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Chapter 26
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Chapter 26:
 During the century from 1815 to 1914, the West expanded its impact on the rest of
the world largely by building far-flung empires.
 A “new imperialism” of the 1880s marked the climax of this territorial expansion.
Old Imperialism
16th – 18th century
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Focus is increasing trade by establishing more trading outlets
Purpose: to get resources to import back to their countries
-Examples: Africa, Asia, Middle East
The exception = New World
-not as much focus on trade, unlike other parts of the world
-focus on: colonizing, using the huge land and its resources, profitable gold and silver,
enslaving people, tobacco and sugar plantations
-The Spanish: conquered Aztecs and Incas for gold
-Brazil: slavery and sugar plantations
-Colonies: provided supplies for the mother land (like in Britain’s case)
In 1800, Europeans controlled 7% of the world’s territories
New Imperialism
19th century
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Cause = Industrial Revolution
1) Need for creating a new global market/ selling goods
-Create all of these goods  you need to sell them
2) Need for new raw resources for machines
-iron, coal, steel, gas, oil, rubber
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Justifications
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1) Social Darwinism
“survival of the fittest”
-the superior dominate over the weak nations
-the more industrialized have the right to dominate other those who are less fit
2) Helping “savages” become civilized
-Europe is technologically more advanced
3) Bringing the light of Christianity
-makes the Europeans sound good
4) Strategic reasons = to protect certain reasons
In 1914, Europeans controlled 84% of the world’s territories
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Forms of Ruling over Territory
Direct
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Someone of your own country rules in the country that you control
o Foreign officials brought in to rule
o No self rule
o Your military is there
o Goal: assimilation
o Government institutions are based on only European styles
Examples:
1) A British general ruling in Egypt
2) French colonies such a Somaliland and Vietnam
3) German colonies such as German East Africa
4) Portuguese colonies such as Angola
Advantages
-easier to put down revolts
-more control over the territory
-more people you can trust greater trust factor
Disadvantages
-natives might be resentful and revolt
-it’s expensive
-the ruler doesn’t know anything about the territory: the language, culture, religion, etc.
and he won’t learn it because he feels superior
-the idea that you should make them learn yours because you’re superior
Generally, the French used this rule more than the British
-They believed in paternalism: raising the country to believe in your country
Indirect
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When you leave the government (from before) in place OR you find someone else (who lives
there) to rule
o Local government officials used
o Limited self-rule
o Goal: to develop future leaders
o Government institutions are based on European styles, but may have local rules
Examples:
1) British colonies such as Nigeria, India, and Burma
2) U.S. colonies on the Pacific Islands
Advantages:
-cheaper
Disadvantages:
-you can’t trust the ruler as much
-are they loyal? Honest? Hoarding all the profits?
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-not as good at controlling resources
-if there’s a revolt, the soldiers that you hired might join in the revolt
Forms of Imperialism
Form
Definition
Example
Colony (direct rule)
A country or territory governed internally
by a foreign power
A country or territory with its own internal
government, but under the control of an
outside power
An area in which an outside power claims
exclusive investment or trading privileges
An independent but less-developed
country controlled by private business
interests rather than other governments
(when a company owns a country)
Somaliland in East Africa was a
French colony.
Britain established a
protectorate over the Niger
River delta.
Liberia was under the sphere of
influence of the United States.
The Dole Fruit company
controlled pineapple trade in
Hawaii.
Protectorate (indirect)
Sphere of Influence
(indirect rule)
Economic Imperialism
(in between direct and
indirect rule)
Causes of the New Imperialism:
 Many factors contributed to the late 19th century rush for territory and empire, which was in
turn one aspect of Western society’s generalized expansion in the age of industry and
nationalism.
 Despite controversy and complexity, basic causes are clearly identifiable .
1) Colonies = chances at making lots of money and were crucial for political and
diplomatic greatness
**Economic motives played an important role in the extension of political empires,
especially in Britain
-By the late 1870s, France, Germany, and the United States were industrializing rapidly
behind rising tariff barriers  Britain was losing its early lead and facing increasingly tough
competition in foreign markets
-Britain came to value colonial possessions, especially India
-When continental powers began to grab territory in the 1880s, Britain followed
immediately
-they were afraid that France and Germany would seal off their empires with high tariffs
and restrictions, and that future economic opportunities would be lost forever
-The actual overall economic gains of the new imperialism proved quite limited before 1914
-new colonies were too poor to buy much and offered very few immediately
profitable investments
*Colonies became important for political and diplomatic reasons, rather than economic
ones*
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-each leading country saw colonies as crucial to national security, military power, and
international prestige
-even the poorest, most barren desert was jealously prized and no territory was
ever abandoned
-Many people were convinced that colonies were essential to great nations
-Heinrich von Treitschke: German historian who stated how all great nations
will conquer barbarian lands, and those who fail to do this will play a “pitiable
role in time to come”
2) Social Darwinism and racism were used to justify the taking of colonies
“Survival of the fittest”
-Stronger, more industrial nations dominate over the weak
-European nations had to seize colonies to show they were strong
-the conquest of “inferior” people was just
3) New technological and military superiority made conquest possible.
1) The maxim gun (the machine gun) in 1884
-now Europeans had the superior technology
-guns vs. primitive technology such as spears and clubs
-gave Europeans an unfair advantage
2) Quinine for malaria
-controlled malaria
-made from trees in Peru
-was mass produced as pills and is the “tonic” part of gin and tonic
3) Trains, railroads, steamboats, and the telegraph
-better communication
-Western powers could quickly concentrate their firepower in a given area when it
was needed
4) Conservative political leaders manipulated colonial issues in order to divert popular
attention from the class struggle at home, and to create a false sense of national unity
**Conservative leaders defined imperialism as a national necessity, which they used to
justify the status quo and their hold on power**
*Defenders of imperialism claimed that colonies increased workers’ living standard and
provided jobs, promoted national prestige, and were militarily necessary.
-government leaders successfully encouraged the masses to enjoy foreign triumphs and
feel a greater national pride
5) Special interest groups, from shipping companies to missionaries, encouraged
imperialism.
-shipping companies wanted lucrative subsidies for profits
-white settlers demanded more land and greater protection
-missionaries and humanitarians wanted to spread religion and stop the slave trade
-military men and colonial officers foresaw rapid advancement and high paid positions in
growing empires
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A “Civilizing Mission”
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Europeans claimed that imperialism benefited the natives by introducing civilizing
influences, including economic advantages, modern medicine, and higher standards of
living.
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A popular idea was that Europeans should “civilize” more primitive, nonwhite people
-In time, natives might be ready for self-government and Western democracy
Known as the “white man’s burden,” this concept led Europeans to rule rather than liberate
local peoples.
-This concept was popularized by Runyard Kipling (see below).
