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Imperialism (1800-1914)
Imperialism is the domination by one country of the
political, economic, or cultural life of another country
or region. European nations had already gained some
power in areas of the world such as the Americas,
Africa, and Asia. By the 1800’s these areas became
of great economic interest to Europeans who sought
natural resources to use in their factories. New
military strength enabled European nations to easily
colonize, or politically control other areas of the
world.
Causes of Imperialism
1. Economic InterestsManufacturers of the Industrial Revolution wanted access to cheap raw materials and natural
resources such as rubber, petroleum, manganese, palm oil, cotton, and indigo. They also hoped to
modernize other areas and make markets, or places to sell their manufactured goods.
2. Political and Military Interests-Industrial powers sent
their steam powered merchant ships overseas and naval
vessels needed military bases around the world to
protect trading ships. Harbor and islands were seized for
these purposes. Nationalism, or pride and patriotism
played a role as well. Rival nations like Britain and
Germany seized territories to stop French expansion.
Many nations felt that ruling a global empire increased a
nation’s prestige around the world.
3. Humanitarian Goals- Many westerners viewed foreigners as “little brothers.” Paternalism
is the idea of looking down at others as if they are less able or like children. Ethnocentrism, or
the idea that one’s ethnic group or culture is superior to others was a prevalent idea during this
time period as well. While some people had good intentions, others were prejudiced toward
foreigners. Missionaries, doctors, and colonial officials believed they had a duty to spread what
they saw as the blessings of western civilization, including its medicine, law, and religion. This
“duty” was referred as the “White Man’s Burden.” Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem with this
title in 1865.
Take up the White Man's burden-Send forth the best ye breed-Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild-Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child.
4. Social Darwinism, the idea that came from
Charles Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest
supported the argument that European races were
superior to all others and that the conquest and
destruction of other cultures was simply nature’s
way of improving the world. This attitude
supported racism and was unfortunately widely
accepted in this time period.
Reasons Why Imperialism Succeeded:
1. Many foreign nations did not have strong enough military power to resist invasion. In
some areas, people were divided and thus were easy to conquer.
2. Superior technology and medicine strengthened European power. Machine guns and
steam driven warships forced foreigners to accept European domination. Some groups
tried to resist, but most were not successful.
Forms of Imperial Rule- Colonies were areas politically controlled by a more powerful nations.
Some were controlled by direct rule, or sending officials from Europe to directly control the
colony. Others were ruled by indirect rule, or the use of local rulers or chiefs who governed
under the direction of the European power. This way, western governments were introduced by
their own people. Protectorates involve leaving local rulers in place but forcing them to follow
the advice of the European power. A sphere of influence is an area where an outside power
claimed exclusive investment or trading privileges. Europeans carved out spheres of influence
overseas to prevent conflict with other imperialist nations.
Africa in the Early 1800’s
In the late 1800’s, Britain, France, Germany, and other European powers swept into Africa.
Within 20 years they hade carved up the continent and dominated millions of Africans. Africa’s
geography created unique and diverse cultures. Northern areas had undergone centuries of
contacts with Europe while interior areas such as the Sahara Desert and central rain forest region
remained isolated. The slave trade had impacted western Africa and South Africa was influenced
by Dutch and British settlement. Explorers, such as Mungo Park and Richard Burton set out
to map the course of the Nile and Congo Rivers. Catholic and Protestant missionaries sought to
win people to Christianity. They built schools, medical clinics and churches and communicated
the evils of the slave trade. Although they may have had good intentions, missionaries sometimes
degraded other cultures and religions. David Livingstone was a popular explorer-missionary
who crisscrossed the African continent. He wrote about his findings and called for the end of the
slave trade. In 1869, after not being heard from for years, journalist Henry Stanly tracked him
down and greeted him with the now famous phrase, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume.” King Leopold
II of Belgium hired Stanley to explore the Congo River basin and arrange trade treaties with
African leaders. He was dreaming of conquest and profit. His interest in Africa set off what
came to be known as the “scramble for Africa” as Britain, France, and Germany all set out to
conquer territory.
In 1884, Europeans met in Berlin to recognize Leopold’s claims to Congo but they declared that a
European power could not claim any part of Africa unless they had set up a government office
there. This meeting was known as the Berlin Conference. No Africans were invited to this
conference and a rush to colonize Africa ensued. The division of Africa among European powers
is known as the partitioning of Africa. The map of Africa was re-drawn with little concern for
tribes or cultures who lived there.
Horrors in the Congo- King Leopold and other wealthy Belgians exploited the riches of the
Congo, including its rubber, copper, and ivory. Belgian overseers brutally enslaved and tortured
Africans. By1908, these reports led to the Belgian government taking over affairs there.
