Mayer - World History - Age of Imperialism

1. The Age of Imperialism(1800-1914)

2. What? • Imperialismis the process where stronger nations extend their power over weaker nations to control them economically, socially, and politically. The Age of Imperialism, is an era where mainly European nations used their military and technological advantages to forcibly control the people and land of Africa and Asia. • Where? • Imperialism takes place all over the world, but is mainly focused in Africa and Asia. • When? • Begins in the early 1800’s and lasts well into the 1900’s. • Who? • Imperialism involves all of the major countries of Europe, and almost all of the Asian and African continent is affected by it.

3. Word Wall imperialism militarism evolution assimilation apartheid sepoy natural selection

4. Topic1: Causes of Imperialism

5. Learning Goal • Students will be able to define imperialism, identify the causes of imperialism in the 1800 and 1900’s, and explain how each cause led to imperialism around the world.

6. Causes of Imperialism • Imperialism was not new. European countries had taken colonies in the Americas during the 1400’s and 1500’s, but had lost most of them during the Age of Revolutions. During the 1800’s, they focus their attention on Africa and Asia. Why? • There were four main reasons: • 1. Profit • 2. Nationalism • 3. Militarism • 4. Racism

7. Causes of Imperialism • 1. Profit • The Industrial Revolution was spreading through Europe during the 1800’s. The more factories that were created the more those factories needed cheap raw materials; especially oil, rubber, iron, cotton. Africa and Asia had large amounts of these raw materials available. • Europe’s factories also needed new customers to purchase their products. Africa and Asia were perfect markets because they had very little industry. • Once European countries were able to gain control over the land in Africa and Asia, they could force the natives to sell their raw materials for cheap, and turn around and sell the finished goods for high prices.

9. Causes of Imperialism: • 2. Nationalism • Nationalism promoted the superiority of each cultural group, createdfeelings of competition between nations. • Empires of colonies became the standard to judge which nation was truly superior; became of huge source of national pride. In order to be great, it was assumed, a nation must have an empire. • Newer, smaller countries like the United States, Japan, Germany, and Italy saw conquering colonies in Africa and Asia as their opportunity to challenge and compete with older, stronger, more established countries like Great Britain and France.

11. Causes of Imperialism • 3. Militarism • Two of the side effects of the Industrial Revolution were a huge increase in population and production. These caused dramatic expansions of armies and navies in the 1800’s. • Young men living in slums, working in dangerous factory jobs were easily convinced to join the military where they would be paid and fed much better. Also, factories could turn out weapons, ships, and supplies almost 24 hours a day. • These huge armies and better technology allowed these countries to easily dominate weaker nations. The ease with which these countries dominate others brings a feeling on invincibility. Many countries begin to depend on their militaries as their sole source of power. This dependence on military power and willingness to use it as the first course of action becomes known as militarism.

13. Causes of Imperialism: • 4. Racism • In 1859 Charles Darwin published his book, “On the Origin of the Species”. In this book, Darwin laid out his theory of evolution, natural selection, and what he called “survival of the fittest”. In this theory he proposed that all livings things change over time and that the animals that are best suited to survive do, while the others become extinct. • This is a ground-breaking book in terms of the study of biology. And its popularity made it a best-seller. However, within a few years people began taking Darwin’s ideas about animal evolution and applying them to people and social groups. This idea becomes known as ‘Social Darwinism”. • In “Social Darwinism” the rich and powerful are seen as the naturally selected, superior animals, while the poor and weak are doomed to become extinct. People began to view other, weaker nations as naturally inferior to the richer, more advanced nations.

14. Causes of Imperialism: • Europeans saw their advanced technology and wealth as a sign of superiority over other nations and races. Most African and Asian countries had not experienced an Industrial or Scientific Revolution before the 1800’s and Europeans thought this was proof of their inferiority. Because of this supposed superiority, many white nations saw themselves as entitled to dominate these weaker nations and races. • This idea becomes even more justified when a famous British poet, Rudyard Kipling, writes a poem about imperialism called “The White Man’s Burden”. In this poem he calls on his fellow white nations to set out to perform their supposed duty of civilizing the world and its inferior races.Kipling, and many white nations, believed it was their mission or responsibility to rule over and civilize weaker people because they were unable to do it themselves.