o Americans too sincerely believed that their civilization had reached unprecedented
heights and should give their unique benefits to all “less advanced” peoples
o Another argument was that imperial government protected natives from tribal warfare,
as well as cruder forms of exploitation by white settlers and business people
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Peace and stability under European control also contributed to the spread of Christianity,
particularly in parts of Africa, such as the Ibo people of Nigeria.
-Catholic and Protestant missionaries competed with Islam, seeking converts and building
schools to spread the Gospel
-Many African’s first real contact with whites was in mission schools
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However, missionary efforts failed in India , China , and the Islamic world, often because
these missionaries were very racist
-Christians often preached in vain to peoples with ancient, complex religious beliefs who
resented the missionaries
-Yet the number of Christians still increased substantially in the 19th century, and missionaries
kept trying
Critics of Imperialism:
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Not everyone believed imperialism was positive.
J. A. Hobson
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He was a radical English economist who wrote Imperialism, after the Boer War
He claimed imperialism was a symptom of unregulated capitalism, particularly the need of the
rich to find outlets for their surplus capital
o He argued that only special interest groups profited, at the expense of the European taxpayer
and the natives.
o Furthermore, he thought it distracted from the need for reform in the home countries.
Arguments of Hobson and other critics weren’t very persuasive though.
-Most people were sold on the idea that imperialism was economically profitable for the
homeland
-A broad and genuine enthusiasm for empire developed among the masses
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Critics also claimed that imperialism was immoral in its treatment of the native peoples
-They criticized Kipling and his kind as racist bullies whose rule rested on brutality, racial
contempt, and the Maxim gun
-Henry Labouchere: a British member of Parliament who mocked Kipling’s poem. He
wrote the “Brown Man’s Burden”
-H. T. Johnson: American who wrote the “Black Man’s Burden”
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-Joseph Conrad: wrote Heart of Darkness (1902)
-described the “pure selfishness” of Europeans in “civilizing” Africa
-the main character changes from a liberal scholar to a savage brute
These critics accused their governments of hypocrisy for conquering others, while they granted
representative government, individual liberties, and a certain equality of opportunity at home.
-They were upset that Europeans imposed military dictatorships on Africans and Asians, forced
them to work involuntarily like slaves, and discriminated against them shamelessly
Poems
“A White Man’s Burden” by Runyard Kipling
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He was perhaps the most influential British writer of the 1890s
He was convinced that white men must unselfishly “civilize” non-Western lands
He wrote this to convince the Americans and Teddy Roosevelt to conquer the Philippines
-It worked: it was a decisive factor in the decision to rule, rather than liberate, the Philippines
after the Spanish-American War
He supported the idea of direct rule- you should teach them
o Believed in paternalism: the idea that Europeans were like the parents of these
childlike natives
He calls the Africans “half devil, half child” – they’re uncivilized like the devil and foolish like children
His poem is full of ironic phrases
-“savage wars of peace”
-“fill mouth of famine” – but they caused more famine
-“captives’ needs” – sees them as captives
-Europeans brought disease[, and didn’t check their pride
-Trying to convince United States to send their best men
The Black Man’s Burden (A Response)
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Written H.T. Johnson in 1899
It was a response to Kipling’s poem
Said that Europeans take advantage of them – it’s not fair because they have clubs and arrows, but
Europeans have guns
Europeans destroyed the native Americans, and now they’re going to destroy the Africans
He depicts them as prideful too- they’re “laughing”
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Responding to Western Imperialism
 Western imperialism created an identity crisis for native peoples because it threatened their
ruling classes, traditional economies, and culture.
The Pattern of Response
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Generally, the initial response of African and Asian rulers to aggressive Western expansion was
to try to drive the unwelcome foreigners away.
o Violent reactions were continually put down by the superior military technology of the
industrialized West
-This was the case of Japan and upper Sudan
Responses varied from traditionalists, who tried to preserve their cultures, to modernizers, who
adopted Western ways.
o Beaten in battle, many traditionalist Africans and Asians concentrated on preserving
their country at all costs
o Others were forced to reconsider their initial hostility
o Some modernizers concluded that the West was superior in some ways, so it’s
necessary to reform their societies and copy some European achievements, especially if
they wished to escape full blow Western political rule
-Like Japan and Egypt
o Struggle between traditionalists and modernizers was often intense, but the
modernizers tended to gain the upper hand with time
Due to the European use of force, most Asians and Africans accepted imperial rule, though often
with minimal enthusiasm.
-In these circumstances, Europeans governed smoothly and effectively, receiving
support from traditionalists (local chiefs, landowners, religious leaders) and modernizers
(western-educated professional classes and civil servants)
Support for European rule among the conforming and accepting millions was shallow and weak
When the opportunity arose, they were often willing to embrace anti-imperialist leaders who
promised greater human dignity and embraced Western liberalism and nationalism.
o They discovered liberalism in the West and realized how hypocritical European
government was
o Above all, they found themselves attracted to modern nationalism, which asserted that
every people had the right to control its own destiny
 The anti-imperialist search for dignity drew strength from the Western thought and
culture itself, as exemplified through India, Japan, and China
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Industrialization and the World Economy:
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Industrialization motivated Western nations to expand their economic interests, either
peacefully or, when necessary, through force in non-Western areas.
The Rise of Global Inequality:
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The Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of a new economic globalization.
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From a global perspective, the ultimate importance of industrialization is that it allowed
industrialized nations increase their wealth and power, becoming far richer than
unindustrialized ones
This created a wide gap between industrialized countries (mainly Europe and North
America) and non-industrialized ones (mainly Africa, Asia, and Latin America)
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This created higher standards of living for industrialized countries
This caused us to evolve into a “lopsided world,” a world of rich lands and poor and
uneven global development
Historical economists have charted this widening gap (See Figure 26.1 on page 848)
-Figure 26.1 compares the long-term evolution of average income per person for Great Britain,
“developed” or industrialized countries (like Europe, North America, and Japan), and Third
World, or non-industrialized, countries (such as Africa Asia, and Latin America)
o Figure 26.1 highlights 3 major points:
1) In 1750, the average income was about the same throughout the whole world.
-In 1750, Europe was still a poor agricultural society
-But by 1970, the average income of a person in the wealthiest countries was 25
times more than a person in the poorest countries of Africa and Asia
2) It was industrialization that opened the gaps in wealth and well-being in countries
-Britain jumped well ahead of everyone by 1830, when they were the most
industrialized
-Other Europeans and the United States gradually caught up to Britain as they
successfully industrialized in the 19th century too
3) Income per person stagnated in Third World countries, which was the total opposite of
industrialized nations
