Download Unit 5: Age of Global Empires (Imperialism)

Unit 5: Age of Global Empires (Imperialism)
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Course(s):
Time Period:
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Social Studies
Modern World History Honors
February
4 weeks
Published
Transfer Skills
The Industrial Revolution caused a need for natural resources and the desire for European nations to expand their
empires.The result is the conquest and colonization of the non-industrialized world including most of Africa and Asia.
Enduring Understandings
Big Idea: Age of Global Empires: Europe Develops New Empires and the Race for Colonies Expands
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The Industrial Revolution gave western powers both the means and the motives to seek global domination.
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With little regard for traditional patterns of settlement, European powers portioned almost the entire African
continent.
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Taking advantage of the slowly crumbling Ottoman empire, Britain, France, and Russia competed to extend
their influence over the Middle East and Southern Europe.
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Britain set up a profitable system of colonial rule in India.
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Western powers carved out spheres of influence along the Chinese coast.
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The nationalist movement was forged from the Imperialist Era.
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When faced with Imperialistic intervention the great nations of Europe took two different approaches with
two different outcomes: Japan chose to embrace the West and learn from the new technology, resulting in its
success entering the 20th century; China, on the other hand, chose to fight the West, resulting in numerous
conflicts and their decline in the early years of the new century.
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Christian missionary work was a driving force in the growing movement of Imperialism and helped further
embed the European superiority complex, leading to devastating results in the countries “converted”.
Essential Questions
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How did Nationalism lead to the rise of some nations and the decline of others?
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How was the industrial revolution linked to imperialism?
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How did western powers gain global empires?
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What led to the competition by European powers to compete for overseas colonies?
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What conditions in Africa, Asia, and in the Middle East helped western powers make inroads there?
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How did people in Africa, Asia, and in the Middle East respond to imperialism?
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What circumstances led to the pinnacle and isolationist periods of the great Chinese and Japanese empires and
how did his affect their economies and their role in the 19th century world?
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What were the political, social and economic excuses for slavery and how did these lead to the colonization of
Africa?
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What were the motives behind imperialism and how did this lead to conflicts in Asia and Africa today?
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How did religion play a role in Imperialism?
Content
Vocab:
Meiji Era, Nationalism; Realpolitik; Annex; Kaiser; Reich; Kulturkampf: Dual Monarchy; Emancipation; Indirect Rule;
Direct Rule; Assimiation; Imperialism; “Three C’s” ; Boer; Spheres of Influence; Missionary; Ethnocentrism; Social
Darwinism; East India Company; Sati; Extraterritoriality;
People/Events:
Cecil Rhodes; King Leopold II; David Livingstone; Henry Stanley; Matthew Perry; Rudyard Kipling
Skills
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Compare and contrast views on imperialism as a means to advance civilization.
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Draw Conclusions about the benefits and Disadvantages of Imperial rule
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Venn Diagram reflecting the unification of both Germany and Italy.
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Internet Research
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Cause and Effect
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Reading Comprehension
Resources
THOUGHT/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR THE PRIMARY SOURCES (BOXED DOCUMENTS)
1. Comparative Essay: Imperialisms Old and New—What were the principal motives of the major trading nations for
seizing colonies in Asia and Africa in the late nineteenth century? (p. 606)
2. Opposing Viewpoints: “White Man’s Burden, Black Man’s Sorrow”—Is there validity to Kipling’s entreaty, or is it,
consciously or not, a cover for national (racial?) chauvinism and profit seeking? Is Kipling’s appeal a literary work that
can only be understood in the limited context of its era? Why or why not? How does the excerpt by Morel differ from
Kipling’s? According to Morel, what is the impact of “the white man” upon African society? Is his critique fair and
accurate? Why and or why not? Are both Kipling and Morel patronizing toward black African society? If so, how? (p.
608)
3. “Indian in Blood, English in Taste and Intellect”—Is Macaulay an “objective” observer of Indian culture and
literature? Is Macaulay’s consideration of the matter of language choice based on objective criteria? Why or why not?
Were people in colonial administrations likely to pick a language other than their own? Are linguistic questions handled
more objectively today? Why or why not? Give an example or two. (p. 610)
4. “The Effects of Dutch Colonialism in Java”—What details of colonial exploitation are included in this excerpt? How
does Dekker demonstrate his admiration for the native Javanese farmers? Considering the amount of time spent by
the writer in the East Indies, what irony does this excerpt reflect? Would the Javanese peasants have agreed with
Dekker’s criticism of Dutch policies? Why or why not? Would the Javanese today agree with Dekker’s praise of the
peasant lifestyle? (p. 614)
5. “Tragedy at Caffard Cove” —Even though the slave trade was declared illegal in France in 1818, why was slavery still
widely tolerated in the French colonies? Why do you think the crew didn’t heed the warnings of François Dizac? Were
the white males who died aboard the vessel treated the same as the black victims or differently? Why or why not?
