Imperialism 1880-1914

1. Imperialism1880-1914 Chapter 26

2. Old Imperialism 16th-18th Centuries • Old Imperialism in the Old World: Africa and Asia • The Europeans did not usually acquire territory in Africa and Asia • Generally they worked through existing local authorities with trading posts

3. Old Imperialism in the Old World • The Portuguese established a series of trading posts along the west coast of Africa, India, Indonesia • The Spice Trade • The slave Trade

4. Old Imperialism in the Old World • The Netherlands established trading posts in Indonesia and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) • Europeans in Asia respected and often cooperated with local rulers in India, China, Japan, Indonesia • Trade generally flourished between Europeans and the locals

5. Old Imperialism in the New World was Different • Spain established a huge empire in Central and South America and claimed large portions of western North America • Native Americans were exploited

6. Old Imperialism in the New World • Portugal established Brazil as a sugar colony and imported massive numbers of slaves from Africa • France established a colony in present-day Canada as well as sugar colonies in the Caribbean

7. Old Imperialism in the New World • England colonized the east coast of North America and several islands in the Caribbean as sugar colonies

8. European Migration • Between 1815-1932 more than 60 million people left Europe • Migrants went mostly to European-inhabited areas: • North and South America • Australia • New Zealand and Siberia

9. European Migration • Immigrants took part in westward expansion • Most were from poor, rural areas (but not the poorest)

10. The New Imperialism1880’s Africa and Asia • In 1800 Europeans controlled about 7% of the world’s territory. • By 1914 they controlled 84% • England controlled 25% of the world’s population and 20% of the world’s territory by 1900

11. The New Imperialism • Europeans used military force in Africa and Asia. • They took control of local governments • Exploited local economies for raw materials • Imposed Western values to benefit the “backward” colonies • Britain’s control of Egypt in the 1880’s became the model for the new imperialism

12. Major Causes for Imperialism • Search for new markets and raw materials • The Industrial Revolution created a surplus of goods • Capitalists sought new markets

13. Causes for Imperialism • Often, colonists were too poor to purchase European-made goods: • Germany’s trade with her colonies represented only 1% of her total international trade • France imported more from her colonies than she sold

14. Causes for Imperialism • The Search for Raw Materials: • The Congo Ivory and rubber • South Africa Diamonds • Niger Cocoa • China and Ceylon Tea • India cotton • Indonesia Spices

15. Missionary Work • Mid-19th Century: strong current of religious revivalism in Western Europe • Especially among middle class • New emphasis on spreading Christianity to Africa and Asia

16. Missionary Work • More successful in sub-Saharan Africa than in Asia and Islamic North Africa • Dr. David Livingston: first white man to do humanitarian and religious work in south and central Africa • H.M. Stanley found Livingston (thought dead) and his newspaper reports spurred interest in Africa (King of Belgium and the Congo)

17. European Conflicts over Colonies • New military and naval bases to protect one country’s interests from another European country • Tensions between Haves (Britain) and Have-nots (Germany, Italy)

18. The Ideology of Imperialism • Social Darwinism: Herbert Spenser rationalized the conquest of weak countries by stronger “more civilized” ones • Justified military conquest: survival of the fittest

19. Ideology of Imperialism • White Man’s Burden racist and patronizing view that preached “superior” Westerners had an obligation to bring their culture to “uncivilized” peoples in other parts of the world • To Protect and Improve • To Uplift and Christianize • From a poem by Rudyard Kipling

20. The New Imperialism • Germany and Russia used imperialistic drives to divert the public’s attention from the class struggle at home and to create a false sense of national unity

21. The Scramble for Africa • 1880 Europeans controlled 10% of Africa • 1914 controlled all but Liberia and Ethiopia

22. Colonial Africa

23. Scramble for Africa • Began late 1870’s with Belgium’s King Leopold II in the Congo • Early 1880’s Britain’s conquest of Egypt be-came the model • 1884-1885 The Berlin Conference established the “rules” for Europeans carving up Africa

24. Belgian Congo • 1879 King Leopold II hired H.M. Stanley (British-American journalist who located Livingston) to make treaties with African chiefs giving control of the Congo to Leopold • Was his personal playground • Recognized as such in 1884 by the Berlin Conference

25. The Belgian Congo • Quest for rubber and ivory • Natives treated savagely: atrocities • Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle spoke out • The Belgian Parliament horrified and took the colony away from the king 1908 and it became a Belgian colony

27. Egypt: The Model • By 1849 Egypt was a strong independent state • Led by Turkish general Muhammad Ali • 1875 Brits bought a portion of shares of the Suez Canal and began to manage it • 1883 The Brits declared Egypt a protectorate • Technically, Egypt still part of Ottoman Empire but the Brits controlled the country • Egypt not freed until 1956

28. The Berlin Conference: 1884-85 • Sponsored by Bismarck and Jules Ferry • To prevent European conflict • Germany teamed up with France here to play France and Britain against each other • Coincided with Germany’s rise as an imperial power • Resulted in “The Scramble for Africa”

29. The Berlin Conference: The Rules • No Imperial power could claim a territory in Africa unless it effectively controlled that territory • Slavery and the Slave trade in Africa was terminated (right)