The Age of Imperialism 18751914

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The Age of Imperialism1875-1914
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Nationalism and Imperialism

• The relationship between the two words are very
  close. Nationalism is a strong feeling of pride
  in ones nation which helped to fuel the movement
  of Imperialism. Along with the need for raw
  materials and the search for new markets,
  Europeans were so proud of their countries and
  way of life that they felt compelled to spread
  their ideas.

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Reasons for Imperialism

• European countries needed raw materials to supply
  their industries.
• Prestige was associated with owning many or large
  territories.
• Missionaries wanted to spread Christianity.
• New markets were needed for European products.

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Britains Lead is Challenged

• Up until the late 1800s Britain was the most
  powerful nation in the world.
• Germany and the United States begin to challenge
  Britain for economic power.
• Countries begin to tax imported British goods to
  protect their own industries.
• Britain has few sources of raw materials and
  desperately needs them for production.

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Rivalries

• Competition among the European nations for
  territories was strong.
• Just as Britain saw the advantages of colonies,
  so did other European countries.
• Almost every European country competed for
  colonies as did Japan and the US.

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European Superiority

• Europeans believed that the new technology
  developed during the Industrial Revolution proved
  their superiority.
• They would be able to successfully manage
  colonies from far away by railroads, telegraph
  cables, and steamers.
• Europeans also believed that their religion and
  morals were the right way to live and felt a
  strong sense of duty to show others the right
  way.

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Imperialism in Africa

• Competition for colonies in Africa was so fierce
  that European countries feared war.
• A meeting in Berlin in 1884 was called to settle
  land disputes. (No African rulers were invited)
• European countries agreed that any European
  country could claim land by sending in troops to
  occupy that area.
• Border lines were drawn without regard to the
  native cultures.

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European Countries in Africa1913

• The following countries all had colonies in
  Africa
• during the 1900s.
• Britain
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Portugal
• Belgium
• Spain

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Africa became a Continent of Colonies

• By the 1900s only two countries remained free
  from colonial rule the rest of Africa had been
  carved into colonial territories.
• Liberia A country set up by former U.S. slaves
  with American support.
• Ethiopia Benefited from its mountainous
  geography, strategic position between three major
  colonial powers and its own strong leader.

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How did Europeans rule the colonies?

• Most of the interior of Africa was ruled by
  Europeans indirectly. They allowed African
  rulers to retain their positions but dictated
  their actions.
• Other areas such as Algeria, South Africa, Kenya
  and Rhodesia had high populations of Europeans so
  any positions of authority were held by
  Europeans.
• Basically, Africans had become second class
  citizens within their own lands taking orders and
  following rules set by the Europeans.

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What was expected of the Africans?

• Africans were expected to work in the mines and
  plantations owned by the Europeans.
• At first Africans were physically forced or
  threatened with weapons to work. Later Europeans
  enforced taxes that could only be paid in money
  and not goods or services. This forced many
  Africans to work against their will.

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Did Europe benefit from Africa?

• Yes- Although Europeans did not find the market
  for their products or favorable climates
  conducive to European-style farming, they did
  find a wealth of mineral resources.
• Europeans also replaced local food crops with
  cash crops that could be easily grown in the
  area.
• They were also able to introduce Christianity to
  many natives.

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Why was South Africa important?

• South Africa had long been important to the
  British because of the Cape of Good Hope located
  at the tip of South Africa. This cape was used
  as a docking site for ships going to the Indian
  Ocean.
• The discovery of diamonds made this area even
  more important because it meant instant wealth.
  A fierce battle between the Dutch Boers and the
  British ensued and the British eventually gained
  control over the area.

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Imperialism in South Asia

• Britain found in India what it did not in Africa.
• A supplier of raw material for European factories
• A large market for British goods
• A large workforce for factories built in India.

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British Control in India

• The British East India Company set up trading
  posts in India in the 1600s.
• Due to the collapsing power of the Mughal
  Dynasty, the British East India Company was able
  to gain control of India by 1757.
• Even though the company was under the control of
  the British Crown, the company was free to govern
  India as it saw fit. It even had its own army.
• The British Crown did not intervene until it had
  to suppress an uprising called the Sepoy
  Rebellion.

