Rudyard Kipling = English writer + Born in India  witnessed British Imperialism firsthand. Journalist + Traveled to West Africa. (1899) Poem = The White Man’s Burden  summarized view of duties of imperial nations. View = Considered Imperialism to be beneficial to Africans.

Building Overseas Empires Great Britain + other Western Countries = Built overseas empires in late 1800s  Industrial Revolution Transformed the West. Advances = Science + Technology + Industry + Transportation + Communication  Advantage. New Economic + Political Power = Western Nations  set out to dominate the world.

Motives Driving The New Imperialism Imperialism = the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas; broadly: the extension or imposition of power, authority, or influence Imperialism the domination by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region.

Imperialism did not begin in the 1800s = European States established colonies after 1492  Americas + South Asia + Coasts of Africa + China. Despite gains between 1500 and 1800 = Europe had little effect on peoples of China + India + Africa  By 1800s Europe gained considerable power. Strong Centrally Governed Nation States Emerged in Europe + Industrial Revolution enriched European Economies. Motivated by New Economic + Military strength = Europeans aggressively expanded  “New Imperialism” Beginning in 1870s = Short time period  Europeans brought much of world under their influence + control Imperialism = exploded out of a combination of causes.

Economic Interests Spur Expansion Industrial Revolution = created needs + desires  spurred overseas expansion. Britain’s sense of Nationalism + aggressive foreign policy = during time period  known as Jingoism. Manufacturers = wanted additional access to natural resources  rubber + petroleum + markets of consumers to sell manufactured goods. Bankers = sought ventures to invest their profits. Colonies = offer valuable outlet for Europe’s growing population.

Political and Military Motives Political + Military issues = closely linked to economic motives  steam powered merchant ships + naval vessels needed bases for coal + supplies all around the world. Industrial Powers seized Islands + Harbors. Nationalism = played important role  France moving into West Africa spurred nations like Britain + Germany to seize neighboring lands and halt further French Expansion. Western Leaders claimed colonies were needed for National Security + Ruling a Global Empire increased a nation’s prestige around the world.

Humanitarian and Religious Goals Missionaries + Doctors + Colonial Officials Believed = Duty  spread blessings of Western Civilization. Blessings included medicine + law + Christian Religion.

Applying Social Darwinism Motivation = behind West’s civilizing mission  growing sense of Racial Superiority. Applied Darwin’s ideas = Natural Selection + Survival of Fittest  Human Societies. Argued that European races = superior to all others  imperial domination of weaker races was nature’s way of improving the human species.

The Rapid Spread of Western Imperialism (1870 – 1914) Imperialist Nations = gained control over much of the world  found favor with all classes (Bankers + Manufacturers + Workers)

Weakness of Non-Western States While European nations grew stronger during 1800s  older civilizations were in decline = Ottoman Empire + Mughal India + Qing (ching) China. West Africa = Peoples + damaging effect of slave trade  undermined established empires. Newer African states were not strong enough to resist the West.

Resisting Imperialism Western Advantages European powers = advantage  Strong economies + Well organized governments + Powerful Armies + Navies + Superior Technology. Technology included riverboats + telegraph + medicines + rifles + repeating rifles + machine guns + steam driven warships. Resisting Imperialism Africans + Asians = resisted  Fought invaders + Strengthened societies against outsider reforms + Organized nationalist movements to expel imperialists from lands.

Facing Criticism at Home Small groups of anti-imperialists emerged in the West = claimed colonialism was a tool of the rich. Some argued it was immoral + hypocritical = promoting democracy at home but imposing undemocratic rule on other peoples.

Forms of Imperial Rule Leading imperial powers developed several kinds of colonial rule: French = practiced direct rule  sent officials + soldiers from France to administer colonies. Goal was to impose French Culture + turn them into French Provinces. British = practiced indirect rule  used Sultans, Chiefs or other local rulers + encouraged children of local ruling class to get education in Britain.

Protectorate local rulers were left in place but were expected to follow advice from European advisors. They groomed a new “Westernized” generation of leaders to continue indirect imperial rule + spread British culture. Advice on issues like Trade + Missionary activity. Protectorates = cost less to run than a colony + did not require a large military force. Sphere of Influence area in which an outside power claimed exclusive investment or trading privileges. Europe carved out spheres to prevent conflicts among themselves.