Berlin conference ( ) a peaceful meeting of major Western powers to set rules for establishing colonies in Africa, and determine “who gets what.”

The only African countries avoided the colonization to which their neighbors succumbed were Ethiopia (Abyssinia), and Liberia (1900). Italy’s defeat at the Battle of Adowa insured Ethiopia’s independence (1895).

Colonial borders tore apart unified societies or placed rival groups under the same colonial government. These borders remained, even after African states won independence in the 20th century. They set the stage for 20th-century civil wars in Africa.

During the Napoleonic wars, the British gained control of the Cape Colony. The “Afrikaners,” descendants of Dutch settlers, moved east of the Cape Town. Came into conflict with the Zulus,

As the Cape colony expanded eastward, the British came into conflict with the Zulu nation (1870s). The Anglo-Zulu war (1879) initially favored the Zulus, but eventually the British defeated them, and their lands became part of the British colony of South Africa.

Disputes between British and Dutch farmers led to the Boer Wars ( , ). Afrikaners forced into refugee camps. These settlements came to be known as “concentration camps.” Many Afrikaners died of starvation.

The Boer wars left Great Britain with control of South Africa Afrikaners and black African farmers were displaced onto poor land, making it hard for them to earn a decent living.

Unlike other European rulers, King Leopold II (r ) of Belgium owned the colony of Congo personally. The most brutal conditions of any colony, laborers were forced to harvest ivory and rubber.

The Suez Canal (completed in 1896) connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. Built by French using Egyptian corvee laborers. Colonial rule alter ways of working in Africa and Asia as more people worked on public projects for free. British took over control of Egypt, due to unrest that threaten British commercial interest (1882).

The British East India Company had commercial relationship with the Mughal Empire (17th century). Britain shared India with France; but the British victory in the Seven Years War (1763), drove the French out of India.

The East India Company began recruiting native Indians to join their colonial army. “Sepoys,” Indian soldiers under British rule, compose the majority of the British Armed Forces in colonial India. The sepoy mutiny (1857) erupted when sepoys believe that their rifle cartridges had been greased with the fat cows and pigs. Convinced that the British were trying to convert them to Christianity.

An example of resistance to colonial rule, the revolt led to the British government taking a more active role in governing of India. Because of his involvement in the mutiny the last Mughal Emperor was imprisoned in exile. The British raj, colonial government, ruled India from 1888 to 1947.

British rule not popular:British rule not popular: 1.Mahatma Gandhi said “This civilization takes note neither of morality nor of religion.” 2.The Azamgarh Proclamation stated, “both Hindus and Muslims, are being ruined under the tyranny and oppression of the infidel and the treacherous English.” 3.And like the Americans, Dadabhai Naoroji request political representation for Indians in the British government.

Australia was a British penal colony. Convicts were not allowed to return to England. Gold rush brought free settlers (1851). European diseases decimated the Aborigines (indigenous peoples).

Disease wiped out 75% of the Maori population allowing the British to colonize New Zealand. The colonization of New Zealand, Australia, and Hawaii during the nineteenth century was most similar to the colonization of North America in the seventeenth century.

The Mexican-American War (1845 – 1848) United States gaining territories in the southwest. During 19th century, the U.S. occupied settling this territory. Late 1800s, feelings of nationalism and cultural superiority, drove America’s desire for territorial conquest.

The Spanish-American War (1898), U.S. gets Guam, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines. Wanting to expand US influence throughout the Western Hemisphere, Pres. Roosevelt issued the “Roosevelt corollary” (1904). If a country in Latin America demonstrated instability, the United States would feel free to intervene.

That concludes the European Imperialism.