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What was the Sepoy Rebellion?

• The Sepoy Rebellion or mutiny occurred when
  sepoys (Indian soldiers) were told that British-
  made cartridges were sealed in beef and pork fat.
  The problem was that the sepoys were either
  Hindu or Muslim. To the Hindu the cow is scared
  and Muslims are forbidden to eat pork. To ingest
  pork or cow fat went against their religious
  beliefs. The Sepoys were outraged and felt that
  they had been tricked into sinning.

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Rule after the Sepoy Rebellion

• After the rebellion the British Crown took
  control of India.
• Britain began to change the look of India making
  it more like Britain. They built bridges, dams,
  canals, and public buildings.
• They also built telegraph lines, railroads and an
  irrigation system that made millions of acres of
  land useful for farming.

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Who funded and labored on the European projects?

• Indian labor and tax money went into most of the
  development of India.
• After the improvements were made more of the
  British people came to India.
• Europeans established certain rules that made
  Indians second class citizens in their own
  country.

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Discrimination in India

• Indians were not able to hold high positions of
  authority
• They were not allowed to live in the same areas
  as Europeans.
• They were not paid the same as Europeans.
• The mistreatment of Indians would eventually
  fuel the movement toward independence. The Indian
  National Congress and the Muslim League were two
  initial steps. The movement would finally succeed
  with the leadership of Ghandi.

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Imperialism in China

• China was a self-sufficient country which meant
  it did not need to trade with other countries. It
  had little interest in European goods which it
  considered inferior.
• European merchants smuggled opium into China and
  created a demand.
• The Opium War was fought to try to end the
  British control of the substance but China was
  defeated.
• The Treaty of Nanking was signed which allowed
  Britain to establish spheres on influence in
  China.

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Spheres of Influence
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Foreign Influence

• Because of many unequal treaties like the Treaty
  of Nanking, China was losing control of its
  country.
• Other nations were quick to take advantage of
  this opportunity and established their own
  spheres of influence
• China lost land to Russia, Japan, Germany and
  Britain.

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The Open-Door- Policy

• Americans saw what was happening in China and
  feared they would lose their trading
  opportunities in China.
• The Open-Door Policy was established to enforce
  an open-door or the freedom to trade and sell
  to China for all merchants of all nations.
• This prevented China from being colonized but its
  fate lay in hands of other nations.

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Chinese Nationalism

• Many Chinese citizens also felt like second class
  citizens in their own country.
• Most of their major cities were controlled by
  outsiders.
• Nationalist groups such as the Boxers begin to
  form and protest foreign occupancy.

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Japans Isolationism

• Like China, Japan had practiced isolationism for
  a long time. It was for the most part
  self-sufficient and had no need for European
  goods.
• Matthew Perry wanted to end Japans isolationism
  and entered Japans Tokyo Harbor with an
  impressive fleet.
• Japanese generals realizing their disadvantage
  gave into Perrys demands which allowed the U. S.
  to trade with Japan.

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Japans Modernization

• Japan feared complete domination by
  foreigners unless changes were made.
• Japan began to industrialize and modernize its
  country.
• The Japanese studied the ways of the Westerners
  and adopted the best ones.
• Soon they had railroads and coal mines as well as
  many factories.
• Japan was smart with its finances and stayed
  clear of debt. Money needed to support growth
  was earned by silk production.

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Imperialism in the Western Hemisphere

• Latin America was not safe from imperialism.
• A demand for Latin American goods begin to grow
  to keep up with demands. Latin American countries
  borrowed money from American and European banks
  to fund enterprises.
• They were unable to repay their debts and many of
  the lending nations begin to take over the
  industries in Latin America.
• They also begin to influence the countries
  politically.

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Latin America
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The construction of the Panama Canal which linked
the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean made
growing interest in the Pacific
Islands a reality.
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The Pacific Islands

• Many of the Pacific Islands were rich in
  resources and had military advantages.
• The U.S. was so interested in Hawaii that it
  became a territory in 1898. Later on, the U.S.
  acquired the Philippines and Guam as a result
  of the Spanish- American War.