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This text explores the concept of imperialism, including its definition, the role of ideology, empire building, exploitation of indigenous peoples, and their responses.
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Table of Contents • The Role of Ideology • Empire Building • Nationalism • Exploitation of Indigenous Peoples • Indigenous Responses to Imperialism
Imperialism • How to define? • Imperialism is the policy by a stronger nation to attempt to create an empire by dominating weaker nations economically, politically, culturally, or militarily. • Similar to colonialism • Influence of the Industrial Revolution
The Role of Ideology • The desire to “civilize” non-Europeans • The belief in social Darwinism • Racism • “The White Man’s Burden”
What type of source is this? • How can you tell? • Who might this man be? • How can you tell? • Where does he appear to be?
This advertisement appeared in McClure's magazine in October 1899. • This an advertisement for Pears’ hand soap showing a man on a ship washing his hands. • He appears to be a naval officer. You can tell because he is in uniform. • With a porthole visible to the left, he is on board a ship. • He is Admiral George Dewey of the United States Navy, a major figure in the Spanish-American War.
What does the ad claim is “the first step towards lightening The White Man’s Burden”? • What does this imply?
The ad claims that “teaching the virtues of cleanliness” is the “first step toward lightening The White Man’s Burden.” The reference to Kipling’s poem. “The White Man’s Burden” implies that whites have a “duty” to “civilize” non-whites. It also implies that non-whites are unclean.
What does “dark corners” refer to? • What does this choice of phrase reveal about attitudes of people in Western nations toward non-whites?
“Dark corners” refers metaphorically to those parts of the world that have not yet been “civilized.” That Pears’ soap would “brighten” these areas of the world by helping to bring “civilization” to these areas has racist implications. Pears is doing its part to civilize the world by bringing cleanliness, suggesting that these “dark corners” are well on their way to being more like the white, civilized world. “Dark corners” is itself a racist phrase, a literal reference to non-whites’ skin color.
Describe the illustrations in the corners of the picture. • What might each of these symbolize?
Pictures of a battleship and a clipper ship may represent the relationship between military and economic power. • Imperialism inherently intertwined militarism and economics. • The goods on the dock may represent Pears’ products being shipped around the world. • The bottom right shows a missionary with an indigenous person. Part of the “civilizing” process involved converting native populations to Christianity.
Why do you think Pears chose this image for their ad? • Why might consumers have found this ad appealing?
Pears might have chosen this because imperialism was an ideology supported at the time by a substantial portion of the public. • Consumers might have found this ad appealing for a number of reasons: Dewey was a celebrity, and celebrity endorsements sell products; consumers might have felt they were supporting imperialism by buying Pears’ soap; or it might have made the consumer feel superior—an appeal to ethnocentricity. The ad first appeared in McClure’s magazine in October 1899. McClure’s was considered to be both a literary and a political magazine aimed at a mass audience. McClure's was the first magazine to publish Kipling’s poem “The White Man’s Burden” and certainly had readers that both did and did not support imperialistic endeavors.
Empire Building • Many European nations and the United States created overseas empires • Different countries built their empires in different ways • Competition between imperial nations
Who might this man be? • What is he doing?
The man is Cecil Rhodes, a South African businessman born in Great Britain. • He founded the De Beers diamond company and was known as a supporter of imperialism. • He made enormous profits by exploiting South Africa’s natural resources. • He is standing across the continent of Africa.
The title is “The Rhodes Colossus, Stretching from Cape Town to Cairo.” • The reference is to the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue built on the Greek island of Rhodes in classical times. Considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it stood over 100 feet high. • In this picture, Rhodes stands astride the whole continent of Africa in a manner similar to the way it was believed that the Colossus of Rhodes stood astride the harbor of Rhodes.
Why is Rhodes stretched across Africa? • Why might the artist have included the wires/strings?
He is “stretched” across Africa to represent the control that he had over the continent’s natural and mineral resources. • Rhodes himself was a symbol of British domination over Africa. • The strings might have been drawn to represent telegraph wire: Rhodes had a goal of building a telegraph network connecting Cape Town in South Africa to Cairo in Egypt. • Alternately, the strings may represent the control Britain had over the continent, since Rhodes, as a representative of the British Empire, was a puppet master, exploiting the resources and/or the people of Africa.