15. Causes of Imperialism: • In order to achieve this, people in industrialized countries set out to actively civilize the inferior races of the world. They began a process of assimilation in Africa and Asia; where the natives were forced to accept European culture, technology, and religion. • In many colonies, native culture and religion is banned and people are forced to convert to Christianity, dress in European styles, speak European languages, and are treated as inferiors to Europeans. • This theory of Social Darwinism, combined with the superiority complex of nationalism, would become a formula for future racism and bigotry in future generations.

18. Essential Question • What is imperialism? • Imperialism is ____________________________.

19. Essential Question • What were the causes of imperialism in the 1800 and 1900’s? • The causes of Imperialism in the 1800 and 1900’s were ____________________________.

20. Essential Question • How did each of those causes lead to imperialism? • ___________________ led to imperialism by ____________________________. • Elaboration • Evidence • 1. • 2.

21. Learning Scale 4 – I can define imperialism and explain the causes of it in the 1800 and 1900’s; and give specific examples of each cause. 3 – I can define imperialism and explain the causes of it in the 1800 and 1900’s. 2 – I can define imperialism but I can’t explain the causes of it in the 1800 and 1900’s. 1 – I can’t define imperialism or explain the causes of it in the 1800 and 1900’s.

22. Topic2: The Effects of Imperialism

23. Learning Goal • Students will be able to explain the effects of imperialism on the land and people of Asia and Africa.

25. Effects of Imperialism • Africa • Before 1860, most of Africa was unexplored by Europeans, but after the Industrial Revolution steamships, trains, and mass produced medicines allowed for more exploration. • Once Europeans discover the natural resources that Africa holds they begin the “Scramble for Africa”. Each country tries to grab as much land as quickly as possible and use their military to hold on to whatever they can. • Natives who resist are enslaved or destroyed. Others are forced to sign over their land and resources at gunpoint. • In 1885, the Kaiser of Germany calls a meeting of all the imperial countries to divide up the land of Africa. The Berlin Conference of 1885 drew up borders for colonies and enforced their claims on Africa. No Africans are present. • By the end of the conference, only two African nations remained independent. All of Africa was now ruled by Europeans.

27. Effects of Imperialism • Africa • This forcible takeover of Africa had severe, negative effects on the land and the people of Africa: • It destroys native African culture as Africans are forced to assimilate European culture. • It forced the separation of certain cultural groups and the combination of others. This still causes internal conflicts and civil wars in modern African countries. • Europeans exploit the land and take as much natural resources as they can get, as fast as they can get them. This leaves the land barren and useless, the people exhausted and broke, and the modern African countries poor and underdeveloped.

28. Effects of Imperialism • Africa • Imperialism causes millions of African deaths; either through war, disease, or starvation. In many parts of Africa the people were forced to grow cash crops like cotton instead of needed food. • Europeans only educate a small portion of Africans to help them rule the colonies. Creates hatred and resent towards light skinned Africans, who other Africans saw as traitors. • European companies established monopolies over certain businesses in Africa that still are in place today.

30. Asia

31. Effects of Imperialism • Australia • The British claimed Australia as a colony in 1770 and began transporting convicted prisoners there as colonists in 1788. • British brought numerous diseases that killed off most of the native people, called Aborigines. Those that survived were treated as second class citizens and segregated from the white population. The Aborigines were not given the right to vote or participate in government. This process of legal segregation is called apartheid. • Aborigines were only permitted to work in hard labor jobs or were used as servants for white colonists. Many starved because they were forced off of the best land by incoming British colonists.

32. Effects of Imperialism • Southern Asia & Pacific Islands • The islands of Indonesia and the Philippines were quickly conquered and divided up between several countries; including Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany. The Philippine Islands first conquered by Spain, but were taken by the United States during war with Spain in 1898 and became the United States largest colony. • In Southern Asia the British and French forced the overthrow of the kings of Burma and Vietnam and replaced them with European governors. • In most of these colonies the natives were treated very poorly – made to work long hours for no pay, starved while they grew cash crops for sale, given no say in government, and forced to assimilate European culture and Christianity.

