The Age of Imperialism

1. The Age of Imperialism 1750-1900

2. Background • Imperialism had existed since 1492. • Age of Exploration • The New World, colonies in South Asia, coasts of China & Africa • Little European influence on lives in these areas • European nations developed strong nations, militaries, and economies, thanks in part to industrialization.

3. Imperial Means Empire • Diplomacy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og9tIQtmxko • Warfare - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXCfEhW0R3k • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMNINagFe-w Imperial Guards Imperial Army

4. “New Imperialism” • a path of aggressive expansion • due to Europe’s new economic and military strength • due to it’s rapid industrialization • the need for natural resources (rubber, oil, manganese, palm oil) • the need for new markets to sell goods

5. Why take over other regions? • Needed natural resources • Rubber, petroleum, manganese, palm oil • Hoped for new markets • Halt expansion of some countries • Prestige in the world • Help their “little brothers” • “Like children, they needed help & guidance” • Spread the blessings of the Western civilization • Medicine, law, & the Christian religion

6. STOP and THINK!!! • “The necessity that is upon us [is] to provide for our ever-growing population – either by opening new fields for emigration, or by providing work and employment …and to stimulate trade by finding new markets.” Lord Lugard, The Rise of Our East African Empire Write this quote in your notes…Let’s analyze.

7. Political & Military Interests • merchant and naval ships needed bases to re-supply • lands was taken to build these bases around the world • Nationalism – rival nations like GB and Germany seized land to stop France’s expansion • colonies were needed for national security • ruling an empire increase global prestige (Hey, look how great we are!”)

8. Humanitarian Goals • concern for “little brothers” • “Like children, they needed our help and guidance.” • duty to spread the “blessings” of western civilization • belief of: • missionaries • spread the Christian faith to the heathens • doctors • my medicine is better than yours • colonial officials

9. Social Darwinism(see p. 561) • idea taken from Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species (1859) • social theory of the time based on evolution & natural selection • “survival of the fittest” • applied to social change • superiority = wealth & success • led to feelings of racial superiority among westerners • non-Europeans • lower on scale cultural & physical development • did not have European technology • imperial conquest & destruction of weaker races natural • “Nature’s way of improving the human race”

10. Charles Darwin

12. Weaknesses of Land-Based Empires • decline of older civilizations • Ottoman Empire, Mughal India, Qing China • internal wars & slave trade undermined established nations • newer states couldn’t resist western imperialism

13. Western Advantages • stronger economies • well-organized government • powerful armies & navies • superior weapons vs. outdated weapons • Maxim gun (1889) • 1st automatic machine gun • railroads & steamships • interior travel upstream • communications • cure for malaria • disease caused by mosquitoes • invention of quinine as an anti-malarial

14. Let’s Begin With… AFRICA!

15. Africa Before Imperialism • North Africa • under rule of declining Ottoman Empire • West Africa • Islamic reform movement lead by UsmandanFodio – jihad – to purify Islam • Asante kingdom traded with Europeans & Muslims • East Africa • Mombasa & Kilwa traded goods (ivory, copper, slaves) for cloth and guns from India

16. Africa Before Imperialism • Southern Africa • in turmoil • Shaka united Zulu tribes • conquests set off migrations & wars (chaos) • 1830s: battled Boers for control • The Slave Trade • early 1800s, Europeans were outlawing transatlantic slave trade • eastern slave trade in M.E. & Asia still going strong • 1787: Sierra Leone (British) & Liberia (U.S.)set up as colonies for former slaves • 1847: Liberia gains independence

17. Previous European Contact • 1810 = only 10% land explored • geography • coastal areas only (no interior exploration) • lack of navigable rivers • rapids & cataracts • trade • lack of European control Steam ships and medicine change this!

18. Africa (in general) before Imperialism • Divided into ethnic/ linguistic groups • 1,000 different languages • Empires  independent villages • Rugged & diverse geography • Trade networks

19. Interest in Africa Grows… • Explorers • Mungo Park & Richard Burton • trade & profit • Missionaries • David Livingstone • religious conversions • children in need of guidance • Humanitarians • opposed slave trade • Reporters/ Authors • Henry Stanley • search for adventure, mystery, excitement

20. STOP and THINK!!! “If it be friendship that you desire, then I am ready for it…but to be your subject, that I cannot be…I do not fall at your feet, for you are God’s creature just as I am.” Chief Machemba, Letter in Swahili to German officer Herman von Wissman Write this quote in your notes. We’ll analyze the quote in class together.