-Third World countries didn’t make any real economic progress until after 1945,
when they began to industrialize too
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The rise of these enormous income inequalities has caused a lot of debate.
o One point of view:
-the West used science, technology, capitalism, and its critical worldview to create
its wealth and greater physical well-being
o Another point of view:
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-the West used its political and economic power to steal most of its riches,
continuing (in the 19th and 20th centuries) its colonialism born of the era of
expansion
These issues are complex and there are few simple answers.
People can agree that:
-technological improvement and more capitalist organization created lots of potential for wealth
-Britain was responsible for many of these developments because they were the 1st to
industrialize and set an example for other countries
-in the 19th century, other industrializing countries joined with Britain to extend western
domination over the entire world economy
-As a result, lots of wealth was created, but most of it flowed to the West and its propertied
classes
The World Market
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The rapid growth of world trade in the nineteenth century helped create a global
economy, centered in and directed by Europe
-Trade between nations has always stimulated the economy
-This was especially true in the 19th century, as world trade grew
-In 1913, the value of world trade was about $38 billion, 25 times what it had been in 1800, even
though prices of sold goods were cheaper in 1913 than 1800
Great Britain played a key role in using trade to tie the world together economically
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Britain led the way with its colonial empire
-In 1815, they already had possessions in India, Canada, Australia, and other scattered areas
The Industrial Revolution allowed Britain to manufacture goods more cheaply, so they far
outstripped the demand for such goods in their country
-they were making so many goods, so fast and so efficiently, that they had more than they
needed and could therefore sell this surplus
o So they sought raw materials and export markets for their manufactured goods
For example: the cotton textile industry
-By 1820, Britain was exporting 50% of its production
-Europe bought 50% of these exports, while India only bought 6%
-When European nations started protective tariffs and promoted domestic industry (caused by
nationalism), Britain turned to non-Western markets
-By 1850, India was buying 25% and Europe only 16% of their goods
-India couldn’t raise tariffs enough to protect its cotton industry  several Indian
weavers lost their livelihoods
Britain became the world’s single best market after the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846
-Until 1914, they remained the best and allowed agricultural products, raw materials, and
manufactured goods to enter freely
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-Free access to Britain’s market stimulated the development of mines and plantations in many
non-Western areas
Technological advances in transportation and communication facilitated the process and
encouraged massive foreign investments
 Railroads
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-Railroad construction began 1st in Europe and then in America, and spread to other parts of the
globe after 1860
-By 1920, more than ¼ of all railroads in the world were in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and
Australia
-Railroads reduced transportation costs, opened new economic opportunities, and called forth
new skills and attitudes
-Railroads in Latin America, Asia, and Africa connected seaports with inland cities
*Railroads helped the inflow and sale of Western goods, and the export and development of
raw materials
Steam power
-Steam power finally began to help sails and boats all over the world by late 1860s
-Lighter, stronger, cheaper steel replaced iron, which had replaced wood
-passenger and freight rates went down  allowed an easier intercontinental shipment of lowpriced raw materials
This revolution in land and sea transportation helped Europeans open up vast new territories and
produce raw materials in these territories that they could sell to Europe
-Improved transportation allowed colonies to ship even more raw materials for industry: jute,
rubber, cotton, and coconut oil along with spices, tea, sugar, and coffee
Other factors that helped intercontinental trade
o The Suez and Panama canals
o Continual investment made loading and unloading cheaper, faster, and more
dependable
o The telegraph helped with rapid communications among the financial centers of the
world, and especially helped communicate and compare prices of company goods
The growth of trade and transportation encouraged the expanding European economy to make
massive foreign investments, beginning around 1840
-By WWI in 1914, Europeans had invested more the $40 billion abroad
-Principal countries = Britain, France, and Germany
Most of the capital exported didn’t go to European colonies or protectorates in Asia and Africa
-¾ of foreign investment went to other European countries
-by lending money for a foreign railroad, Europeans allowed the Europeans living there to
develop sources of cheap food and raw materials
-must of this investment was peaceful and mutually beneficial for lenders and borrowers
The victims of this whole situation = the Native American Indians and other natives who were
destroyed b disease, liquor, and weapons because of the Europeans
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The Great Migration
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Western influence on other parts of the world was accelerated by the great migration, as many
people left their homeland to live in other countries.
It spread out the amount of European people throughout the world, making it not as
concentrated in Europe
Migration also led to imperialism, like in South Africa
The Pressure of Population
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In the early 18th century, the growth of European population entered its third and decisive stage,
which continued until the early 20th century
-birthrates and death rates declined in the 19th century, mainly because of the rising standard of
living and the medical revolution
-the population of Europe more than doubled from 118 million in 1800 to 432 million in 1900
Rapid European population growth in the nineteenth century, particularly in areas with little
industrialization, led to land and work shortages.
-As people saw little available land and few opportunities, they migrated
Seeking economic opportunities, more than 60 million people emigrated
-These migrants usually went to the “areas of European settlement”: the Americas, Australia ,
New Zealand , and Siberia, where they contributed to a rapid growth in numbers and rapidly
westernized the cultures.
-lots of people emigrated from countries that were not very industrialized yet
-millions of country folk went abroad as well as to nearby cities in search of work and
economic opportunity
The growing number of Europeans was another reason for Western expansion and was a driving
force behind emigration
The number of men and women who left Europe increased rapidly before World War I
-more than 11 million left between 1900 and 1910
Different countries had very different patterns of movement which mirrored social and economic
conditions in the various European countries and provinces
-people left Britain and Ireland in large numbers from the 1840s on
-this emigration reflected rural poverty and the movement of skilled, industrial
technicians
-about 1/3 of all European migrants came from the British Isles
-But in Germany, migration was quite different. It grew irregularly: first peaking, then declining
as Germany became more industrialized
-But in Italy, more and more Italians left up until 1914, reflecting severe problems in Italian
villages and relatively slow industrial growth
Although the United States absorbed the largest number of European migrants, less than half of all
migrants went to the United States.
-Lots went to various places such as Asiatic Russia, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, and New
Zealand
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-the common American assumption that European migration meant migration to the US is quite
inaccurate
European Migrants
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Typical European migrants were peasants or village craftsmen whose traditional life was rapidly
changing due to industrialization.
-German peasants for example left because they felt trapped by the German economy and the
declining craft industries