Why did the artist depict Rhodes standing this way? • What might the significance of the rifle be? • Is this a positive or negative portrayal of Rhodes?
The artist might have drawn Rhodes in this is grand pose in order to depict Rhodes as a self-assured man, confident that he could do whatever he wanted—in this case, to dominate and “connect” the continent of Africa. • In pursuit of profit in South Africa, Rhodes exploited both people and the physical landscape. The rifle may symbolize Rhodes’s willingness to use force to obtain his goals; alternatively, it may mean that he was willing to protect his vision for (or what he had already succeeded in doing on) the continent. • It is positive in that it shows him as a man of considerable power and influence. A possible negative is that the artist was showing Rhodes as having a monumental ego.
What is he doing? • What do the landmasses and islands represent? • Who does this man represent? • What might this action symbolize? • What is the eagle doing? • What might this symbolize?
The man is Uncle Sam, who clearly represents the United States. He has one foot on a continent and one on an island as he straddles the ocean in between. • The landmass is the continental United States, and the islands are the Philippines and Hawaii. Uncle Sam’s pose, along with the American flags waving over the islands, symbolizes the United States’ emerging role as an imperial power. • The bald eagle, another symbol of the United States, stands watch from the Rocky Mountains, looking west. This may symbolize the then-growing influence of the U.S. in the Pacific.
Why do you think the artist titled this cartoon “Colossus of the Pacific”? • Does this cartoon portray the U.S. in a positive or negative light?
“Colossus of the Pacific” refers both to the “Rhodes Colossus” cartoon (featuring Cecil Rhodes) and to America’s new status as an imperial power. This cartoon was drawn in 1898, the Rhodes one in 1892.
Nationalism • Contributed in a variety of ways to imperialism • Nations competed to create global overseas empires • Competition led to rivalries among countries • Rivalries were evidenced by an increase in militarism, as well as in propaganda
It appears to be a calendar from 1901 that includes a map of the world as well as a number of other images.
What do the flags and coat of arms tell you about the origins of this calendar?
The flag on the left is the traditional flag of Great Britain (the Union Jack), and the flag on the right is the Royal Standard (representing the British monarchy). The coat of arms is that of Great Britain: the groups of three lions are England, the harp represents Ireland, and the lone lion Scotland
Why do you think the calendar includes a map of the world? • What do the areas highlighted in pink represent?
This calendar celebrates Britain’s imperial holdings around the world. • The areas in pink on the map highlight the location of British colonies.
In the upper right corner is Lord Kitchener, a British army officer. He fought to expand and preserve the British Empire in the Middle East and in Africa, playing a key role in the construction of a railway in Egypt and overseeing the modernization of the Indian army. Prior to World War I, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of India, and once the Great War began Kitchener was appointed Secretary of State for War. In the upper left hand corner is Lord Roberts, the commander of British forces in Afghanistan and similar to Kitchener, a commander-in-chief of India. He ended his career as Commander-in-Chief of the British Army.
What does each of these animals represent? • Why is the lion in the center?
The lion (the “king of the jungle”) represents Great Britain. The lion has the central position in the picture and is clearly the largest animal. (Britain was referred to as the “lion of the imperial jungle.”) • The other animals represent areas over which Great Britain had gained control. • The tiger represents India and lies quietly in front of the lion. India was Great Britain’s most valuable colony (sometimes referred to as the “jewel in the crown”) • In the back, there is what appears to be a seal (representing Canada) and a Bird of Paradise (symbolizing New Guinea). The sheep represents New Zealand. The kangaroo represents Australia, the camel Egypt, and the ostrich Africa.
Why do you think the company that published this calendar chose imperialism as a theme?
The calendar was created to promote British nationalism and to show pride in the extent of the British Empire. The company most likely chose imperialism as a theme because the majority of citizens in Britain supported their country’s attempts to build a worldwide empire.
Exploitation of Indigenous Peoples • Natural resources • Cheap labor • No political representation • Disregard for customs and traditions
What type of source does this appear to be? • What is happening in the picture?
This is a watercolor painting. • The painting shows native servants waiting upon an English officer or colonial administrator. • The appearance of the servants suggests the painting is set in India.
One native is combing the man’s hair. • Another servant is offering tea. • A third holds a mirror so that the Briton may admire himself. • The fourth is a child holding what appears to be a spear