Meanwhile, the French extended power into Algeria, Tunisia, and central Africa. Britain took
Egypt, Sudan, and eventually gained territory in South Africa after they defeated the Dutch in the
Boer War. There, they set up a system of racial segregation known as apartheid, which
remained in force until 1993.Portugal and Germany jumped in on takeovers as well.
Resistance- Movements to end European usually failed because Europeans possessed better
weapons. Ethiopia was one of the few nations to resist European takeover. King Menelik II had
begun to modernize his nation so his people were familiar with weapons. Liberia, a nations
settled by freed U.S. slaves was another area that did not fall into the hands of the Europeans. It
would not be until the end of World War II that many European nations began to gain
independence.
The Muslim World
Napoleon’s conquest of Egypt opened a new era of European conflicts with the Muslim world,
which extended from western Africa to Southeast Asia. Many of the Muslim Empires in these
areas were going through decline. Islamic revivals occurred in some areas in response to
European interest in the area. European powers started out by gaining trading rights and then
they quickly gained more power. The Ottoman Empire was weakening so Europe hoped to gain
some of their territory. Russia hoped to gain access to the Mediterranean Sea and Germany had
its eyes on the Middle East. Britain saw these nations as competition. Many Ottoman rulers
decided to start modernizing their areas. In the 1890’s, nationalism began igniting tensions
between Turkish nationalists and minority groups who sought independence.
The Muslim Turks distrusted the Christian Armenians who lived in the eastern mountains of the
empire. This tension triggered a genocide, or deliberate attempt to destroy an entire religious or
ethnic group. The Armenians were accused of supporting Russian plans against the Ottoman
Empire. When Armenians protested repressive Ottoman policies, the Sultan (leader) had tens of
thousands of the slaughtered. Over the next 25 years, a million or more Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire were killed.
Egypt was strengthened and modernized by Muhammad Ali who improved tax collection,
reorganized landholding, improved farming methods, and expanded cotton production. In 1859,
Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French entrepreneur organized a company to build the Suez Canal, a
100 mile waterway to link the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. It opened in 1869. The
Egyptians were unable to pay back loans so they were forced to sell their shares in the canal,
which were purchased by the British, giving Britain a controlling interest in the canal. In 1882,
Egypt became a British protectorate.
India- In the early 1600’s, the British East India Company conquered India. Indians, people with
dozens of languages and traditions were not able to unite against newcomers. The British
encouraged disunity and competition among Indians. In the 1850’s the East India Co required
sepoys, or Indian soldiers in their service to serve anywhere, either in India or overseas. In 1857,
new rifles were issued to the sepoys that had cartridges that were greased with animal fat. Troops
were told to bite off the cartridge tips before loading them. Hindus and Muslims resisted because
of dietary restrictions. Hindus do not eat beef and Muslims do not eat pork. Angry sepoys rose
up against the British.
Sepoys brutally massacred British men, women, and children in what came to be known as the
Sepoy Rebellion. The British retaliated and attacked and killed thousands of unarmed Indians
and increased their power over India. Britain was interested in making profits. Farmers were
pushed into growing crops, which could be sold on the world market. The population began to
grow because of better medicine and nutrition, but agriculture had shifted away from food
production so a terrible famine, or period of starvation occurred. Imperialism brought benefits of
modern technology and education, but many British people looked down on Indian culture.
Many educated Indians began supporting nationalist movements. The Indian National
Congress called for independence using peaceful methods. The Muslim League feared Hindu
domination in India and called for a separate Muslim state.
India Seeks Self-Rule-On April 13, 1919 a large but peaceful crowd assembled despite a ban that
had been placed on public meetings. British soldiers arrived and within 10 minutes they had
killed 379 people and wounded over1,100. This event was known as the Amritsar Massacre.
Frustration toward the British were growing. Indians had served as soldiers for the British in
WWI and hoped to gain independence as a reward. The British did not deliver promised reforms.
In the 1920’s a new leader emerged, who
united all Indians. His name was
Mohandas Gandhi. He was nicknamed
“Mahatma” or Great Soul. Gandhi came
from a middle-class Hindu family and at age
19, he went to England to study law. He
joined an Indian law firm in South Africa
where he faced prejudice and injustice.
Gandhi adopted a weapon of nonviolent or
passive resistance. He called this behavior
satyagraha, or “soul force.” In 1914,
Gandhi returned to India where his ideas
inspired many. Gandhi preached ahimsa or
nonviolence and respect for all life. His
ideas were a combination of Hindu and
Christian teachings. He also was influenced by Henry David Thoreau, an American writer who
supported the act of civil disobedience, or the refusal to follow laws one deems unfair.
Gandhi wore a dhoti, a simple white garment traditionally worn by villagers. He called for many
nonviolent actions against the British like boycotts of British goods, especially textiles. Indians
were urged to spin and weave their own cloth.