-Selling out and moving to buy much cheaper land in the American Midwest became very
common
-European migrants were trying hard to stay ahead of poverty
Often seeking cheaper land in the Americas, they made valuable economic contributions to their
new countries with their labor.
-they were determined to maintain or improve their status
-the vast majority was young and very often unmarried, and was ready to work
-many Europeans moved, but remained within Europe, settling temporarily or permanently in
other European countries
Some migrated to other European countries, and many would eventually return home.
-People who migrated from the Balkans were much more likely to return to their countries than
Jews or people from Ireland
-Non-Jewish migrants from Russia had access to land and returned much more frequently to
their peasant villages in central Russia, Poland, and Ukraine
The mass movement of Italians illustrates many of the characteristics of European migration
-In the 1880s, 3 out of 4 Italians depended on agriculture
-land-owning peasants whose standard of living was falling began to leave their country
-many Italians went to the United States, but more went to Argentina and Brazil
-many Italians had no intention of settling abroad permanently, and called themselves swallows.
-after harvesting their own wheat and flax in Italy, they “flew” to Argentina to harvest
wheat between December and April. Returning to Italy for the spring planting, they
repeated this exhausting process.
Ties of family and friendship played a crucial role in the movement of peoples
-many people from a given province or village settled together in tightly knit neighborhoods
-often a strong individual would blaze the way and others would follow, forming a “migration
chain”
Other migrants were motivated by political and social repression.
Some were motivated by a spirit of revolt and independence
-In Sweden and Norway, young landless European men and women felt frustrated by the small
privileged classes, which often controlled both church and government and resisted demands
for change and greater opportunity
-thus, for many, migration was a radical way to “get out from under”
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Migration slowed down when the people won basic political and social reforms, such as the
right to vote and social security
Asian Migrants
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Not all migration was from Europe. Lots of people responded to rural hardship and permanently or
temporarily migrated from Asia, from places like China, Japan, India, and the Philippines
Approximately 3 million Asians emigrated prior to 1920
Most became indentured laborers in plantations or gold mines, where they were practically slaves.
-they had to work under terrible conditions
-In Cuba, for example, there was a strong demand for field hands, so the Spanish government
recruited Chinese laborers, who were basically slaves
As a result, Asians rapidly fled these conditions to pursue better opportunities in trade and cities.
-In cities they came into conflict with local populations, and these Europeans demanded a halt
to Asian migration
Prejudice against Asian immigrants led to discriminatory laws, called great white walls, to limit Asian
immigration in many countries.
-The general policy of “whites only” became part of Western dominance in the increasingly
lopsided world
-Europeans reaped the main benefits from migration
By 1913, people in Australia, Canada, and the United States had higher average incomes than people
in Britain (which was still Europe’s wealthiest nation)
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Western Imperialism (1880–1914):
 Western expansion peaked between 1880 and 1914, not only through migration and economic
means, but also through political domination.
 The consequences of this new imperialism included increased rivalry among European states
that competed for colonies, especially in African and Asia, and ultimately led to war.
Egypt
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Sets the model for imperialism
-illustrates the exploding power of the expanding European economy and society and their
appeal in non-Western lands
-this new model was based on military force, political domination, and a self-justifying ideology
of beneficial reform
-this model dominated until 1914
-Thus Europe’s industrial revolution led to tremendous political as well as economic expansion
throughout the world after 1880
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Was controlled by the French when Napoleon I conquered Egypt  when the French left, it
created a power vacuum  the Ottomans stepped in and ruled  was later taken over by
the British
The Ottoman ruler, Muhammad Ali, established a strong, independent Egypt by building up the
military and reforming the government along Western standards.
-Muhammad Ali stepped in after Napoleon invaded Egypt and occupied the territory for 3 years
-built up a powerful army
-drafted the peasants
-hired Italian and French army officers
-his policies of modernization attracted lots of Europeans
-Europeans served many jobs: army officers, engineers, doctors, government officials,
and police officers
To pay for his plans of modernization, Muhammad Ali took over farms and forced Egyptians to grow
cash crops, in order to encourage the development of commercial agricultures
-Egyptian peasants were poor, but largely self-sufficient
-Egyptian landowners “modernized” agriculture, but to the detriment of peasant well-being, as
they forced them to grow cash crops
The khedive, or prince, Ismail, son of Muhammad Ali, saw the Suez Canal completed but
accumulated an enormous debt.
-He was a westernizing autocrat
-He promoted cotton production and caused exports to Europe to boom with irrigation
-He was too impatient and reckless, and all of his projects were so expensive that Egypt was in a
lot of debt by 1876
**He had borrowed money from France, Britain and other European countries
Inability to pay this debt led to French and British intervention.
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-The British and French governments tried to oversee Egyptian finances:
-This was a change to direct European rule, a sharp break from the old imperialism
centered on trade and investment.
-Europeans were going to determine the state budget and effectively rule Europe
-the French and British didn’t want them to declare bankruptcy because they would lose the
money that they had loaned out
Foreign financial control led to a violent nationalistic uprising among Egyptian religious leaders,
army officers, and young intellects.
They formed the Egyptian Nationalist Party
Britain then used military force to gain control of Egypt
-British forces put down the bloody rebellions in Alexandria and occupied all of Egypt
-The British said their occupation was temporary, but they stayed in Egypt until 1956
o Until Britain took over, Egypt was ruled by economic imperialism.
*They kept the khedive in power, but he was just a puppet*(like a direct rule)
-British rule resulted in tax reforms and somewhat better conditions for peasants, while foreign
bondholders received their interest
Africa
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Before in 1878: only 10% of Africa was colonized
-It was hard to penetrate into Africa  it was uncharted so they depended on African tribe
leaders on the inside
-Europeans just traded with ports
Europeans thought that they were bringing order to the Africans and “civilizing them”
1900, Europeans controlled almost all of Africa, except for Ethiopia and Liberia
-The French had begun conquering Algeria in 1830, and by 1880 numbers of French, Italian, and
Spanish colonists had settled among the overwhelming Arab majority
-Between 1880 and 1900, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy scrambled for African possessions
In the years before 1914, the European powers tightened their control and established colonial
governments to rule their gigantic empires
Why they couldn’t take over Africa before:
1) Africa had strong powerful tribes that were difficult to conquer
2) African superiority of technology
3) Disease (especially malaria)
4) Navigating through Africa was very difficult  fear of the unknown
-the Nile runs north
Changes:
1) Maxim gun (1884)
-now they had the superior technology
-primitive African technology vs. European machine guns
2) Quinine for malaria
-made from trees in Peru
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-was mass produced as pills and is the “tonic” part of gin and tonic
3) Trains, railroads, and steamboats
-better communication
**Also, Africans weren’t really unified
-there were many tribes, languages, cultures, and religions that had rivalries against
each other
-couldn’t consolidate to fight off Europe
Explorers