21. Belgium’s in the Congo 1882 Claimed Congo River Valley King Leopold II of Belgium Motive? To free the slaves of course… “A civilizing mission to carry the light ‘that for millions of men still plunged in barbarism will be the dawn of a better era.” (King Leopold II) Privately dreamed of conquest and profit (duh!) Other European nations see potential…

22. King Leopold II of Belgium

23. King Leopold with $$$

25. Leading to… “The Scramble for Africa”

27. What did the Europeans want? Africa’s vast natural resources: Peanuts Cocoa Rubber Copper Tin Gold Diamonds Belgian Congo South Africa

28. Berlin Conference (1884 – 1885) • took place in Germany • divided Africa among European nations • recognized Leopold’s claim to Congo Free State • called for free trade on Congo & Niger rivers • how to make a claim: • 1. notify nations • 2. set up a government • 3. show you could control an area • redrew map of Africa w/ little thought on distribution of: • African ethnic/linguistic groups, patterns of settlement, or ethnic boundaries • later leads to a rise of nationalism in Africa

29. Map of Africa

30. STOP and THINK!!! • 1. In which part of Africa were most of France’s colonies located? • 2. Why was the exploration of Africa difficult? • 3. How can you tell from the map that Africans did not willingly accept European domination? Geography Skills Write the questions in your notes. Be sure to answer the questions!

31. Britain’s Settler Colony and White Dominions • West & East Africa, Egypt, & the Sudan • Boer War (1899 – 1902) • fought the Boers (Dutch farmers) for southern Africa • acquired the Cape Colony from the Dutch in 1815 • many Boers fled British rule (went north & set up own republics) • late 1800s: gold & diamonds discovered in Boer lands & Britain wanted it & they got it • 1910: GB united the Cape Colony & former Boer republics into the Union of South Africa • new constitution set up govt. run by whites • based on complete racial segregation (apartheid) • ends in 1993 with election of Nelson Mandela as president

32. Boer Guerrillas during the 2nd Boer War (aka Afrikaners) dead British soldiers on battlefield after battle of Spion Kop (1900)

33. Boer War Commandos

34. Cecil Rhodes (see p. 664) • successful businessman • built a fortune in diamond fields (at 40, one of the richest men in the world) • major supporter of British imperialism – “I want the power!” • founder of Rhodesia(present-day Zambia & Zimbabwe) • attended Oriel College, Oxford • Rhodes Scholar (scholarships funded by his estate) • right & duty to bring technology & progress to “barbarian” lands • supported apartheid • Goal? • “civilize” (aka “Westernize”) the colonies

36. cartoon by Edward Linley Sambourne, published in Punch magazine after Rhodes announced plans for a telegraph line from Cape Town to Cairo.

37. P.S. A question for you… What major diamond mining corporation did Rhodes found?

38. That would be the De Beers company which today markets 40% of the world’s rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%. Ever heard of a monopoly? What do we (the U.S.) do to monopolies today?

39. born in Bombay, British India • British writer/journalist in South Africa • supporter of imperialism Rudyard Kipling (1865 – 1936)

40. “White Man’s Burden” • British journalist in South Africa • Phrase used to indicate the “duty” of Europeans to westernize the rest of the world • Based on ideas of inferiority of other ethnicities • Product of racism

41. “The White Man’s Burden” “Take up the White Man’s burden Send forth the best ye breed Go bind your sons to exile To serve your captives’ need… Take up the White Man’s burden The savage wars of peace Fill full the mouth of Famine, And bid the sickness cease; And when your goal is nearest (The end for others sought) Watch sloth and heathen folly Bring all your hope to nought. - Rudyard Kipling Why did Kipling consider imperialism to be beneficial?

42. In 1907, he became the first Englishman to receive the noble peace prize for literature. Question: What famous story did Kipling write? • Hint: Disney made this story into a film.

43. The Jungle Book (1894)

44. Ethiopia = Independence • successfully resisted European colonization • 1889: Emperor Menelik II • played Europeans against each other • bought modern weapons from France & Russia (paid for with ivory) • hired Europeans to train army • modernized Ethiopia by hiring European experts to: • built modern roads & bridges • set up western school system

46. Battle of Adowa (1896) • Ethiopians defeat invading Italians • Europeans sought formal diplomatic relations • inspired people of African descent all around the world • only African nation, other than Liberia, to maintain its independence • side note: a number of free blacks from the U.S. settled in Liberia (capital Monrovia) • Italians will get their revenge on Ethiopia under Mussolini in the 1930s battle tapestry at Smithsonian

47. General effects of Imperialism in Africa: • Africa becomes a continent of European colonies with its citizens second class to Europeans. • In some cases, health care, education, and better agricultural methods came with the Europeans. • Rich ores were mined and enriched European countries.

49. Did you know… The novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is set in Africa during the Age of Imperialism. Marlowe, the narrator of the story, leaves England to seek adventure in Africa. Like others of this time, he is confident that European civilization benefits the people of Africa. But when he arrives at his company’s station near the mouth of the Congo, he is shocked by what he finds. Through their mining, industrialists have ravaged the countryside. Africans are chained together, working and dying so that Europeans can reap financial profits. All that matters to the imperialists is satisfaction of their personal greed.

50. Positive: Reduced local warfare Improved sanitation Hospitals, schools Economic expansion Railroads, dams Telephone Telegraph lines Negative: Lost control of land Lost independence Spread of diseases Famines Loss of cultures Loss of identity Ongoing division of African societies Impact of Colonial Rule on Africa