Welcome to the Age of Imperialism

How does imperialism and the appeal for colonies reflect 19th century nationalism?

Journal

Describe the political concept of the late 1800’s, early 1900’s that is being depicted in this cartoon.

How was this action justified by “Social Darwinism?”

The Age of Imperialism

1875-1914Red-coated British soldiers stand at

attention around a royal pavilion during a ceremony in India. Britain’s Queen Victoria

took the title Empress on India in 1876.

The Age of Imperialism

• Imperialism =

a policy of conquering and ruling other lands

• 2. Britain was the most powerful nation in the world b/c of:– factories– British Navy– banks

• Germany and the US began to challenge British industrial power (late 1800’s)

• Solution - look to colonies for markets and resources.

B. Motives for Imperialism?

• colonies = power

• economic competition (resources and markets)

• racism

• share technology and progress

• spread Christianity with missionaries

Mass Appeal

– Joseph Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) – most popular writer in GB

– stories – adventure, feelings of superiority– saw imperialism as a mission to “civilize non-Europeans” and

urged his readers to

The Age of Imperialism

•In answering the call of imperialism, Europeans altered the way of life on every continent.

11

Domination and Resistance in Africa

Slide 12

Berlin Conference 1884-1885

14 countries meet in Berlin, carve up Africa

Slide 13

Europe’s Advantage

Transportation- steamships and railroad

Communications- telegraph, later the telephone

Medical – quinine for malaria

Slide 14

Europe’s Advantage

Superior military weaponry Bolt-action rifles - quick reload

maxim gun and gatlin gun (early machine gun)

steamships w/ machine guns and cannon traveled up the rivers

Slide 15

Africa’s DisadvantagesVariety of cultures and languagesLow level of technology available – most of the guns owned by Africans dated back to the slave trade (ended two generations before)

Slide 16

Africa’s Disadvantages

Ethnic strife and warfare limited attempts to work together

Slide 17

Successful Resistance - Ethiopia

only country to successfully resist the Europeans

Emperor Menelik II- played the Italians, French, and British against one another

Battle of Adowa (1896)- Ethiopians successfully defeated the Italians and maintained their independence

Slide 18

Successful Resistance1930s - Benito Mussolini would target Ethiopia before World War II – avenging Italy’s loss.

Ethiopians fought with the same guns that had defeated the Italians forty years before – and lost

Jungle Book: Lively stories filled with talking animals

• Rudyard Kipling wrote the famous children’s book, The Jungle Book, in 1893. It was written at the height of British imperialism around the globe. Kipling is known for his great pride in Britain and his support of British imperialism (remember, he wrote the “White Man’s Burden” poem.) However, he was a realist in his views. Many of his written works portray this in his characters. The Jungle Book is no exception. The story is set in the jungle of India. Although it is a children’s book, the characters symbolize much of what Kipling believed was right about the British colonization of India.

Assignment

• How do the characters in the movie, The Jungle Book, reflect the actions and intentions of British imperialism in India in the 1800s? – Pay attention to the messages given by each

character and how they each may symbolize elements of imperialism.

– Select THREE characters you feel most comfortable supporting and present your analysis in an essay. Be sure to provide specific examples from the film to support your analysis.

 What do you see in the picture? (be specific)  Who are the people? What are they doing?  Where this scene might be taking place?  Why might be taking place in this scene?  How might the people in the scene be feeling?

Reached its height under Queen Victoria

Originally about economics PRIDE

Cecil Rhodes built the trans-Africa

railway nation of Rhodesia (now

Zimbabwe) was named

The cartoon is a play on the old Colossus of Rhodes, which was one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.”

“We [the British] happen to be the best in the world, with the highest ideals of dependency and justice and liberty and peace, and the more of the world we inhabit, the better it is for humanity.”

“Our whole existence has been controlled by people with an alien attitude to life, people with different customs and beliefs. They have determined the form of government, the types of economic activity, and the schooling which our children have…A man who tries to control the life of another does not destroy the other any less because he does it, as he thinks, for the other’s benefit. It is the principle which is wrong, the principle of one man governing another without his consent.”

-Julius Nyerere of Tanzania

Colony Direct control

Completely ruled by imperial power No influence of local people / culture Goal: assimilation

Protectorate indirect control

overseen by imperial power locals play small roles in local government

Sphere of Influence indirect control

control of a specific need or resource (trading privileges)

only imperializes a specific area or region, not a total country

Ex. China

Economic Imperialism indirect control

control by private business interests NOT government can eventually lead to colonization Ex. Dole Fruit Company in Hawaii

…looks tasty to Europeans.

Russia interested in the Black Sea (access to Med. and Atlantic) Crimean War: 1853

Russia attacks Turks and lose

GB & France help the Turks

didn’t want Russia to get any bigger

Ottomans win, Russians lose

Oil discovered in Middle East

built Suez Cana with French engineers borrowed $ from

France who in turn borrowed $ from GB

1882: lose Suez Canal to GB; couldn’t pay off debts

What do you believe should be the government’s response to a natural disaster?

What is something you would absolutely never do? (School appropriate answers)

Famine in India 1876-78

India was the largest and most lucrative colony of the entire British Empire.

1600’s British East India Co. began trading in India; over time gained more economic and POLITICAL control

spurred on by resentment and nationalism against GB

May 10, 1857-Sepoys rebelled (joined by Indian soldiers) and took Delhi

took more than a year for East India Co to gain control

led to full colonization of most of India called the RAJ.

demand a greater role in governing creation of:

Indian National Congress-1855 Mix of all Indians

Muslim League-1906 Just Muslim Indians Goal: push for independence and protection of

Muslim rights

Strong tension continues to develop b/w Hindus and Muslims as

nationalism increases

Hindus outnumbered Muslim Indians 2:1

history of poor treatment of Hindus by Muslim Mughal Dynasty caused distrust b/w two groups

many Hindus favored GB over Mughal Dynasty

GB used religious division of Indians to their advantage

Term What the person / event idea is

Why the person / event / idea is IMPORTANT in

history

Imperialism

Social Darwinism

Berlin Conference

Cecil Rhodes

Sepoy Rebellion

Rudyard Kipling

Suez Canal

Before / after map quiz 3….