Another problem = fear of the unknown
Solution = an explorer

Dr. David Livingstone (late 1860s)
-Scottish missionary
-was interested in:
1) Mapping out the area
2) Spreading Christianity
3) Finding the source of the Nile
-He disappeared in the interior of Africa in the late 1860s


The New York Herald sent a journalist and reporter named Henry Stanly to look for him
-makes people excited and interested in exploring Africa and its glory
-excites the world for imperialism and conquering
They met up at Tanganyika Lake in 1871
-Stanley’s famous line—“Dr. Livingstone, I Presume”
-kind of ironic: who else could it be?
-they came back
The Belgium Congo


Belgium led the colonization of the interior of Africa and started a chain reaction
Stanley was given money by King Leopold II of Belgium to establish trading stations, sign treaties
with African tribes, and plant Leopold’s flag
-He sent Stanley to justify Belgian control and make things official
-So Stanley went and convinced the natives to sign the treaties, therefore signing all their
territory to Leopold I
-the natives had no idea what they were signing
This was mainly a show for European powers
-He sold this idea to them by saying it’s for the better of the people, to educate them by:
1) bringing the light of Christianity
2) preventing them from being in slavery
-His real motivation = greed, money, and profit
-The powers thought Leopold was an idiot for doing this, but they approved it anyways
-France was worried by Leopold’s actions though
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-they sent Pierre de Brazza to establish a French protectorate on the north bank of the
Congo River just in case
Makes lots of money from his Belgium Congo
-He enslaves people and makes them get rubber sap from trees
-10 million died = ½ the population
The Belgian parliament took over to run it
-continued to mistreat them
-“Heart of Darkness” = the book written about these horrors
o For control:
-They would cut off the hands of workers if they didn’t meet the quota
-Held women hostage so the men would meet the quota
They changed their policies because so many people were dying  there wasn’t going to be a labor
force left to pick rubber
 This is a common theme among countries in Africa
o
o
By forcing people to grow cash crops, these people don’t have enough time to grow food
and take care of themselves
Many died from:
1) Disease
2) Starvation
The Berlin Conference (1884 – 1885)


Problem with imperialism: it could lead to war
o Europe had caught “African fever” and the race for territory was on
Solution: the Berlin conference
This international conference was called by Jules Ferry of France and Bismarck of Germany
-Bismarck had seen little value in colonies prior to 1880, but then suddenly made a switch in
1884 as political expansion grew
-Germany established protectorates over a number of small African kingdoms and tribes
-In acquiring territories, Bismarck cooperated with France’s Ferry, against the British.
-With Bismarck’s approval, the French pressed on with expansion
European powers divided up Africa
-no single European power would be able to claim the entire continent
-they also recognized Leopold’s personal rule over a neutral Congo free state and agreed to
work to stop slavery and the slave trade in Africa
A country could have a territory if they could show that:
1) Nobody else had a claim to it
2) They could rule effectively
No Africans were invited

Importance: this shapes the map of Africa

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o
o
Causes the mess in Africa
Europeans just took over with no regard to the different tribes
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o

They split tribes in half, or put rival tribes together in the same territory
 As a result, when the Europeans leave, they kill each other
Example = Rwanda
-The Dutch made a tribe to help them rule. This tribe was called the Tootsies, and consisted of
the lighter skinned people
-The Whotoo, another tribe, were so upset about being mistreated that they took revenge when
the Dutch left
Upper Sudan
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The British began enlarging their West African territories
General Horatio Kitchener moved successfully up the Nile River, building a railroad to help supply
arms and reinforcements
Finally, in 1898, these British troops fought tribes at the Battle of Omdurman, and completely
destroyed Africans with their guns
-Winston Churchill was a young British officer in this battle
Kitchener’s armies continued up the Nile and found a small French force already occupied the village
of Fashoda.
-The French had been determined to beat the British to the upper Nile, one of Africa’s last
unclaimed areas, and had succeeded.
-This led to serious diplomatic crisis and the threat of war
France eventually withdrew its forces, unwilling to fight and divided by the Dreyfus Affair, and
allowed the British to take over
The British conquest of Sudan exemplifies the general process of empire building in Africa,
particularly destroying natives with superior military technology
 But no matter how much the European powers squabbled for territory and privilege around the
world, they always had the sense to stop short of actually fighting each other.
 Imperial ambitions were not worth a great European war.
The only independent states:
1) Ethiopia
*The only country that was able to stand up against Europe
o In 1896: A new emperor Menelik II came into power
o French + Italians + British all wanted his territory
-he plays European powers off of each other
o The French and Russians sold arms to Ethiopia
o The Italians decided to take over the territory
-They got the agreement of Britain and France
o Italy gave a treaty to Menelik for him to sign
In Ethiopian: says that they will give up a little bit of land
In Italian: says that they will give up their entire empire
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o Menelik signed it  found out what the treaty really said and what happened  is furious
 He declares war on Italy
o The Battle of Adowa (1896)
-Ethiopians defeated the Italians
-low blow to the Italians, very humiliating
-this was the Ethiopian’s only true success
o Menelik continued to get weapons from Europeans to protect himself just in case
o After this, the European powers agreed not to give away weapons to African countries
o As a result:
**Italy was the only European country without African territory
-In 1931, Musellini decided to send in Italians to conquer Ethiopians
-Ethiopians had weapons from 1896 still
-The Italians had new weapons that destroyed the Ethiopians
2) Liberia
-not completely independent—protected by the United States
-where slaves could return to Africa from the United States
Maji Maji Revolt (1905)
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Takes place in German East Africa
The natives were forced to grow cash crops of cotton  they couldn’t provide enough food for the
themselves and their community  starvation
20 different tribes went against the Germans
It was a terrible catastrophe for the tribes
“Maji Maji” means magic water
-the tribes believed that by putting this magic water on themselves, the bullets couldn’t hurt
them
On the German side: 389 Africans and 15 Germans died
On the African side: 200,000 died
It was a completely unfair battle
-Africans were very unsophisticated: had clubs and spears
After the revolt, the tribes were still forced to make cotton
-Another 200,000 died from starvation
-Europeans looked at them like a huge supply of workers and didn’t care if they died
South Africa

The only real fighting between European powers took place here

British vs. Dutch
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The Dutch = Afrikaners and Boers (= farmers)
Originally, the Dutch settled in South Africa
But more and more British moved there and then kicked the Dutch out
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-They wanted the Cape of Good Hope especially
-They took possession of these Dutch settlements at Cape Town during the wars with Napoleon I