What was the legal issue raised concerning the surviving castaways? How did the Privy Council of Martinique solve the
problem? (p. 618)
6. “The British in Hausaland: A Memoir”—What were the reasons why the Hausa woman was excited about the arrival
of the Europeans? How did the Muslims depict what a European was like? What were her comments on the end of
slavery? How does this document demonstrate the issue of Africans owning their own slaves? (p. 625)
7. “The Civilizing Mission in Egypt”— Why might the words Qassim Amin uses to describe the speed of European
progress around the world be appealing to some non-Westerners? What does Amin find admirable about the West
and Westerners? What does he suggest is possibly less admirable? How does he perceive Egypt and its relation to the
West in comparison to other states, in Africa and elsewhere? Is the use of the veil in Islam the handicap that Amin
claims? Why and or why not? (p. 626)
8. Opposing Viewpoints: “To Resist or Not to Resist”— What are the claims and arguments that Hoang Cao Khai and
Phan Dinh Phung posed to each other in either justifying or resisting the French takeover of Vietnam? Who has the
best case, and why? What elements of Confucianism are there in the two letters? What do they suggest about Chinese
cultural imperialism, if anything? From the vantage point of the early twenty-first century, who won the argument? (p.
630)
POSSIBLE CLASS LECTURE/DISCUSSION TOPICS
1. Trace how the reasons for European imperialism changed during the 1800s, and especially during the middle and
latter parts of the century.
2. Examine the validity of the concept of “the new imperialism” of the late nineteenth century.
3. Examine the target areas of European imperialism and how changes in transport and military technology influenced
their location and extent.
4. Explore the changing political-military relationships within Europe, notably the unification of Germany, as influences
upon the spread of Western imperialism in the late nineteenth century.
5. Consider the relationships between the development of a world market system and the rise of imperialistic activity,
perhaps citing the views of Hobson, Marx, and Livingstone to provide a challenging interpretive/explanatory mix.
6. Examine the various controls or organizational systems devised by imperial administrators and the assumptions on
which they were based, noting the interplay of cultural, economic, and other factors.
7. Explore some of the noneconomic motives of Western imperialism. If there were none, or very few, explain why.
8. Distinguish between traditional and nationalistic responses to European imperialism, noting their different cultural
and societal bases and implications.
9. Consider the several impacts of the colonies upon the various Western societies, perhaps using Great Britain’s
relationship with nineteenth century India as a paradigm or test case. Identify some of the positive cultural changes
demanded by the British in India.
10. Discuss at length the various and varied colonial responses to Western imperialism, possibly comparing India with
the several African states.
Standards
SOC.6.2.12.D.3.c
Compare and contrast China’s and Japan’s views of and responses to imperialism,
and determine the effects of imperialism on the development and prosperity of
each country in the 20th century.
SOC.6.2.12.D.1.b
Compare slavery practices and other forms of coerced labor or social bondage
common in East Africa, West Africa, Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
SOC.6.2.12.A.1.a
Compare and contrast the motivations for and methods by which various empires
(e.g., Ming, Qing, Spanish, Mughal, Ottoman) expanded, and assess why some
were more effective than others in maintaining control of their empires.
SOC.6.1.12.A.1.a
Explain how British North American colonies adapted the British governance
structure to fit their ideas of individual rights, economic growth, and participatory
government.
SOC.6.2.12.D.3.e
Analyze the impact of the policies of different European colonizers on indigenous
societies, and explain the responses of these societies to imperialistic rule.
SOC.6.2.12.B.3.a
Assess the impact of imperialism by comparing and contrasting the political
boundaries of the world in 1815 and 1914.
SOC.6.2.12.D.1.c
Analyze various motivations for the Atlantic slave trade and the impact on
Europeans, Africans, and Americans.
SOC.6.2.12.D.4.c
Assess the causes of revolution in the 20th century (i.e., in Russia, China, India,
and Cuba), and determine the impact on global politics.
SOC.6.2.12.C.3.e
Compare the impact of imperialism on economic development in Africa, Asia, and
Latin America regarding barriers or opportunities for future development and
political independence.
SOC.6.2.12.D.3.a
Explain how individuals and groups promoted revolutionary actions and brought
about change during this time period.
SOC.6.2.12.D.1.f
Analyze the political, cultural, and moral role of Catholic and Protestant
Christianity in the European colonies.
SOC.6.2.12.D.3.d
Analyze the extent to which racism was both a cause and consequence of
imperialism, and evaluate the impact of imperialism from multiple perspectives.