The Age of Imperialism

1. The Age of Imperialism 1850-1914

2. Imagine for a moment… That you are at home engaged in one of your favorite activities; playing a game, listening to music, or reading. So far the day is as any other. Then all of the sudden a group of individuals arrive at your front door demanding that you stop what ever you are doing. These individuals tell you that your way of life is wrong. They inform you however that they have come to your house to correct your way of life. They say it is their responsibility to change your way of living for the better. You find out that this has happened not only to you but your neighbors as well. Over time your way of life does change. These individuals, who you do not even know, have changed your government, religion, and other cultural practices, and remember these individuals told you this was for your own good. What is your reaction?

3. Imperialism: Perspective “Our whole existence has been controlled by people with an alien attitude to life, people with different customs and beliefs. They have determined the form of government, the types of economic activity, and the schooling which our children have…A man who tries to control the life of another does not destroy the other any less because he does it, as he thinks, for the other’s benefit. It is the principle which is wrong, the principle of one man governing another without his consent.” -Julius Nyerere of Tanzania

4. Key Vocabulary Imperialism: A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries or territories politically, economically, or socially. Colony: Land controlled by a distant nation. Empire: Extensive territory (colonies) under the control of a single, powerful state. Imperial Power: A country that controls an empire.

5. Setting the StageIndustrialization Imperialism • Industrialization stirred ambitions in many European nations. • They needed more resources to fuel their industrial production. • They competed for new markets for their goods. • They looked to Africa and Asia as sources of the raw materials and as markets for their industrial products.

6. The British Empire • During 1800s, Britain was the most powerful nation in the world. Why? • British industrialization. • British banking system. • British navy. • Britain dominated 19th century and established a huge empire. • British empire reached it’s height under Queen Victoria in late 1800s and early 1900s.

7. “The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire”

8. Other countries followed Britain’s lead. • The French , Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese moved to expand colonies in Africa. • Austria-Hungary moved into the Balkans. • Russia expanded into the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Siberia. • Countries that had no colonies set out to acquire them. Belgium, Italy, and Germany all took over new lands in Africa. • The United States and Japan also got involved in overseas expansion during this period.

10. The American Empire, 1900

11. Motives Driving Imperialism • Economic Competition • Industrialized nations competed for raw materials and new markets to improve their economies. • Geopolitics • An interest in land for strategic location or resources • European nations interested in specific resources in specific places but not always interested in taking over entire country. • Examples: canals, mines, oil, water access

12. “A Quiet Little Game”

13. Motives Driving Imperialism (con’t) • Nationalism / National Pride • Empires viewed as a measure of national greatness • “All great nations in their fullness of their strength have desired to set their mark upon barbarian lands.” • Racism • Europeans believed that the white race was superior to other peoples. • Europeans (white man) had to take on the burden and responsibility of civilizing (Westernizing) “savages.”

14. Motives Driving Imperialism (con’t) • Missionary / Messianic Impulse • Desire to Christianize people. • Impulse to “save the world.” • Believed European rule was the best way to end evil practices (i.e. slave trade)

15. Cecil Rhodes • Successful businessman who wanted to expand British Empire because he believed the Anglo- Saxon race was destined for greatness. • In his will, Rhodes said of the British, "I contend that we are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race."

16. Social Darwinism • “Survival of the fittest” ideas of Charles Darwin were applied to human society. • Those fittest for survival enjoyed wealth and success and were con- sidered superior to others. • Theory was used to justify capitalism and imperialism.

17. Social Darwinism and Colonialism • Because non-Europeans didn’t have the technology Europeans did, they were assumed to be inferior. • Natives viewed as being weaker • (and more unfit to survive) so • seizing their land and their • resources was justifiable.

18. Imperialism Had Mass Appeal. Novels and poetry glorified Imperialism . • The most popular writer of the day was Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936). • Kipling appealed to his readers’ sense of adventure AND to their feelings of superiority. • He saw imperialism as a mission to “civilize non-Europeans” and urged his readers to “take up the white man’s burden.”

19. The White Man’s Burden by Rudyard Kipling According to Kipling, what is the “White Man’s burden”? It was the burden of the white Europeans to help, teach, and care for the “uncivilized” people of the world. “Take up the White Man's burden— Send forth the best ye breed— Go, bind your sons to exile To serve your captives' need; To wait, in heavy harness, On fluttered folk and wild— Your new-caught sullen peoples, Half devil and half child. Take up the White Man's burden— In patience to abide, To veil the threat of terror And check the show of pride; By open speech and simple, An hundred times made plain, To seek another's profit And work another's gain. Take up the White Man's burden— The savage wars of peace— Fill full the mouth of Famine, And bid the sickness cease; And when your goal is nearest (The end for others sought) Watch sloth and heathen folly Bring all your hope to nought.”