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The Dutch moved up north in the “Great Trek” (1835)
-disgruntled Dutch cattle ranchers and farmers moved into the interior, to Transvaal and Orange
Free State
-the Afrikaners proclaimed their political independence and defended it against British armies
-By 1880, Afrikaners and British settlers, who hated each other, had wrestled control of most of
South Africa from the African tribes
-Then the Afrikaners found gold and diamonds here
-Gold rush  everyone wanted to move there
-But the Dutch wanted it just for themselves  they denied anyone from Europe political rights,
except Holland
Britain tried to incite a riot, but it was put down  the Dutch were angry
Led to the Boer War
The Boer War (1899-1902)
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1st modern war
Total war: using everything at your disposal for war
Dutch used guerilla tactics
British used concentration camps
-captured women and children and Africans on the side of the Dutch
-lots died from disease
British also used “slash and burn” = kill the land to kill the guerilla armies

Effects:
-Britain was victorious
-created animosity throughout Europe
-led to Britain creating alliances with France, as Germany spread bad press about Britain through
Europe
-Britain controlled the area, but Afrikaners had limited rights and power
-Afrikaners were able to use their numerical superiority over the British settlers to
gradually take political power
-The British, led by Cecil Rhodes in the Cape Colony, tried to go over the heads of the
Afrikaners and established protectorates in Bechuanaland and Rhodesia
-Cecil Rhodes = face of British imperialism
-By 1910, South Africa became an official colony. It gets larger when they finally defeated the
Zulu, a powerful African tribe.
-By 1910, Dutch territories were combined with the Cape Colony and the province of
Natal in a new Union of South Africa. This union was established as a largely “selfgoverning colony”
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Imperialism in India
In the 1800s- Britain and France wanted India

1600s- Britain established trading posts in India’s main cities
-Calcatta, Bonsay, and Madras

Mughul Dynasty
o
-Muslims who controlled the larger Hindu population of India
By 1707, the Ming Dynasty was on its downfall
-Some started to break away and declare independence
-Britain tried to gain more influence at this time
Battle of Plassey (1757)
-part of the 7 Years War
 Robert Clives: the general who was hired by the British East India Trading Company
 He led this defeat of the French and Mughul empire
 Result = the British East India Trading Company runs India from 1757 – 1858
 They needed the help of the Sepoys
-Sepoys = Indian troops for hire (basically mercenaries)
-problem: Indians controlling Indians
Your arming the people that you’re trying to control
-“It’s a dangerous and delicate machine”
 India = “the jewel in the crown”
1) Lots of resources: tea, jute (for rope), cotton, indigo, opium (sold to China; addictive)
2) Prestige of owning such a large territory that everyone wanted
3) Population = 300 million = the largest population ruled by a country
-had the 3rd largest railroad network
4) Lots of money to be made
 1858- the British East Company ends with a huge revolt
-It’s called the Great Rebellion by the Indians
-It’s called the Mutiny by the British
“The Great Rebellion” or “The Mutiny”

Causes
1) Background
-living under harsh conditions
-not treated equally
-an Indian engineer made 20 times less than a British one
-separate cars for Indians
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-British had weddings at the Taj Mahal (a burial chamber of a Mughul wife and one of the
world’s 7 wonders)
-some people took pieces out of it as souveniers
-British changed the Indian gardens
-Forced Indians to buy British cloth
-This almost destroyed the Indian textile industry
2) Rumor that cartridges are lined with pork and beef fats
-Pork upset Muslims, Beef upset Hindus
-Soldiers refused to use them to load their guns
-The British arrested them
-This news gets around


Led to rebellion: The sepoys revolt
British government sent troops and put down the revolt
o There were divisions between Hindus and Muslims because the Hindus resented being
controlled by the Muslims
 Atrocity at the House of Ladies
-was a country club where wives and their kids would hang out
-Sepoys broke in and slaughtered the women and children
-the British captured the Sepoys and made them drink the blood off the ground.
-They then shot them all.
-not all of the Sepoys were responsible
*This didn’t make the British look good
 1858 – 1948: British decided to use direct rule instead, called the Raj
-lasted until after World War II



After crushing this rebellion in 1857–1858, a small British civil service administered India with a
sense of cultural and racial superiority
-the white elite was competent and generally well-disposed toward the welfare of the Indian
peasants masses
-yet there was still strict job discrimination and social segregation, and most of its members
considered the Indian people to be “racially inferior”
British women played an important art in the imperial enterprise
-After the opening of the Suez Canal, it was much easier for civil servants and businessmen to
bring their wives and children with them
-These British families tended to live in their own separate communities, where they lived in
good conditions. The wife ran this complex household and relished their duties.
-Wives directed their household servants with the same confident authoritarianism that
characterized British political rule in India
A small minority of British women sought to shoulder the “white women’s burden” in India
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-They tried to improve the lives of Indian women, both Muslim and Hindu, and to move them
closer through education and legislation to the better conditions that they believed Western
women had attained
-Their greatest success was educating some elite Hindu women who took up the cause of
reform.
With British men and women sharing a sense of mission and superiority, the British acted
energetically and introduced many desirable changes to India.
Reforms included:
1) Better education
-British realized they needed education Indians to serve in the army and government as
skilled subordinates
2) The development of a bureaucratic Indian elite
-the British offered some Indians excellent opportunities for both economic and social
advancement
-High-caste Hindus soon formed a new elite that was profoundly influenced by Western
thought and culture.
3) Economic development
-this new elite played a role in economic development
-irrigation projects for agriculture, the world’s 3rd largest railroad network, and large tea
and jute plantations were all developed
-unfortunately, the lot of the Indian masses improved little, for the increase in
production was eaten up by population increase
4) The creation of a unified state
-with a well-educated, English-speaking Indian bureaucracy and modern
communications
-they put all of the different Hindu and Muslim peoples, people who had fought each
other for centuries, under one system of government
Indians responded nationalistically with resentment of racial discrimination and foreign political
control.
-An Indian could never become the white ruler’s equal
-for example, the top jobs were sealed off to Indians
-peasant masses accepted this inequality, but the Indian elite felt an injured pride and bitter
injustice and were upset about the European’s hypocrisy: they ruled India with a dictatorship
even though their countries were liberal and democratic
By 1885, the Hindu Indian National Congress was demanding equality, self-government, and
ultimately independence.
-Lots wanted home rule for India through an elected parliament
 The common heritage of the British rule and Western ideals, along with the reform and
revitalization of the Hindu religion, had created a genuine movement for national independence
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The worst things about this rule:
1) Famines
-because of cash crops (like in Africa)
-10 million died
2) Indians were allowed their religion and their caste system BUT racist missionaries continued
to try to convert people
Shooting an Elephant
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By George Orwell
Talks about how the Indians show resentment towards the British
-spit on them
-tripped him at a soccer game
The elephant represents the British empire
-out of control
-he saw the empire as slowly dying, just like the elephant slowly died
-the Indians will take back what they lost, just like the natives in the book skinned the elephant
He was happy that a “coolie” was killed because it justified his shooting
“Coolie” = an Indian worker
He also wrote Animal Farm and 1984
China and Japan
 Europe’s peaceful development in North America, Australia, and Latin America was
considered the most important aspect of Europe’s global expansion
 However, their conquest of old, densely population civilizations in Asia was also very
significant, especially for the natives who lived their
 Europeans increased their trade and profit, and they were prepared to use force, if
necessary, to attain their desires
 This is what happened in China and Japan, two crucial examples of the general pattern
of intrusion into non-Western lands
Japan

