NEW IMPERIALISM 1800s-1914

Is Imperialism ever justified? Directions: For the following scenarios, talk with your partner and decide is you believe the scenarios is: ALWAYS JUSTIFIED SOMETIMES JUSTIFIED NEVER JUSTIFIED Have a rationale ready.

Scenario #1 National Security: Decide is imperialism: The colonized island country has deepwater ports for refueling the mother country’s navy and merchant marine. It also has an airfield. Decide is imperialism: Always justified Sometimes justified Never justified Have a rationale ready

Scenario #2 National economy and energy independence: The colonized country has much needed oil reserves. Decide is imperialism: Always justified Sometimes justified Never justified Have a rationale ready

Scenario #3 Moral Duty: Decide is imperialism: Have a rationale ready The colonized country has a poor, uneducated population that needs roads, schools, and hospitals. Decide is imperialism: Always justified Sometimes justified Never justified Have a rationale ready

Scenario #4 Establishing religious freedom: Decide is imperialism: The colonized country is ruled by a brutal theocracy. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews are denied freedom of worship upon pain of death. Decide is imperialism: Always justified Sometimes justified Never justified Have a rationale ready

Scenario #5 Establish political freedom: Decide is imperialism: The colonized country is run by a tyrant who denies free elections and imprisons all critics. Decide is imperialism: Always justified Sometimes justified Never justified Have a rationale ready

Motives Political Exploratory Ideological Religious

MOTIVES POLITICAL Gain Power Compete to expand territory Use and show-off military force Gain prestige by winning colonies

NATIONALISM 19TH Century Movement Pride in one’s country Unification Movements

NATIONALISM GERMAN UNIFICATION Led by Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of Prussia

NATIONALISM 3 Major Wars Denmark War Austro-Prussian War Franco-Prussian War  Loss of Alsace + Lorraine Completed - 1871

NATIONALISM ITALIAN UNIFICATION Led by Count Cavour, Giuseppe Garibaldi, King Victor Emmanuel II

NATIONALISM War, diplomacy, plebiscite Completed - 1870

****The Result*** An upset to the European “balance of power” established by the Congress of Vienna in 1815

THIS IS A CAUSE OF WORLD WAR I

MOTIVES EXPLORATORY Desire to explore the “unknown” or uncharted territory Conduct scientific research Determine causes and treatment of diseases Go on an adventure Investigate “unknown” cultures

European Explorers in Africa 19c  Europeans Map the Interior of Africa

Sir Henry Morton Stanley Dr. David Livingstone Dr. David Livingstone Sir Henry Morton Stanley

Stanley finds Livingstone, November 1871

“Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?”

MOTIVES IDEOLOGICAL Based on cultural values. Belief that the white race was “superior” and other cultures were “primitive. It was the job of the Europeans to “civilize” peoples in other parts of the world. Great nations should have empires! Only the strongest nations will survive.

SOCIAL DARWINISM On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (1859) Naturally Selected The “selected” passed on their variations

SOCIAL DARWINISM Cont.. Late 19th Century Belief Herbert Spencer “Survival of the Fittest”-1864 Progress comes from “the struggle for survival” As the “fit”—the strong—advanced while the weak decline

Explains the need for stronger countries to dominate weaker ones (Justification for European imperialism) Also  extreme nationalism

“THE WHITE MAN’S BURDEN” Rudyard Kipling Urging “civilized” nations to extend their control over those who are not “civilized” Used in children’s books and advertisements of the time period. Humanitarianism

“THE WHTIE 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. 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.

RELIGIOUS Desire to spread Christianity Superior to all other religions Protect European missionaries in other lands Want to acquire territory in order to Christianize people Spread European values and moral beliefs Educate peoples of other cultures End the slave trade in Africa

THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA

African Trade [15c-17c]

Pre-19c European Trade with Africa

Africa 1890

The Belgian Congo: "King Leopold's Ghost"

The Congo Free State or The Belgian Congo

King Leopold II: (r. 1865 – 1909)

Harvesting Rubber

International African Association Private holding company—1876 Hired Henry Morton Stanley to establish a colony in the Congo

Henry Stanley is in charge of his African men: "If you drop that, I will shoot!".

ATROCITIES Punishing “Lazy” Workers

5-8 Million Victims! (50% of Pop.) It is blood-curdling to see them (the soldiers) returning with the hands of the slain, and to find the hands of young children amongst the bigger ones evidencing their bravery...The rubber from this district has cost hundreds of lives, and the scenes I have witnessed, while unable to help the oppressed, have been almost enough to make me wish I were dead... This rubber traffic is steeped in blood, and if the natives were to rise and sweep every white person on the Upper Congo into eternity, there would still be left a fearful balance to their credit. -- Belgian Official

Belgium’s Stranglehold on the Congo

Leopold’s Conscience??

Berlin Conference 1884-1885 Established a set of agreed-upon rules regarding the competition among the great powers for colonies in Africa

Berlin Conference 1884-1885 The area along the Congo River was to remain under the control of Leopold II. No nation could stake a claim on the continent without notifying other nations. Territory could not be claimed unless it was occupied.

European Colonization/Decolonization Patterns Berlin Conference of 1884-85

Leopold Defends Himself in Paris, 1903 King Leopold (to Loubert) How about that!  John Bull claims that I tortured, robbed an murdered more than he did. . . Loubert : No, your Majesty, that's impossible.