AP World History PDF

T19 The Rise of The British Empire The Industrial Revolution changed domestic life in Victorian England. It also propelled Britain to world power status and gave them the ability to imperialize foreign regions (i.e. India) on a dramatic scale. HOME: VICTORIAN LIFE T...

T19 The Rise of The British Empire The Industrial Revolution changed domestic life in Victorian England. It also propelled Britain to world power status and gave them the ability to imperialize foreign regions (i.e. India) on a dramatic scale. HOME: VICTORIAN LIFE The Victorian Age refers to the second half of the 19th century and is named after Queen Victoria. Although it predominately refers to culture in Britain it has been used to refer to this period of world history.  Victorian England was a product of the Industrial Revolution. Whereas during the Elizabethan Era nearly all of Britain was engaged in agriculture, by the mid 1800s factory life – along with its many effects on society, economics, politics, & the environment, was what defined life for those in Great Britain.  In the second half of the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution took on a new phase (i.e. the Second Industrial Revolution) and was characterized by the further expansion of railway and telegraph lines, but also the introduction of electricity, production of chemicals / synthetic dyes, and the use of steel. Owners of capital The London Underground opened in 1890 became even wealthier  As before, British cities employed hundreds of thousands of people – who continued to live in squalor. Proper urban planning was slow to develop. Even as laws were passed to improve sanitation, water supply, and construction, implementation was sluggish and rarely was there funding to upgrade older dwellings.  A closer look at Cholera & germ theory Cholera is a gastrointestinal infection caused by bacteria; prevalent in areas with poor water sanitation. In the mid 1800s thousands of people in London were falling ill to a Cholera outbreak. Dr. John Snow started to investigate the 1854 outbreak to prove his theory that it was caused by water contamination. By talking to local residents, he created a dot map to illustrate the cluster of cases around a particular water pump.  Snow took his findings to local officials and convinced them to take the handle off the pump. Researchers later discovered that the public well from which the pump drew water was dug only a few feet from a cesspit. The cloth diaper of a baby, who had contracted cholera from another source, had been washed into this cesspit and was the point source of the outbreak. Snow’s findings and “germ theory” was not immediately accepted by the medical establishment. Over time his findings and the work of others led to changes in sanitation and water supply that finally ended the cholera epidemics in Europe and the United States that were occurring during the 19th century.  Quick Video VICTORIAN SLUM HOUSE | Official Trailer | PBS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpCVnJnESIs https://ww w.youtube. com/watch ?v=kOiO7xf qkDk  A closer look at Prince Albert Prince Albert represented both the past & future – He was involved in an arranged marriage, to his cousin, he was from Germany – His wife was the ruler (actually Parliament had more power) – He was deeply interested in innovation & reform The Great Exhibition of 1851, housed in the “Crystal Palace” https://www.youtube.com put on a display of technological and cultural achievements /watch?v=MV5C53qEwZ0  The plight of workers had led to the intellectual movement of socialism (government intervention into the economy to provide economic justice to members of society) for which Karl Marx had hoped would turn into communism – where the proletariat (working class) would seize control from the bourgeoise (business owners) in a revolution.  Marx’s communism did not develop in industrial western societies like Britain, why? – Increased voting rights for working men gave them a political voice (so why revolt?) – Labor unions allowed workers to unite as one voice for better pay and working conditions (unions were illegal until the mid 1800s, and often forbid women from joining). – Industrialization occurred at the same time as nationalism, and national loyalty trumped class loyalty. – Socialist political parties came into existence (mainly in Europe) as a way of creating legislation in favor of the working class (By 1912, the Social Democratic Party of Germany had won a majority of the electoral seats in the Reichstag).  Due to these developments, especially the rise of labor unions and expanded suffrage, men now had an outlet for their political & economic gripes, as a result Marx’s predicted revolution won’t take place. – This is important! In societies where people don’t have an outlet – they will revolt. Think of the French Revolution.  