What is Imperialism?

Domination by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region.

Colonies = A country or territory governed internally by a foreign power. Direct Rule = Officials from the imperial nation are actually present in, and

rule the colony themselves. - French Indirect Rule = Use of local rulers to manage the colonies. Encouraged the

education of local leaders so colony could eventually run itself. - BritishProtectorates

Country with it’s own government, but under the control of an outside power.Sphere of Influence

Region claimed by imperial nation for exclusive investment or trading privileges.

Economic Imperialism An independent but less developed country controlled by private business

interests

Industrial Revolution: Need for raw materials Need for foreign markets

Nationalism: Build pride in the ‘Mother Country’

Balance of Power: Once the race for colonies began, nations were compelled to enter the race

for fear of being left in the dust.

Humanitarian: Missionaries – Spread of Christianity Social Darwinism – “White Man’s Burden”

“White Man’s Burden” Desire to make the world

a better place Duty to spread

Christianity Wish to civilize lesser

races Responsibility to spread

medicinal knowledge/aid

Desire to obtain more land Need for raw materials Convenience of cheap

labor $$$$ Nationalism Glory Need for strategic trade

and market ports

Actual reasons

Strong economies Well organized

governments Powerful military Superior technology and

weaponry New medicines

Older civilizations already in decline: Ottoman in Middle East, Mughal India, Qing China.

In West Africa, the slave trade and local wars left kingdoms and city-states weakened = unable to resist the Imperialists.

****** Great Britain France Belgium NetherlandsGermany (1914)

Area in Square Miles 94,000 212,600 11,800 13,200 210,000

Population 45,500,100 42,000,000 8,300,000 8,500,000 67,500,000

Area of Colonies 13,100,000 4,300,000 940,000 790,000 1,100,000

Population of Colonies

470,000,000 65,000,000 13,000,000 66,000,000 13,000,000

SOURCE: Mary Evelyn Townsend, European Colonial Expansion Since 1871 (Chicago: J.P. Lippincott Company, 1941), p. 19 http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/pol116/colonies.htm

“The Dark Continent”800-1000 different language groups, and 2000 cultural groups

Diverse geography = diverse cultures

Great Rift Valley Home to the world’s oldest artifacts and human remains.

Ghana & Mali = Gold and Salt Trade

Mansa Musa = Pilgrimage to Mecca

Songhai = Timbuktu, Trade, University

Africans, Americans, Arabs, Europeans involved in slave trade

Middle Passage = 50 million dead

Result = African tradition and culture undermined, racism promoted

Left many empires and city-states weakened and vulnerable to Imperialist conquests

From the 1500s – 1800s, European traders sold African slaves and traded along the coast

In the 1870s, the Belgian King Leopold sent emissaries to establish trade with native Africans in the Congo. This single act began a flurry of imperialistic activity as the other nations of Europe, including: France, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Portugal.

Christian missionaries tried to convert African people and replace native culture with their own

“White Man’s Burden”

3 Major Accomplishments:

1) Any sovereign power which wanted to claim any territory should inform the other powers “in order to ... make good any claim of their own.”

2) Any such annexation should be validated by effective occupation.

3) Treaties with African rulers were to be considered a valid title to sovereignty.

Within 20 years of the Berlin Conference the entire continent, with the exception of Liberia and Ethiopia, was partitioned among the

European powers.

Positives

Population growth due to European medicines and improved nutrition = increase in life span.

Improved transportation and communication systems

Small percentage of population benefits from improved education and economic opportunities

Nationalism – United against foreign (Western) nations

Negatives

New boundary lines – “Scramble for Africa”

Tribes divided/combined – Berlin Conference

Traditions lost, cultures disregarded Resulting tribal clashes continue into

present Taxes – Africans forced to pay Exploitation of colonies and

people = Workers subjected to long hours, low pay, mistreatment (human rights violations)

Best land taken by Europeans

Africans become economically dependent on European nations

Africans treated as inferiors = racism promoted

Tribalism

Because European nation carved Africa up without regard for traditional tribal boundaries, Africa still suffers from tribalism.

Modern African nations often contain several different tribes that harbor ill feelings towards one another.

Inter-tribal conflict is common in Africa, often leading to civil wars and power struggles within national governments.

The Sun Never Sets

on the British Empire