Imperialism
How did these things help imperialism?
1. Nationalism
2. Militarism
3. “Attitudes” like Social Darwinism and “White Man’s Burden”
Britain in India
• 1500s-1600s Mogul Empire, then French & British, then British
• British East India Company rules, mid-1700s-1858
• 1858 British gov. takes over
• Very impt. To Britain
Everyone in China
• Countries compete over China
• Weak Qing dynasty
• “Open Door Policy”
• Europe demands more trade w/China
• Spheres of influence
Japan goes Imperialist
• 1867 revolution ends Shogun rule
• Political power returned to Emperor
• Meiji
• Desire to become industrialized, modernized
• Copy Europe
• Industrial growth means need for raw materials
• Japan = too small
• Must conquer neighbors
Everybody in Africa
• The Berlin Conference of 1884–85
• “Congo Conference" “
• regulated European colonization and trade in Africa
• “General Act of the Berlin Conference”
• formalization of the Scramble for Africa
• ushered in a period of heightened colonial activity by European powers
• eliminating most existing forms of African self-governance.
Sepoy Mutiny 1857
● began as mutiny of sepoys
of British East India
Company's army 1857
● escalated into other
mutinies & civilian
rebellions
● posed considerable threat
to Company power
● was contained only with
fall of Gwalior on 20 June
1858.
Sepoy Mutiny • rebellion is also known as
1857 War of Independence and by other names
• led to dissolution of East India Company in 1858
• led British to • reorganize army,
• financial system
• administration in India.
• India was thereafter directly governed by crown as new British Raj
Opium Wars 1839 & 56
● First Opium War
– 1839 to 1842
● Second Opium War
– 1856 to 1860
● disputes over trade &
diplomatic relations
● Qing Dynasty vs British
Empire
Opium Wars 1839 & 56
● Canton System in 1756
● restricted trade to one port
● did not allow foreign
entrance to China
● British East India
Company faced trade
imbalance in favor of
China
● invested heavily in opium
production to “rebalance”
Opium Wars 1839 & 56 ● British & US merchants
brought opium from British
East India Company's factories
– India
● to coast of China,
● sold it to Chinese smugglers
● distributed drug
– in defiance of Chinese laws.
Opium Wars 1839 & 56
● drain of silver
● growing numbers of addicts
● Emperor demanded action.
● Officials at court divided
● legalization of trade in
order to tax it
● defeated by those who
advocated suppression.
Opium Wars 1839 & 56
1838
● arrested Chinese opium dealers
● demanded that foreign firms turn over their stocks
● Refused
● stopped trade altogether
● placed foreign residents under virtual siege
● forced merchants to surrender their opium to be destroyed.
Opium Wars 1839 & 56
● British government sent
expeditionary forces from India
● ravaged Chinese coast
● dictated terms of settlement.
Opium Wars 1839 & 56
● Treaty of Nanking
● opened way for further opium trade,
● ceded territory
● unilaterally fixed Chinese tariffs at low rate,
● granted extraterritorial rights to foreigners in China
● disputes over treatment of British merchants in Chinese ports & on seas led to Second Opium War & Treaty of Tientsin.
Opium Wars 1839 & 56
● These treaties, soon followed
by similar arrangements with
United States & France, later
became known as Unequal
Treaties & Opium Wars as
start of China's "Century of
humiliation."
Zulu Resistance 1878
● Anglo-Zulu War was fought in
1879 between the British
Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.
● Sir Henry Bartle Frere sent to
South Africa for British Empire
● obstacles = presence of the
independent states of South
African Republic & Kingdom
of Zululand
● Frere - without the approval of
British government- instigated a
war with the Zulu (ultimatum
1878)
Zulu Resistance 1878
● Zulu king Cetshwayo - could not comply
● Brits invade Zululand
● war = particularly bloody, including a stunning opening victory
by the Zulu at Isandlwana
● landmark in the time line of imperialism in region
● Result = British victory & end of Zulu nation's independence
Boxer Rebellion 1898
• nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society"
• 1898 – 1901
• opposing foreign imperialism & Christianity
• response to foreign "spheres of influence" in China
• grievances
• opium traders
• political invasion
• economic manipulation
• missionary evangelism
Boxer Rebellion 1898
• anger rose over the "unequal treaties“
• weak Qing state could not resist.
• Concerns -- missionaries try top get lands and property of unwilling Chinese peasants to give to the church.
• resulted in violent revolts against foreign interests.
1839 1898
“Key Imperialism Events”
1st Opium War Boxer Rebellion
1857
Sepoy Mutiny
Imperialism
1856
2nd Opium War
Zulu Resistance
1878 1930
Salt March