Download Chapter 11-2

Chapter 11-2
• Imperialism
– I) Colonial Control Takes Many Forms
– II) Patterns of Imperialist Management
– III) A British Colony
– IV) African Resistance
– V) Impact of Colonial Rule
I) Colonial Control Takes Many
Forms
• Imperialism was about the ability of the European’s to control the land,
people and resources.
• Imperialism changed from the 15th century into the 18th and 19th century.
• In the earlier period the imperial powers did not penetrate far into the
conquered lands nor did they have a substantial influence on the lives of the
people.
• In the new period Europeans demanded more influence on the economy
and the lives of people, and wanted them to adopt European customs.
• Europeans used 4 methods to control the people
– Colony; a country or region governed internally by a foreign power
– Protectorate; a country or territory with its own internal government but under
the control of an outside power.
– Sphere of Influence; an area in which an outside power claims exclusive
investment or trading privileges.
– Economic Imperialism; independent but less developed nations controlled by
private business interests rather than by other governments.
II) Patterns of Imperialist
Management
• Two methods of internal management of colonies
appeared
– Indirect control relied on existing political rulers. In time the
local population would learn to govern itself
• Britain and the United States used this model
– Direct Control felt the that local population was unable to
handle the complexities of running a country, and Europeans
needed to govern people in a fatherly way (paternalism)
• France supported a policy of assimilation, where the local
population would be absorbed into French culture
III) A British Colony
• Britain had outlawed the slave trade (1807) and freed some
slaves who helped them gain control in Nigeria
• The Royal Niger Company gained control of the palm-oil trade
and the Berlin Conference gave Britain the lands along the
Niger River (1884)
• In 1914 Britain claimed the entire region of Nigeria.
• Nigeria is on of the most diverse areas of Africa, and Britain did
not have enough Troops to control it so they relied on indirect
rule
• This worked well in the North, but in the South they appointed
inexperienced chiefs which led to problems
IV) African Resistance
• Africans resisted colonial rule, despite a lack of adequate organization and
weapons.
• Sometimes African societies tried to form alliances with the Europeans to
defeat rivals, hoping the agreements would allow them to remain
independent.
• In some cases Europeans did help, but turned on their African allies soon
afterward.
• Algeria resisted France for 50 years and Samori Tuure led a resistance in
West Africa for 15 years
• Menelik II led Ethiopia in the only successful African resistance to the
European rule by playing the Italians, French and British against each other.
• In one of the greatest battles in African history, Menelik’s Ethiopian forces
successfully defeated the Italians in the Battle of Adowa, maintaining their
nation’s independence.
V) Impact of Colonial Rule
- European colonial rule forever altered African lives.
- Colonialism has had both positive and negative effects on
African lands and peoples
– Negative
– Positive
• Lost control of their lands
• Reduced local warfare
• Improved sanitation,
hospitals, schools
• Literacy rates improved
• Economic growth
• Many died of new
diseases such as small
pox
• Many died resisting
Europeans
• Famines resulted from
change to cash crops
instead of subsistence
farming
• Breakdown of traditional
culture