The Age of Imperialism

1880-1914

Imperialism:

• The policy of a strong, industrialized nation to take over territories which are outside its own borders.

• The policy of extending a nation’s authority by territorial acquisition OR by establishing economic and political dominance over another land.

• In the last few decades of 19th c- a change occurred- from commercial interests to active conquest, political control and the exploitation of untouched lands.

Degrees of control:

• Least control most control

• Give economic establish a create a annexation

or military aid sphere of puppet state of the land

influence or protectorate

Why did Europeans begin their “New” Imperialistic adventures?

-The Economic interpretation…

• Need for raw materials for growing industrialization in Europe

• Markets for the new, manufactured goods

• Places for excess capital investment

• Other explanations…

Strategic Location: places for European ships to re-supply on the long voyages around the globe

Militant Nationalism: “The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire.” Other European nations wanted to control foreign lands as the British had done

The popular press: “Jingoism”- instigated attitudes of expansion

• A typical music hall song…

• We don’t want to fight, But by jingo if we do, We’ve got the men, We’ve got the ships, We’ve got the money too!

• Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and the idea of the survival of the fittest became “Social Darwinism”

• Europeans believed their civilization had evolved to be the “most fit”

• Religious Convictions and Missionary Activity

• “The White Man’s Burden.” by Rudyard Kipling

To Europeans: “The Unknown Continent”

• Special interests:• Geographic

Societies

European Imperialism in China

• Chinese leaders and the general population exhibited attitudes of ethnocentrism and rejected European advances

Imperialism in China

• Until the 1500’s Europe had very little contact with China

• Early Europeans (The Portuguese and the Dutch) encountered a Chinese emperor who rejected requests for trade missions

• 18th century British attempts were equally refused

Opium smoking – recreational drug?- The British plot- to create a nation of addicts in need of the opium illegally imported into China.

The Opium Wars, (1839-1842) a turning point- China went to war to stop the British import of the drug

The Treaty of Nanjing, 1842- China lost the Opium Wars and was forced to agree to this treaty which was very unfair to China

The Treaty of Nanking, 1842

• Britain could trade in four ports

• China had to pay $100 million indemnity

• Britain acquired Hong Kong

• Britain gained extraterritoriality

• Soon, other European nations won similar concessions…

• These treaties undermined the Emperor’s ability to control foreigners in his country

• European racism antagonized the Chinese

The Taiping Rebellion, 1851-1864

The Sino-Japanese War, 1894

1900, The Boxer Rebellion

Japan becomes the exception…

Japan becomes the exception…

• From 1600 thru 1853, Japan was isolated from the rest of the world.

• Japan’s feudal society was ruled by a Shogun, the emperor was a figurehead.

• Matthew Perry “opened“ Japan to trade

• The Meiji Restoration of 1867 marks the beginning of modern, industrial Japan.

• From 1603 thru 1853, Japan was isolated from the rest of the world by the Tokugawa shoguns

• The American naval force, commanded by Matthew Perry in Edo Bay to “open” Japan to trade in 1853

• 1867, The Meiji Enlightenment

• The young emperor, Mutsuhito embarks upon a policy of modernization for his country.

Imperialism in India

The Mughal Empire – India before the Europeans

-Imperialism in India

• First encounters -17th century-Dutch and Portuguese explorers faced wealthy, powerful princes who allowed small concessions for trade.

• By the 18th c. the British and French found a different India-torn apart by a “civil war”

• In 1757, the British East India Company defeated the French and Indian forces in the Battle of Plassey and for the next 100 years, dominated most of the sub-continent

The Battle of Plassey, 1757

The turning point in India: The Sepoy Mutiny, 1857

• Sepoys- hired and trained by the British East India Company

• In India; The first War of Independence

• The Sepoy Mutiny failed but the British government ended the monopoly of the British East India Company (BEIC) and administered the colony directly.

• The British government remained in India until its independence in 1947.

-British rule India

• Despite the British advances, Indian nationalism was strong…

• In 1885 the Indian National Congress was formed to gain independence

• In 1906, the Muslim League organized to represent the minority of Muslims

• Independence was not achieved until 1947, when Britain, exhausted from WWII, gave India the choice of self-determination.

Nationalist feelings spread across India, beginning with the Sepoy Mutiny and became more intense after World War Two, led by Mohandas Gandhi.

-British rule in India, 1757-1947

• Ended 100 years of intermittent warfare

• English-educated Indians became the backbone of the civil service …

• Parliamentary democracy was permitted in villages and towns…

• Modern technology- railroads, telegraph, medicine, schools, sanitation & irrigation was introduced.

Imperialism in Africa

• The most rapid example of Imperialism took place in Africa, Europeans wanted its undeveloped natural resources.

King Leopold II of Belgium started the “scramble for Africa” in 1876

British explorer and adventurer, Cecil Rhodes advocated for a British-controlled railroad from Cairo in Egypt to Capetown in the south.

• The Berlin Conference of 1885- Europeans met to lay out the ground rules for the conquest and division of Africa

The Legacy of Imperialism

• The influence of western ideas, institutions and technologies is apparent everywhere

• Feelings of animosity and distrust among the people of Africa and Asia

• Development of a non-western strain of nationalism which includes a strong religious and cultural conservatism

Any Questions?