He made the spinning wheel a symbol of nationalism. When
Indians turned violent in protests, he would respond by fasting,
praying, and would call on patriots to practice self-control.
The Salt March-Indians were forced to buy salt from the British. They were not allowed to use
natural sea salt. The monopoly on salt was a symbol of oppression and unfair laws that were
opposed by Gandhi. On March 12, 1930 Gandhi set out with 78 followers on a 240 mile march to
the sea, known as the Salt March. On April 6 he waded into the ocean and picked up a lump of
sea salt and proclaimed, “With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British empire.” He was
arrested by the British, along with hundreds of other Indians, who were brutally beaten.
Newspapers and radio reports portrayed the British as brutal torturers. Indians reportedly used no
violence in response to the attacks. Around the world, people expressed outrage at the British.
But independence did not come to India until 1947, following World War II. An independent
Muslim state was formed and became known as Pakistan.
China-By the 1830’s, British merchant ships were arriving in China loaded with opium to sell to
the Chinese. Before this period, China had restricted foreign traders. China sold them silk,
porcelain, and tea in exchange for gold and silver. China enjoyed a favorable balance of trade
or trade surplus because they exported more than they imported.
The Opium War-Because so many Chinese merchants traded opium, many became addicted to
it. Silver flowed out of China in payment for the drug. The Chinese government responded by
executing opium merchants and drug dealers. But the British continued to trade it. A war broke
out. The British easily defeated the Chinese in the war that broke out which was known as the
Opium War. China was forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing in which Britain received a huge
indemnity, or payment for losses.
They also gained the island of Hong Kong. China was forced to open 5 ports to trade and had to
grant British citizens in China extraterritoriality, or the right to live under their own laws and be
tried in British courts.
Poverty and misery increased for peasants. They rebelled in a movement known as the Taiping
Rebellion. Their leader, Hong Xiuquan supported land reform, communal ownership of
property, and equality for women and men. He called for an end to the Qing Dynasty, who ruled
China. They nearly toppled it and caused the deaths of between 20 to 30 million people.
In the 1860’s, the Chinese launched the “self-strengthening” movement. They built up factories
and made modern weapons. They developed railroads, shipyards, mining, and light industry.
This attempt to strengthen China failed, however. Meanwhile, Japan moved ahead with the Meiji
Restoration, a period of rapid modernization. Japan conquered Taiwan off the coast of China.
Western powers moved into China to carve out spheres of
influence, or areas of control. The British, French, Germans,
and Russians swept in. The U.S. called for an “Open Door
Policy” which would allow trade to open to everyone on an
equal basis. The Chinese were not consulted about this policy.
This led to growing hatred of foreigners.
The Boxer Rebellion-In 1899, a group of Chinese formed a society known as the Righteous
Harmonious Fists, nicknamed the “Boxers” because they practiced martial arts. Their goal was
to drive out the “foreign devils” with modern lifestyles. The Boxers believed they would drive all
foreigners out and that their bodies would repel bullets. Western powers and the Japanese
organized a multinational force which crushed the Boxers.
Eventually, China modernized. Nationalism grew. Sun Yixian became a spokesman for the
Chinese Republic, a constitutional monarchy. He wanted to rebuild China. He supported
The Three Principles of the People which included Nationalism,
Democracy, and livelihood, or economic security for all people in
China. In 1911, uprisings led by peasants, students, and warlords
toppled the ruling dynasty. Sun Yixian was named president of the
new Chinese Republic, which was to face turmoil, war, and invasion
during the 20th century.
Vocabulary List/ Imperialism
Imperialism
Political and Military Interests
Nationalism
Humanitarian Goals
Paternalism
Ethnocentrism
White Man’s Burden
Social Darwinism
Reasons Why Imperialism Succeeded
Colonies
Direct Rule
Indirect Rule
Protectorate
Sphere of Influence
Mungo Park
Richard Burton
Missionaries
Name:_______________________
David Livingstone
King Leopold II
Scramble for Africa
Berlin Conference
Partitioning of Africa
Horrors of the Congo
Boer War
Apartheid
King Menelik II
Liberia
Armenians
Genocide
Muhammad Ali
Ferdinand de Lesseps
Suez Canal
Sepoys
Sepoy Rebellion
Famine
Indian National Congress
Muslim League
Amritsar Massacre
Mohandas Gandhi
Mahatma
Nonviolent/Passive Resistance
Satyagraha
Ahimsa
Civil Disobedience
Dhoti
Salt March
Pakistan
Favorable Balance of Trade/ Trade Surplus
Opium War
Treaty of Nanjing
Indemnity
Extraterritoriality
Taiping Rebellion
Hong Xiuquan
Self-Strengthening Movement
Spheres of Influence
Open Door Policy
Righteous Harmonious Fists
Boxer Rebellion
Sun Yixian
Three Principles of the People