Overview of Imperialism

Overview of Imperialism

• Imperialism involved establishing overseas empires through military, political, and economic and cultural influence.
• Key drivers for imperialism are nationalism, cultural ideologies, religion, and economics

Causes and Rationale for Imperialism

• Nationalism: A sense of identity and loyalty to a state that drove the desire to acquire new territories
• Cultural Ideologies: The belief that colonizers were helping the colonized through the introduction of new norms
• Superiority Ideologies: Taking over colonies would introduce new languages, political structures and norms
• Religion: Missionaries influenced Imperialism, setting up schools, medical care, encouraging people to give up traditional beliefs
• Economics: Treaties with leaders in India, East Africa, and East Indies allowed Europeans establish trading posts and forts

Where Imperialism Spread

Africa

• Europe and Africa had pre-existing relationships through trading posts and the slave trade
• European presence expanded past trading posts to establish colonies
• The British had control through diplomacy, warfare, and economic influence
  • In 1882, Britian seized control of Egypt from the Ottoman Empire to stabilize unrest and control the Suez Canal
  • West Africa became location for colonies, spreading education, English and Christianity
• The French established a settler colony in Algeria and trading posts in Guinea, the Ivory Coast and Niger to compete with British colonies
• European nations competed for Africa's natural resources resulting in the Scramble for Africa
  • The Berlin Conference (1884-1885) divided Africa among European powers, without African representation
  • The Boer Wars (1880-1881, 1899-1902) were fought between the British and Afrikaners in South Africa
    • Britain drove Afrikaners and Africans into concentration camps
    • Britain later integrated settler colonies into their empire.
• King Leopold II of Belgium controlled the Congo for economic exploitation, leading to the exploitation of workers and resources
• By 1900, Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia) and Liberia were the only African countries unclaimed by Europeans

South Asia

• European powers sought control of spices, gems, and trade routes

East Asia

• China maintained domestic government while dealing with European influence
  • Spheres of Influence: Areas where European nations had exclusive trading rights
  • The Taiping Rebellion weakened China, facilitating imperialism
  • The Boxer Rebellion was ultimately a failed anti-imperialist movement
• Japan industrialized and aimed at acquiring resources and land
  • A Colonization Society was established with plans to colonize in Mexico and Latin America
  • Japan created an empire including East Asia that lasted from 1890s to WWII

Southeast Asia

• Portugal and Spain had previously controlled trade until the 1600s, before the English and Dutch took over
  • The Dutch East India Company took control of the spice trade and Dutch East Indies
  • The French gained control of northern Vietnam after defeating China in the Sino-French War, expanding into French Indochina
  • Britian controlled Malay Peninsula, Burma, and northern Borneo
  • Siam (modern day Thailand) remained independent through diplomatic relations and modernization

Australia and New Zealand

• Britain expanded to Australia and established a penal colony
• All of Australia and New Zealand was eventually annexed

Latin America and the Pacific

• The US expanded across the continental US due to belief in Manifest Destiny
• The US expanded overseas
  • The Spanish American War granted the US areas like Guam, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines

Russian Imperialism

• Russia expanded starting under Catherine the Great
  • Russia expanded into Poland, Finland, Moldova, and Georgia
  • Russia expanded into Alaska, then sold it to the US in 1867
  • Russia and Britian competed for dominance in Afghanistan

Effects and Responses to Imperialism

Resistance Movements

• The Balkans: rebellions increased against the Ottoman rule, with Serbia and Greece winning independence
• The Americas: revolts occurred against settlers
• The Cherokee Nation attempted to assimilate, but were forced off their land
• The Ghost Dance movement sought to drive out white settlers, ending in the Wounded Knee Massacre
• Tupac Amaru II led revolts against Spain

South Asia

• The Indian Rebellion of 1857/Sepoy Mutiny was caused by British use of rifle cartridges greased with animal fat, causing a revolt which contributed to Indian nationalism
• The Indian National Congress let British educated Indians air their grievances to the colonial government

Southeast Asia

• Vietnam resisted colonization
• Phillippines rebelled against Spanish rule, leading to the Philippine Revolution, later becoming a US possession until 1946

Australia and New Zealand:

• Australia: Aboriginal people were killed defending their territory, not considered British subjects
• New Zealand: The Maori Wars broke out against the British

Africa:

• Xhosa Cattle Killing Movement: The Xhosa killed their cattle and destroyed their crops, causing famine
• Anglo-Zulu War: The British defeated the Zulus, incorporating their land into South Africa

Economic Development

• Technological advancements, led by railroads, steamships, and the telegraph, contributed to expanding global economy
• Railroads: lowered cost of transporting material
• Steamships: Helped transport people, mail, and goods
• Telegraph: Instantaneous travel for news

Economic Imperialism

• Situation where foreign businesses had power beyond their borders
  • East India Company was the major resource for textiles
  • Dutch East India Company used the Culture System, forcing farmers to grow cash crops

Agricultural Products

• Cash crops replaced subsistence farming, including tea, cotton, sugar, oil palms, rubber, coffee
• Guano was needed from bats and seabirds to use as fertilizer

Raw Materials

• Cotton, rubber, palm oil, ivory, minerals, silver, copper, tin, gold, and diamonds were all used to turn colonies into export economies

Migration

Causes of Migration

• Labor systems caused slavery, indentured servitude and contract laborers
• British and French Penal Colonies: Convicts were shipped to Australia, Africa, New Caledonia, and French Guiana

Effects of Migration

• Migration led to social effects in effects on both home and receiving societies
  • Home socities: Demographic Shifts caused by more males than females migrating -Receiving societies: Ethnic enclaves and diaspora

Challenges with Migration

• Push v Pull Factors caused challenges on poverty and indentured servitude in India
• Discrimination on ethnic/ religious groups in other areas