A social division was quite evident with Victorian / European women. – In upper classes, women were in charge of child rearing & running the household usually with the aid of servants. Education was limited and was usually for the sole purpose of increasing a woman’s marriage prospects. – Professional careers were discouraged (However, teaching did become acceptable, usually for single women only). – Lower class women were compelled to earn a living (such as working in a textile mill or becoming a house servant where sexual abuse sometimes occurred) all awhile raising a family too. – Married women with families were pressured to stay home and earn money by working in the home (sewing, weaving baskets, etc.)  Throughout the 1800s & early 1900s the traditional view of women as inferior, was challenged by women – in both Victorian England and other parts of the Western world. – Enlightenment thought encouraged women to question the status quo and their unequal status. – Numerous suffragette groups formed (The British activist Emily Davison threw herself in from of a racehorse in 1913 as an act of protest). Some academic & medical “experts” claimed that education for women and increased roles outside the home would cause “reproductive damage.” Although any progress toward equality was quite limited, the mere fact that society was having a passionate & public debate about the position of women was rather radical.  Worlds Apart? Non - industrialized Countries Industrialized Countries “Just as the male worker is subjected by the capitalist, so is the Business & woman by the man, and she will Workers always remain in subjugation until (proletariat) landowners she is economically independent...” (bourgeoisie) Working class Rich men Women (raise children, men (men’s only clubs) work is (heavy discouraged) machinery, Poor women foremen, (textile mills) paid better, unions) Clara Zetkin (German socialist) ABROAD: THE EXPANSION OF AN EMPIRE The further development of industrial life required additional raw materials. New technologies also gave Britain an advantage over less developed areas of the world – setting in motion a new age of colonialism / imperialism.  “The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire” The British controlled colonies all over the world from Australia, Southeast Asia, India, the Caribbean, Africa, and beyond (By the 1920s they occupied nearly 25% of the world’s population and lands). Why the British? – They industrialized first so they had a jump start on technology and a need for raw materials for their factories – The world’s best navy What was changing? – Prior to 1750 (or the American Revolution) Britain’s focus was on slave plantations in the American colonies (slavery is now over, and the U.S. is independent). Instead Britain will focus on the Eastern Hemisphere. – Britain is surpassing (perhaps because of the Industrial Revolution) possible competitors (French & Dutch). – Along with new shipbuilding techniques free trade is replacing mercantilism, which will help “sea powers.”  After 1850 larger ships were built (In the 1700s ships did not exceed 300 tons, but after 1850 clipper ships were 2,000 tons) that were also much faster thus further stimulating maritime trade.  In India The once powerful Mughal Empire (Islamic) had been in decline since the mid 1700s, leaving an opportunity for the newly elevated British and its East India Company. The EIC employed an army of Indians known as Sepoys who were led by British officers (The British were still competing for complete control over the subcontinent with Muslims, other European nations, and Indian princes).  It was really the East India Company’s “India” and not that of the British government (imagine Microsoft or Wal-Mart taking over a country!) They controlled an area with more people than the population of all of Western Europe. Christian missionaries were less restricted and Indian elites were granted more power than they had under the Mughals (yet for women and the ordinary Indian life worsened).  The British viewed India as its own personal supply closet of raw materials to feed its industrial factories (Indians were forbidden to manufacture things on their own and were forced to buy British goods. India was the world’s largest supplier of textiles, but not anymore).  The British were regularly putting down small uprisings with its sepoys. However, the Sepoy Mutiny (or Sepoy Rebellion) of 1857 was much more consequential. Why? It was the sepoys who were supposed to put down uprisings, plus they were well trained. The sepoys found out that their rifle cartridges were greased with beef and pork fat, to use the cartridge they had to bite off the end – this violated their beliefs. Rebellions took place throughout central & northern India.  However, the revolt was destined to fail because... – Indian Hindus and Muslims disagreed about what the future of India was to look like, Hindus preferred British rule to Mughal rule. – The “caste system” prevented any sense of unity between various castes to stand up united against the British. However, over time – the shared experience of colonization, strengthened the ties amongst Hindus; the same occurred for Muslims. In a region where historically unification was always lacking, the British were unintentionally beginning to bring different parts of India together.  