20. “The white man’s burden” - The Journal, Detroit 1899

21. Racism Before Reading: • Define the term race in your own words. When you think of the word race, what comes to mind? Record a bulleted list of words and/or characteristics that you associate with the idea of race. Add in bullet points as needed. • Is race real? Does it exist? Justify your answer in the space below.

22. Racism After Reading: • How did your idea of race change? • Do you agree with the ideas listed in these handouts? Why or why not? • What was the most surprising statement? Why? • How might this new understanding change the way you think about others?

23. European Colonization of Africa

24. European Exploration of Africa • Few Europeans penetrated Africa’s interior before late 1800s. • Expedition of David Livingstone in 1860s captured world’s attention. • Livingstone searching for source of the Nile. Discovered Victoria Falls. • Livingstone one of the most popular national heroes in Victorian England.

25. Victoria Falls

26. “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” (Henry Stanley)

27. Berlin Conference, 1884-1885

28. Berlin Conference, 1884-85 • European conference to lay down rules for the division of Africa. • Agreed any European country could claim land in Africa by notifying other nations of their claims and showing they could control the area. • No African ruler attended these meetings

29. European Partition of Africa, 1914 • By 1914 only two territories remained free from European control: • Liberia • Ethiopia • When Europeans • partitioned Africa, • they didn’t take • African ethnic and linguistic groupings into account.

30. Africa’s Resources Cash Crops Minerals • Cocoa • Rubber • Peanuts • Palm oil • Coffee • Tea • Cotton • Tobacco • Gold • Diamonds • Copper • Tin

31. Forces Enabling Europe’s Conquest of Africa

32. The Boer War

33. Three Groups Clash Over South Africa • The Dutch established trading stations in South Africa in the 1600’s. • Dutch “Boers” took over native Africans’ lands and established large farms. • Gold discovered 1800s. British immigrants (miners) flocked to South Africa. Treated as second- class citizens with few rights by the Boers. Boer Settlers

34. South Africa Before the Boer War

35. The Boer War, 1899-1902 • Began with uprising of British immigrants against the Boer government. • British empire sent troops. War began. • Boers used guerrilla tactics against superior British forces. • British fought “total war”. Burned Boer farms and towns. • Put Boer women and children in concentration camps, where 26,000 people died, mostly from plague.

36. The Boer War

37. British Concentration Camp

38. Boer Inhabitants of Concentration Camps

39. End of Boer War: Treaty of Vereeniging • British defeated Boers in 1902 and Boers had to surrender to British demands. • Boers lost their lands, which became part of South Africa, a British colony.

40. Forms of Imperialism

41. Setting the Stage • What was most important to the European powers when they carved up Africa? Being able to CONTROL the land, people, and resources of the continent. • Wanted to shape the economies of colonies to benefit European economies. • Wanted native populations to adopt European ways, as well.

42. Forms of Colonial (External) Control

43. Methods of Internal Management

44. Indirect vs. Direct Forms of Imperialism How did Britain control its colonies? Indirectly – Used local chieftains by putting hitherto weak people in charge over the daily affairs of the colony. The weak “chieftain” was supported by British military power and directed by British political officials. How did France control its colonies? Directly – using the concept of paternalism(the French are the “fathers” and the Africans are the “children” and since father knows best, France controlled the daily activities of government in the colony through white French officials. Assimilation - France also wanted the colonials to adopt French ways of dressing, behaving, governing, speaking and believing – because the French ways are superior and more advanced, successful and civilized.

45. African Resistance Fails • Many Africans resisted European subjugation, but the Europeans always had superior weapons. • At the Battle of Omdurman, the British killed some 10,000 Sudanese with machine guns. • Some 500 British soldiers and their African allies defeated 31,000 Nigerians using machine guns.

46. British Troops at Battle of Omdurman in Sudan, 1898

47. Battle of Omdurman

48. African Resistance Fails • African religious leaders during the Maji Maji Rebellion in German West Africa claimed magic water would make bullets harmless – some 26,000 died as they attacked German machine guns with spears.

49. African Resistance Fails • The Zulus in South Africa fought against the British. • During the war, the Zulus defeated the British at Battle of Isandlwana, but the Zulu rebellion was eventually defeated in 1879. Zulu Warrior