Prior to the 1850s – the Japanese were isolationists
-Europeans first arrived in Japan in the 16th century and by 1640, Japan had reacted quite
negatively to their presence
-the government decided to seal off the country from all European influences in order to
preserve traditional Japanese culture and society
-thought they were superior
-saw the outside as dangerous
-wanted no influence from the outside
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- Japan’s isolation seemed hostile and barbaric to the West, especially to the United States
-it thwarted their hope of trade and profit
-American shipwrecked ships couldn’t stop in Japan
-America also felt destined to play a great role in the pacific, and felt as if it was their
duty to force the Japanese to share their ports and behave as a “civilized” nation
1853 – Commodore Matthew Perry got a letter from President Filmore

-Letter said to open up free trade and ports between the United States and Japan
-Perry was sent to Japan with 4 steamships/ warships
-He showed up at Tokyo Harbor
-the Japanese thought their steamships were on fire
-had never seen such advanced technology
-Told them they had a year to open their ports or he would come back
Perry showed up in less than a year  difficult position for Japan
Give in OR fight back??
Treaty of Kanagawa


-Shocked and humiliated, Japan reluctantly gave in and signed a treaty
-opened 2 ports and permitted trade
By 1860, several ports were opened to outsiders and Europeans and Americans gained
extraterritorial rights
-Extraterritorial rights = they only had to answer to their country, not Japan  could do
whatever they wanted to do
-basically, they had immunity
-caused resentment of foreigners
-Japan was “opened” with only the threat of war, unlike the British opening of China
This led to a fight within the Japanese government
-Shogun – the Japanese hereditary military governor running the government at this time
-People wanted him overthrown
-they were upset that so many foreign countries were coming to their ports. They didn’t
want Western ideas corrupting their society
-saw the shogun as weak
-The samurai, the Japanese nobility, helped to overthrow the shogun
Emperor Mutsuhito


-Replaced the shogun and was in charge
o He started the Meiji Restoration and Reform (or “Enlightened Rule”) in 1867
o The most important goal = meet the foreign threat
o He realized the way to fight the Europeans = become like the Europeans
-He dropped anti-foreign attacks
-He tried to industrialize Japan so it could control its own history
He abolished the old feudal system and formed a strong unified state.
What to copy:
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-declared social equality like French Revolution
-Railroads and modern factories
-army like Germany with 3 year military service for all males
-this army of draftees effectively put down disturbances in the country
-In 1887, it was used to crush a major rebellion by traditionalists mad about losing their
feudal privileges
-navy like Britain
-the United States public school system
-Japanese students were encouraged to study abroad
-Governments hired foreign experts who were replaced by trained Japanese as soon as possible
-created a free, competitive, government-stimulated economy
-increased freedom of movement so people could travel abroad
-In 1890, they copied the German constitution and rejected democracy
To become a world power  become imperialistic
-They decided to focus on Asia
-Russia got in the way of the Asian empire they were trying to create  led to the RussoJapanese wars
1894: repealed the extraterritorial rights
In World War I – they joined to take over German colonies
In World War II – they joined to gain more territory
Russo-Japanese Wars (1904-1905)



Cause:
-Japan wanted Korea, and Russia wanted Korea and trading rights in Manchuria
-In 1903, Japan told Russia if they stayed out of Korea, they would give them trading rights in
Manchuria
-Russia disagreed
-Nicholas II wanted to go to war on some level because:
-he knew there was discontent and thought that winning would create feelings of
nationalism
-he thought it would be an easy win
In 1904, the Japanese launched a surprise attack and drove Russian troops out of Korea
-They captured Russia’s pacific fleet
-This demonstrated how poorly led the Russian troops were
Treaty of Portsmouth
-signed in New Hampshire in 1905 with President Roosevelt
-Russia agreed to withdraw from Manchuria and Korea – humiliating defeat for Russia
-Japan got all the land it captured
-America got the prestige and status
-By 1910, Japan got Korea and became a major imperialist power

Effects of the War on Russia:
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-crushing blow to Russia
-showed that the “Steamroller” Russia wasn’t as powerful as they used to be
-The Russian military deserted because there wasn’t enough pay led to food shortages and
inflation
-Sparked Bloody Sunday
-stopped Russian colonial expansion in the West
-part of the reason why they couldn’t help Serbia in 1908
 Japan became the first non-western country to use an ancient love of country to transform itself
and meet the challenge of Western expansion
 Japan demonstrated that a modern Asian nation could defeat and humble a great Western
power
 Japan provided patriots throughout Asia and Africa with an inspiring example of national
recovery and liberation
China
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In 1793: the Qing emperor was visited by a British ambassador
-Europeans weren’t allowed to look at the emperor
The ambassador thought he was going to impress the Chinese with all types of technology
-showed them clocks, watches, and even a hot air balloon
-trying to get them to want to trade with Britain
The emperor was unimpressed and said that China had everything it needs
o China was very self sufficient
-had trade with the Portuguese and Spanish and got sweet potatoes and maize
 helped feed their population
-rich in minerals
-sent more goods and inventions to Europe than it received
o Europeans wanted:
 silk, cotton, porcelains, tea
 Imperialists wanted it because it’s a huge market, so there’s lots of people to
trade with
1845: 400 million people in China
 Missionaries – there’s lots of people for them to convert
The Chinese decided to open one port called Guangzhon (Canton) to the Europeans to satisfy
them
-But it’s not a fair trade balance  the Chinese got the better of them
-The Qing dynasty had required all foreign merchants to live in the southern city of Canton and
to buy from and sell to only the local merchant monopoly
-For years, this little community of foreign merchants had to accept this system, until the 1820s,
when the British emerged on the scene
The British wanted more ports opened
Opium trade:
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-China had outlawed opium
-Opium was illegal in Britain, but they thought it was okay to trade it with the Chinese
-The British grew opium in British-occupied India, and then smuggled it into China
-British merchants in Canton had a goal: to create an independent British colony in
China and “safe and unrestricted liberty in trade” with more ports
-By 1835: 12 million addicts
The Opium Wars (1839-1842)
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Cause: The Chinese sank a British boat with opium on it
-The Qing government wanted to stop opium trade because they thought it was harmful to
Chinese interests. They thought it was ruining the people and stripping the empire of its silver,
because merchants used silver to pay the British for the opium.
The British declared war on them
o The British wanted to go to war with them
-wanted to defeat the Chinese to force them to give them more ports
It wasn’t a fair war: the British had a superior navy and weapons
-British used troops from India and occupied several coastal cities with their navy
-forced the Chinese to surrender
1842: Solved with the Treaty of Nanjing (the book calls it the Treaty of Nanking)
-more ports were opened
-Europeans and Americans got extraterritorial rights
-the British got Hong Kong
As a result:
-opium trade flourished
-Hong Kong developed rapidly as an Anglo-Chinese territory
-China continued to accept foreign diplomats in Beijing (Peking),the imperial capital
-There was a second round of war between 1859 and 1860, which resulted in British and French
occupation in Beijing
-Another harsh treaty gave Europeans more privileges and protection
-Thus Europeans used military aggression to blow a hole in the wall of Chinese seclusion and
open the country to foreign trade and ideas
In 1860, the Qing Dynasty in China managed to overcome what appeared to be an imminent
collapse and continued its rule.
-Efforts to repel foreigners had failed, and rebellion and chaos wracked the country
-Yet the government drew on its traditional strengths and made a surprising comeback.
-Two factors were crucial in this reversal
1) Strong leadership that introduced reforms
-loyal generals quelled rebellions and disturbances
-the empress dowager Tzu His helped to revitalize the bureaucracy
2) Less destructive foreign aggression
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-happened after Europeans had obtained their goal of trade and diplomatic
relations
-Some Europeans even contributed to the dynasty’s recovery.
-An Irishman reorganized China’s customs office and increased the
government tax receipts
-A sympathetic American diplomat represented China in foreign lands
and helped strengthen the central government.
-These efforts helped the dynasty adopt some aspects of Western government
and technology, while still maintaining traditional Chinese values and beliefs

