Imperialism

IMPERIALISM

• Definition: The domination of the political, economic or cultural life of another country– “A stronger, more powerful country takes over

a weaker one”– Colonies– Protectorates– Spheres of influence

Imperialism

• Justified as the “White Man’s Burden” (Rudyard Kipling) – Idea that technologically advanced Europeans

were morally and socially superior to natives of Asia, Africa, and the Americas

– Colonies, Protectorates, and Spheres of Influence

Rudyard Kipling• “Take up the White Man's

burden• Send forth the best ye breed• Go bind your sons to exile• To serve your captives' need;• To wait in heavy harness• On fluttered folk and wild• Your new-caught, sullen

peoples• Half-devil and half-child.”• - Rudyard Kipling

Kipling’s Book and Disney’s version

Causes of Imperialism

• Economic causes:– Need for RESOURCES (coal, iron, cash crops,

various other “RAW MATERIALS”)– Need for MARKETS– Remember Age of Exploration?– Remember Mercantilism?

• Gold/Silver• Favorable balance of trade• Colonies for raw materials AND markets• Tariffs on imports from other countries

Examine the map below: What does the red part of the maprepresent? What do you think the Caption means?

“The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire”

Causes of Imperialism

• Technological: technology and scientific advances made it possible for “developed countries” to take over non-developed

• “Developed” means:– Industrial–Modern–…aggressive

Causes of Imperialism

• Political/Military: need for military bases to protect financial investments and to establish political influence (international)

–Military might follows the MONEY

Causes of Imperialism• Social/Cultural: –Western arrogance and ideas of

“saving” the world while profiting in the process–Social Darwinism–Racism–Christian Missionary zeal–Greed??

RacismRacism – Belief in the superiority of one race.Race is a SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION!!• Race has historically been

used to justify social inequalities.

• Meaning: instead of saying something is unfair because of how the system is set up, racial markers/identifiers are used to explain why some people are disadvantaged.

Eugenics• During the early part of

the 20th century, the idea of racial superiority was given scientific credibility through a field called eugenics breeding applied to humans

• Eugenics is the study and practice of selective. Its goal was to establish racial purity as a way to improve society

Example 1: Illustrations from thebook "Types of Mankind" by Josiah Nott and George Glidden,1854.

Look at both examples1. What comparisons arebeing made?2. Are the comparisonsfavorable or unfavorable?3. What do you think is thepurpose of making thesecomparisons?4. Look at the year eachexample was created.What was going on at thetime that may help explainthe purpose of the image

Example 2: The top image is ofJewish men; the bottom, of rats.The two images appear togetherin the film "The Eternal Jew",made in the 1930s by Nazifilmmaker Fritz Hipler.

How are ideas about race reinforced in society?

Imperialism

• Imperialism spread economic, political, and social philosophies of Europe throughout the world.

• Resistance to imperialism took many forms, including armed conflict and intellectual movements.

Why did nations pursue Imperialism?

• Empire Building• Economics• Political and Military Interests• Power and Authority• Nineteenth Century – 1800s• British Dominance - called the Victorian Era

after Queen Victoria who ruled for 64 years

Forms of Imperialism

• Colonies – Americas, India, Africa• Protectorates – Puerto Rico, Philippines,

Guam• Spheres of influence - China

Forms of ImperialismForm Definition ExampleColony A country or territory governed

internally by a foreign powerSomaliland in East Africa was a French Colony

Protectorate A country or territory with its own internal government but is under the control of an outside power

Britain established a protectorate over the Niger River Delta

Sphere of Influence An area in which an outside power claims excusive investment or trading privileges

Liberia was under the sphere of influence of the United States

Economic Imperialism An independent but less developed country controlled by private business interests rather than other governments

The Dole Fruit company controlled pineapple trade in Hawaii

Colonies• This is an expensive form of imperialism in which a

mother country sets up a bureaucracy to govern the locals. Under this form, rule can be either direct or indirect

Protectorates• In this form of imperialism, local rulers are left in

place with the understanding that they would accept advice of rulers from abroad, especially on trade, military or cultural issues.

Spheres of influence• This is a form of

imperialism in which an outside power claims exclusive trading or investment privileges in an area.

Imperialism in ASIA:

JAPANESE Imperialism

CHINA: Opium War 1839-1842

• Economics of trade balance• Britain spent too much silver on Chinese

imports• British East India Co. sold Opium to Chinese• Chinese lost the war and Hong Kong

CHINA: Western spheres of influence

• Extraterritoriality: Europeans living in China did not have to live by Chinese laws, but by their own nation’s laws

• USA’s “Open Door Policy” declares equal access to China to all European nations…(AND the USA!)

CHINA: Boxer Rebellion

• Shadow-boxing and the name “Society of the Harmonious Fists”

• Another attempt to get foreigners OUT of China

• Failed after allied foreign armies crushed them and demanded payment for damages

Imperialism in AFRICA

Imperialism in Africa and Asia

• European domination• European conflicts carried to the colonies• Christian missionary efforts• Spheres of influence in China• Suez Canal – shortened the trip to India• East India Company’s domination of Indian

states• American opening of Japan to trade

Suez Canal

• Europeans needed a faster way to get from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean

• The French and the Egyptians, with funding from France, began a canal to connect the two water bodies.

• Because Egypt could not pay their canal debts, they sold their shares to Great Britain

• 1882 – Egyptian nationalists rebel against foreign influence.

• British make Egypt a protectorate and take over control of the canal.

Effects Cont.

• Resistance to imperialism took many forms, including armed conflict and intellectual movements.

• Why did European countries participate in imperialism and a race for colonies?

• What were some responses of colonized peoples to European imperialism?

Effects of Industrial Revolution

• Nationalism motivated European nations to compete for colonial possessions. European economic, military, and political power forced colonized countries to trade on European terms. Industrially produced goods flooded colonial markets and displaced their traditional industries. Colonized peoples resisted European domination and responded in diverse ways to Western influences.

Responses of colonized peoples

• Armed conflicts (e.g., events leading to the Boxer Rebellion in China)

• Rise of nationalism (e.g., first Indian nationalist party founded in the mid-1800s)