Imperialism

Imperialism Definition A stronger nation seeks to dominate a weaker nation politically, economically and socially

Causes of Imperialism

Economic ($) Countries need natural resources (because of the Industrial Revolution) Countries want new markets – need new places to sell all of the goods they are making (because of the Industrial Revolution) Populations are growing and looking for new places to settle People have money and are looking for places to invest their profits

Political (government) Need bases for military Want ports for trading To show off their power and become a global empire (Nationalism)

Social Missionaries are trying to spread Christianity Want to spread “western” civilization (the way things are done in Europe and the US) Thought that “western” ways were best (nationalism) Social Darwinism Applied Darwin’s Theory of Survival of the Fittest to the competition between the nations Thought it was natural for the stronger nations to dominate the weaker ones

White Man’s Burden Poem by Rudyard Kipling Offered justification for imperialism Said white imperialists had a moral duty to educate the less developed people Western ideas, customs and religions need to be spread to people in Africa and Asia

White Man’s Burden 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.

Western Advantages Stronger economies and governments Powerful armies and navies Superior technology (because of the Industrial Revolution) Maxim gun Steam driven warships and railroad Medical advances

Why Africa? They want their resources: petroleum, gold, copper, diamonds, cotton ,coffee, peanuts and lumber

The Scramble for Africa Belgium is the first to claim land in Africa Sets up a European race for colonies No European power wanted to be left behind Discoveries of gold and diamonds in South Africa also increased interest

The Berlin Conference (1884-1885) European power met and set up rules for colonizing Africa Any country could claim land Divided Africa into regions without looking at their ethnic of linguistic groups No African rulers could attend 1914 – only 2 African countries remained independent

Why didn’t the Africans fight back Variety of cultures and languages made it hard for them to organize Low level of technology

Imperialism in Asia China was forced to trade with certain nations (Spheres on Influence) Japan was forced out of isolation

Spheres of Influence

British Imperialism in Africa Had land throughout the continent West and East Africa Most of Southern Africa Egypt Controlled regions with lots of people and lots of resources

Southern Africa Dutch Farmers – known as Boers – settled in Cape Town in 1652 English gained the Cape colony from the Dutch in 1806 The Great Trek - Boers resented being ruled by the English and migrated north

The Zulu nation 1816 Shaka, an African leader, unites the Zule Nation Zulu warriors fight against European slave traders and ivory hunters

Conflict: The Boers and the zulus Caused by the Great Trek Boers get help from the British and defeat the Zulus Boers establish new nations: Transvaal and Orange Free State

The Boer War 1867 Found gold and diamond deposits in Boer territory 1890 Cecil Rhodes, British, gains control over more of South Africa Takes over the Boer lands 1899 – 1902 Boers resist fighting 1910 British form the Union of South Africa (begins a long time period of racial segregation that does not end until 1993)

African Resistance Movements Most of the time they did not work Couldn’t compete with superior European technology Alliances failed

Positive Impacts of Colonial rule Reduced local warfare Improved sanitation, hospitals and education Improved infrastructure: railroads, dams, telephones and telegraph lines

Negative impacts of colonial rule Lost land and independence People died because of new disease and fighting Changing farming over to cash crops resulted in famine Loss of traditional culture European establishment of boundaries

Indian subcontinent