34. Effects of Imperialism • India • India had been undergoing European colonization since the Portuguese arrived there in the 1400’s. • British were able to drive out the other countries by 1848 and take full control of India. • Because of India’s size, the British could not rule all of India by themselves. Native Indians were recruited and trained as part of the British army, navy, and local government. • However in 1857 there was a revolt by Indian soldiers, called sepoys, against the forced assimilation of British language and culture. They were crushed by the superior technology of the British, but after this rebellion, Britain sent large numbers of British troops and government officials and took direct control of India.

35. Effects of Imperialism • India • After 1857, they ruled India very harshly. Native Indian culture and languages were banned, millions of Indians were forced to convert to Christianity, thousands of Indians lost control of their land to British companies, farmers were forced to grow cash crops instead of food, and Indians were legally made into second class citizens.

39. Effects of Imperialism • China • Imperialism begins in China in the 1830’s. Europeans had traded with China for hundreds of years, but the Chinese had forbidden foreigners to settle in China; limiting foreigners influence in China. • In the 1780’s British traders began to bring and sell opium from India and Afghanistan to China. Within 10 years the Chinese people had a major opium addiction problem. • China soon forbid British merchants from selling opium in China, but it stayed a popular black market item. • 1839 - Chinese began seizing and destroying opium in China, most of it being the property of British merchants. • 1840 – Great Britain declares war on China; became known as the Opium Wars and superior British technology quickly overcame the Chinese army and navy.

40. Effects of Imperialism • China • After the war, the city of Canton and the land surrounding it became a British colony. British colonists were allowed to settle in specific areas of China, called “spheres of influence”. This mini-colony inside China was called Great Britain’s “sphere of influence”. • Once Great Britain overpowers the Chinese other countries quickly follow. Russia, Germany, France, and Japan all use military force to make China to give them “spheres of influence”. • In these spheres of influence, the foreign country was responsible to making laws, enforcing them, and running the government. The Chinese who lived in these areas were still citizens of China, but were forced to assimilate foreign influence.

42. Effects of Imperialism • China • The Chinese people eventually revolt against these foreign invaders. • 1900 - A secret society called The Boxers go on a rampage in the capital of Shanghai. Kill Chinese soldiers, foreigners, and Chinese Christians who they consider traitors. • Russia, the United States, Great Britain, Japan, Germany, and France all send troops to China. Finally, in 1901, they are able to defeat the Boxers. • The revolt causes the foreign countries to come down even harsher on the Chinese. By, 1910 China is in chaos. Westerners are free to run wild in their spheres of influence, the Chinese emperor is overthrown, and civil war breaks out in 1916. This civil war lasts for almost 40 years.

46. Effects of Imperialism • Japan • However, not all areas of Asia are dominated by foreigners. Japan is able to quickly adopt western technology and ways and actually begin competing against the westerners for colonies and power. • Since the 1600’s Japan had isolated themselves from the rest of the world. Only Korean and Dutch merchants were allowed to approach Japan and only at one port, Nagasaki. Other countries were chased off. • In 1853, the United States send a fleet of modern warships to the capital of Edo (Tokyo) and force the shogun of Japan to accept American merchants and visitors.

47. Effects of Imperialism • Japan • A group of samurais from the towns of Satsuma and Chosun overthrow the shogun and give power back to the Japanese emperor. Decides that they must adopt western technology if they wish to compete and save their country from imperialism. This becomes known as the Meiji (Enlightened) Restoration. • Japan begins to buy and build western weapons and technology. They hire experts from western countries to come to Japan and teach them modern methods. They also send their best and brightest students to other countries to be educated in western schools. They begin to build factories to produce their own goods and armies. • By 1900, Japan had built or purchased an army and navy to compete with the western nations. The Meiji emperor then decided that Japan must take colonies of their own to compete with European imperialism.

48. Effects of Imperialism • Japan • 1894 - Declare war on China and easily defeated the Chinese. • 1904 – Go to war against Russia for control of Northern China. Most people believed that Russia would quickly defeat this “inferior”, Asian nation. Japan’s new navy crushes Russia in less than 3 months. Russia’s is forced to surrender their “sphere of influence” in China to Japan. • 1910 - Japan invades Korea as well, and quickly conquers the entire kingdom. • Had officially built its own empire of colonies, replaces China as the dominant state in Asia, and showed the world that Asians could compete with and stand up to European imperialism.