior • Explorers began to map out Africa in the early 19th century & to learn more about the “Dark Continent” (why is it Dark?) • Christian missionaries followed the explorers into Africa to win souls for Christianity

32. Scramble for Africa • By early 1870s it was clear that Africa would prove to be very valuable to industrialized nations • King Leopold of Belgium sent Henry Stanley to Africa to explore the Congo River & to set up trade contacts with the Africans

33. Scramble for Africa • Leopold publicly: “Belgium will carry the light that, for millions of men still plunged in barbarism, will be the dawn of a better era.” • Leopold privately: “I want resources, markets & profits for Belgium!” • Leopold’s actions touched off the Scramble for Africa

34. Berlin Conference – 1884-85 • To avoid conflict with one another in Africa, European leaders met in Berlin, Germany • With little regard or representation for Africans, the European powers set about carving up Africa.

35. Berlin Conference – 1884-85 • Why did the Europeans absolutely not want Africans present at Berlin?

37. Berlin Conference – 1884-85 • The following guidelines were set at the conference • Any sovereign power which wanted to claim any territory should inform the other powers “in order to ... make good any claim of their own.”

38. Berlin Conference – 1884-85 • Treaties with African rulers were to be considered a valid title to sovereignty. • Any such annexation should be validated by effective occupation

39. By 1900, the only areas of Africa remaining independent were Liberia and Ethiopia

41. Regroup • What was the “Scramble for Africa”? • What rules does the Berlin Conference set down and why do the Europeans set them down? • Who not invited, or even wanted at the Berlin Conference? Why?

42. Zulu Resistance

43. The Boers • In the 1830s descendents of the original Dutch settlers, now called Boers, migrated into the interior of South Africa and began to engage in conflicts with the Zulu

44. The Zulu • The Zulu were a south African tribe that placed an emphasis on military organization and skill, as established by their  legendary leader Shaka Zulu. Under Shaka’s rule, the Zulu broadened their land claims throughout southern Africa.

45. Zulus vs. Europe • Battles with the Boer settlers continued well into the late 1800s, but never truly threatened Zulu sovereignty. • Eventually, the Zulu came into the conflict with the British army as they expanded their control over southern Africa and invaded the homeland of the Zulu

46. Zulus vs. Europe • Despite early victories, the Zulu were eventually defeated by the technology and vast resources at the command of the British troops. Soon, all of southern Africa would come under British control.

47. Cecil Rhodes • Instrumental in assuring British dominance of southern Africa. • Founded the De Beers Mining Company, eventually controlling 90% of the world’s diamond production. • After becoming prime minister of the Cape Colony (now South Africa) in 1890, he used his influence to strengthen British control over the region.

48. Cape to Cairo Railroad • Cecil Rhodes’s master plan. • A railroad line that would link British colonial interests in Africa between Egypt and the Cape Colony in southern Africa. • Why is “linking” north & south so important?

50. Boer Reaction • The Boers provided heavy and eventually armed resistance to this proposal. • After authorizing an aggressive invasion of the Boer Republic of Transvaal which ended poorly, Rhodes was removed from office. • Sets the stage for the Boer War.