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Imperialism. Chevalier Fall 2011/Winter 2012. A Western Dominated World. WHAT DELINEATES THE WEST?. The New Imperialism and its causes. Imperialism - the domination by one country of the political , economic , or cultural life of another country or region.
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Imperialism Chevalier Fall 2011/Winter 2012
A Western Dominated World • WHAT DELINEATES THE WEST?
The New Imperialism and its causes • Imperialism- the domination by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region. • The “New Imperialism”- A time period of aggressive European expansion in the 1800’s
Four Causes of the ‘New Imperialism’ • 1. Economic interests (needs)- The Ind. Rev. created needs/desires that spurred overseas expansion • Manufacturers wanted access to natural resources (Indian cotton for example) • Hoped for new markets where they could sell their factory goods • Colonies offered a valuable outlet for Europe’s growing population
Four Causes of the ‘New Imperialism’ • 2. Political and Military interests (needs)- merchant ships, naval vessels needed bases around the world to take on coal and supplies • Industrial powers seized islands and harbors • Nationalism and prestige- Western leaders claimed colonies were needed for national security • Ruling a global empire increased a country’s prestige
Four Causes of the ‘New Imperialism’ • 3. Humanitarian goals- missionaries, doctors, and colonial officials believed they had a duty to spread Western civilization. (Medicine, law, and Christianity to the savages)
Four Causes of the ‘New Imperialism’ • 4. Social Darwinism- many Westerners believed in their racial superiority. • Held the idea that Europeans were superior to all others • Imperial conquest and destruction of weaker nations was nature’s way of improving the human species
The Success of Western Imperialism • 1870-1914- imperialist nations gained control over much of the world. Some reasons for their success: (why 1914?) • 1. Weakness of non-western states- • Older civilizations went into decline • Ottoman Empire in the Middle East • Mughal in India • Qing in China (Ching) • In W. Africa, slave trade undermined empires, kingdoms, and city-states
Why did Imperialism succeed? • 2. Western Advantages- • Strong economies, well organized governments, powerful militaries, superior technology, medical advances • quinine- medicine used to fight malaria • Maxim gun- early machine gun
Resistance to Imperialism • Africans/Asians strongly resisted Western expansion • Many Western-educated Africans and Asians organized nationalist movements to expel the imperialists.
Criticism of Imperialism at Home • Some argued colonialism was a tool of the rich • Some said it was immoral • Greater democracy at home, but imposing undemocratic rule on other people
Forms of Imperial Rule (3) • 1. Colonies- • Direct rule- officials and soldiers sent to administer colonies (French) • Indirect rule- sultans, chiefs, other local leaders were urged to get educated in Britain to become Westernized (Britain)
Three Forms of Imperial Rule • 2. Protectorate- • Local rulers left in place but expected to follow advice of European advisors • Cheaper than running a colony
Three Forms of Imperial Rule • 3. Spheres of Influence- • Areas in which outside powers claimed exclusive investment or trading privileges • Europeans created them in China • U.S. in Latin America
The Partition of Africa • Africa in the Early 1800’s- sets us up for why and how… • North Africa: Muslim and part of the declining Ottoman Empire (Turkey) • West Africa: Islam had grown in this region as well
The Partition of Africa • The Asante Kingdom- • A strong state that had arisen in the forest regions • Traded with Europeans and Muslims • Controlled several small states • These states worked with Europeans in an attempt to exploit the kingdom’s lack on unity (where have we seen this before?)