Success would not last, however, due to Japanese imperialism.
o Japan realized that they need to industrialize
o China didn’t and were slow to industrialize  much more of a gradual change than Japan
o China wanted to hold on to traditions and be self-sufficient
*As a result, Japan dominates over china

Chinese defeat in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895 led to a rush of foreign involvement.
-In 1898, it appeared that the European powers might actually divide China among themselves,
like they carved up Africa
Why it wasn’t divided up:
1) the jealousy each nation felt towards its imperialist competitors
2) China wasn’t as profitable and full of resources as Africa
3) Africa wasn’t a single entity like China- It was divided with different tribes to begin
with
4) Europe had more respect for China because they were more “civilized” and had a
centralized government
5) U.S. Open Door Policy (1899)
 passed by American President McKinley
 officially establishes free trade with China for everyone
 The U.S. came up witih this because
1) Didn’t want to go to war with China about trade
2) Didn’t want China to be carved up like Africa
-It was in America’s best interests to keep China united so they could
have ports for trade
Hundred Days of Reform
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
Some leaders thought that China needed to be westernized, so the government launched a
desperate hundred days of reform in an attempt to meet the foreign challenge.
This was a very half-hearted attempt at industrialization, and it didn’t do anything
Traditionalists got in the way
Boxer Rebellion (1900-1903)
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
Rebellion against foreigners, not the government
Boxers = secret society of low class workers and peasants with little education
-they believed in spiritual possessions: the idea that gods would possess them so they could
fight skillfully and be immune to guns

Causes:

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
1) Upset about Christian missionaries trying to convert them and telling them that their religion,
language, and customs are wrong. They weren’t being respectful of Chinese culture and were
too forceful.
2) Mad about Europeans and Americans getting extraterritorial rights
-they felt like they were superior to the Europeans and Americans
-Many Europeans were taking over trading posts
3) Catalyst: Floods and droughts
-thought it was a sign that the gods were angry and were punishing them
-the only way to appease the gods is to get rid of the foreigners
They called foreigners “secondary devils”
Empress Dowager was in power at this time, and she waited to see what was going to happen
before taking sides
-She secretly supported the Boxers, but didn’t want to be on their side if they were crushed
She sided with the Boxers because they were doing well and because she was tricked.
-an adviser gave her a forged letter from Europe that said they were planning on kicking her out
of power
Goal of Boxers = restore Chinese culture and way of life in Beijing
-They attacked the little European “cities” within the Chinese cities that consisted of embassies
and trading posts
-It took weeks for the European and American cavalry to come to the aid of the Europeans and
Americans in China
The Europeans and Americans, who were in these embassies under attack, made a heroic effort and
stayed alive
Once again, the imperialist response was quick and harsh
-Peking (Beijing) was occupied and plundered by foreign armies
-Europeans looted China and Beijing
-A heavy indemnity was imposed

Empress Dowager stepped down, but then made a comeback  she changed her loyalty and sided
with the Europeans and killed many Boxers.
-she was a smart politician

Importance:
1) Shows Chinese resentment of foreigners and imperialistic European countries
2) Causes the Chinese to start to industrialize
1905: empress dowager started moving towards reform
*This was 40 years after Japan had started  Japan had a huge advantage
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Chapter 26
31
The Aftermath
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


The years that followed the Boxer rebellion were very troubled
In 1912, the Qing dynasty was overthrown
A loose coalition of revolutionaries proclaimed a Western-style republic and called for an elected
parliament.
The transformation of China under the impact of expanding Western society entered a new phase,
and the end was not in sight.
Imperialism in Asia:
 Europeans also extended their political control in Asia
-The Dutch gained control over most of the East Indies.
-In 1815, the Dutch only ruled the little island of Java in the East Indies
-they gradually brought almost all of the East Indies under their political authority
-they had to share some with Britain and Germany
-The French took Indochina, under the leadership of Ferry.
-Russia gained territory to their south, in Central Asia, and in outer Chinese provinces.
-The United States gained the Philippines.
-they took it from Spain in 1898 after the Spanish-American War
-when it became clear that the United States had no intention of granting independence,
Philippine patriots rose in revolt and were suppressed only after long bitter fighting
-some Americans protested the taking of the Philippines, but with no success
-Thus another great Western power joined the imperialist ranks in Asia.
Stuff from the small Perry Book
Hobson:
o
o
against imperialism
Wrote …. In 1902
 The “white man’s burden” was just a façade and was never justified
 Only those with influence are profiting
 Imperialism is just for prestige, not economic prosperity of the state or the average
person
Pierson (1900)
o
o
Wrote
Thought imperialism was justified by human nature and social Darwinism
Cecil Rhodes
o
o
o
The face of British imperialism
Promoted imperialism a lot
Set up protectorates in Bechuanaland and Rhodesia in South Africa after the Boer War
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