As a result of the mutiny, the British government took direct command of India. This period of British rule became known as the Raj and lasted from 1857 – 1947. A cabinet minister in London directed policy, and a British governor- general in India carried out the government’s policy. Often British elites would rely upon Indian princes / elites for the implementation of public policy.  India benefited and was hurt by British colonialism. NEGATIVE Britain held much of the political and economic power Britain’s demand for cash crops and other materials POSTITVE reduced food production causing famine Britain established a large Racism was widespread railroad network uniting different regions New canals, bridges, and telegraph lines were built Local warfare ended A rigid class system developed, and most Indians resented their British rulers(British control did offer Indians new opportunities, but...) “Ninety-nine percent of the railroad employees were Indians, but Europeans occupied all the top positions – ‘like a thin film of oil on top of a glass of water, resting upon but hardly mixing with those below,’ as one official report put it.”  As a result of British imperialism, Indian nationalism would develop. Ironically, the development of India by the British (Western style schools, and European ideals) played a part in this nationalism. It was normally led by educated middle class Indians who were beginning to prosper, but were upset with prejudices (like the creoles of South America who too wanted independence) Rammohun Roy (Western- educated, from a Brahmin family) wanted Pan-Indian nationalism. – He tried to reconcile the country’s social and ethnic divisions (the history of India had always been various city states with the occasional period of unification: Mauryan Empire, Gupta Empire, Mughal Empire, etc.) – Encouraged reforms to help women (put an end to sati & infanticide) Australia & New Zealand Similar to Amerindians the indigenous people of Australia and New Zealand were prone to European diseases (this was not true of the Indians, Africans, and people of S.E. Asia who were also being colonized by the British). The first permanent British settlers down under were male & female convicts who had limited contact with aborigines. (Captain James Cook is credited for first exploring these places).  However, after the discovery of gold in 1851, free settlers came to Australia (no longer just a penal colony); by 1860 a million immigrants had arrived (In 1788, there had only been about 300k people living in Australia. Immigration to New Zealand was much slower). Toward the end of the 19th century both places were on their way to independent rule (similar to the government in Canada).The British had learned their lesson from the American Revolution (i.e. give the colonies some autonomy / independence and let them take care of their own expenses).  Aborigines and the Maori were often excluded from democracy and often put on reservations. However, Australia and New Zealand were among the first countries to allow women’s suffrage. Other Notable Places The “Cape Colony” in South Africa (despite consisting of Dutch settlers who called themselves Afrikaners) was of high importance because of its strategic location between India & England.  Throughout the 19th century the British also took over strategic trading locations in Southeast Asia: – Java (part of Indonesia, but given back to the Dutch) – Burma – Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka) – Malaysia – Singapore  By 1870, Britain had dozens of colonies around the world (despite losing 13 colonies in the Americas). Its goal was not so much territorial expansion (although it did take land), as it was doing what was best for its commercial & trading interests: – Tea & raw materials from India – Ivory from East Africa – Sugar from the Caribbean – Forest products from S.E. Asia The British had begun a new Age of Imperialism The world was on the verge of a new era of imperialism (with similarities to the older era of colonialism in the Americas). Just as the desire to find wealth at the expense of others in the New World contradicted with the Christianity Europeans were trying to spread; the dictatorial policies of colonial administration, and racism in Africa (amongst other places), contradicted with the growing democracy and spirit of equality championed by the Enlightenment taking place at home in Europe.  Imperialism did introduce some Africans/Asians to “modernization” and a western education. However, while the most educated may have been able to obtain administrative posts, or jobs working for colonial authorities (which allowed them to obtain a higher standard of living compared to their native brothers and sisters), Europeans never saw them as equals. Colonized people were “subjects” and viewed as racially inferior. Yeah, they thought of me too as a subject once. Ultimately this treatment and lack of political autonomy would lead to the desire for decolonization and independence.  Quick Video An Expanding Empire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuXx9b80wsk