The Partition of Africa • East Africa: Muslim, African slaves sent from here to Middle East • Southern Africa:Shaka(**)-leader of united Zulu nation • His conquests led to migrations and wars • In the 1830’s, the Zulus fought against the Boers (Dutch settlers in the region)
The Partition of Africa • The Slave Trade: by early 1800’s, Europeans had outlawed slave trade, but East African slave trade continued • 1787- British organized Sierra Leone(Map) in West Africa as a colony for former slaves • 1847- Liberia(Map) became independent republic (settled by free blacks from US)
European Contact Increases • Africa was known as the ‘dark continent’ because little was known about its interior • Difficult to maneuver rivers, disease kept many Europeans from venturing far • Malaria • Quinine • Machine guns
European Contact Increases • Missionaries: tried to spread Christianity, spoke out against slavery- built schools, churches, medical clinics • Paternalistic in nature: saw Africans as children in need of guidance • fatherly
Dr. David Livingstone (*) • Dr. David Livingstone: best known British explorer and missionary • Explored the continent for 30 years, writing about native cultures he’d encountered(modern Marco Polo) • Opposed the slave trade • 1871- journalist Henry Stanley tracked him down in Tanzania (hadn’t been heard from in years (Dr. Livingstone I presume)
A Scramble For Colonies • Belgian King Leopold II(*)- hired Henry Stanley to explore Congo River Basin and arrange trade treaties with African leaders • He hoped for conquest and profit • His activities in the Congo set off a scramble by other European nations
A Scramble For Colonies • Berlin Conference: 1884- to avoid bloodshed, European powers met in Germany to decide how to carve up Africa (Spain and Portugal in America) • No Africans invited • Recognized Belgium’s claim to the Congo Free State
A Scramble For Colonies • Called for free trade on Congo and Niger Rivers • European powers couldn’t claim any part of Africa without first setting up a gov’t. office there • Within 20 years, most of African continent had been partitioned by E. powers.
A Scramble For Colonies • Horrors in the Congo: Belgium exploited the people of the Congo (as forced laborers) and its natural resources (copper, rubber, ivory) • Laborers were beaten, mutilated • International outrage forced King Leopold to turn control of colony over to Belgian government.
A Scramble For Colonies • French Expansion: 1830’s- France invaded, conquered Algeria (thousands of French and Algerians killed in fighting) • Late 1800’s- Tunisia under French control, much of West and Central Africa-French empire the size of continental U.S.
Fight for South Africa (**) • Britain takes its share: 1815- • British took Cape Colony from the Dutch-Boers (Dutch settlers) moved north • When they found gold and diamonds, British fought them for control of the riches • Led to the Boer war (1899-1902) • Guerilla warfare
Fight For South Africa • The British won, but at a great cost • 1910- Britain formed the Union of South Africa- government run by whites • Completed racial segregation (apartheid) until 1993 (Nelson Mandel became President)
Apartheid • Whites consisted of less than 25% of the population • Apartheid means to separate • Whites were Dutch and British
Africans Resist Imperialism • Ethiopia Survives: Emperor Menelik II(*)- late 1800’s- reforming ruler who modernized his country • Bridges • Western school system • Imported latest weapons • Hired Europeans to train his army
Menelik II • 1896- Italy invaded Ethiopia- • Ethiopians defeated Italian forces at the battle of Adowa (*) • Aside from Liberia, Ethiopia was the only African nation to preserve its independence (**)
Africa Resists Imperialism • New African Elite: • Western educated elite (upper class) emerged- some admired western ways and rejected their own cultures • Others condemned western societies that upheld liberty and equality for whites only
Africa Resists Imperialism • By early 1900’s, many African leaders were pursuing independence from European control/rule
European Challenges to the Muslim World • Stresses in the Muslim World • There were various empires in decline that the West was more than happy to gobble up… • India, Middle East, Iran • Europeans took advantage, forced to sign unfair trade treaties
Problems for the Ottoman Empire • Ottoman empire on the decline for several reasons… • Economics • Nationalism • European Pressure • Efforts to Westernize
Armenian Massacre • Muslim Turks distrusted Christian Armenians, accusing them of supporting Russian plans against the empire. • When Armenians protested, the sultan of the empire had tens of thousands slaughtered. • Over a million Armenians killed in the Armenian genocide which took place from 1890-1915. • Genocide: the deliberate attempt to destroy an entire religious or ethnic group.
Egypt Seeks to Modernize • Muhammed Ali(* and Map)- “father of modern Egypt”- became gov. in 1805- modernized Egypt: • Schools, western style military, improved tax collection, new landholding system, large irrigation projects to increase farm output • Put Egypt on the road to Independence
Egypt Seeks to Modernize • Dies in 1849- didn’t want the Suez Canal built- he thought it would destroy Egypt’s chances of becoming independent
The Suez Canal (Map) • 1859-1869- Ferdinand de Lesseps- French entrepreneur who organized company to build canal- 1875- Egypt couldn’t repay loans for the canal • Forced to sell interest in canal, Britain took control • A British Protectorate- 1882- Suez became Britain’s lifeline to India