The Age of New Imperialism

1. The Age of New Imperialism 1800-1914

2. The Devilfish in Egyptian Waters

3. Imperialism • A policy where stronger nations dominate the political, economic, or cultural life of weaker nations. • A new wave began in the 1800s. Original wave started back in the 1400s. • Born out of the new industrial society of the 1800s. Countries were richer and more powerful.

4. Map of Colonial Empires in 1914

5. Causes • Economic Interests ($$$) • Political/Military Interests (Nationalism) • Humanitarian/Religious Goals • Social Darwinism

6. Economic Interests • The Industrial Revolution • Industrialized countries needed natural resources • Ex: rubber, petroleum, manganese for steel, palm oil for machinery • Also wanted new markets to sell factory goods to • Colonies were valuable outlets for overpopulation in home countries

8. Political/Military Interests • IN’s needed naval bases around the world • Seized islands and harbors • Competition/maintaining balance of power • Empire = prestige and greatness • Ex: when France got colonies in West Africa, GB and Germany did too to prevent France from becoming too powerful

9. Humanitarian/Religious Goals • Many Westerners believed they had a moral duty to spread their “superior” way of life • Western technology, law, medicine, education • Also felt they needed to “Christianize” the “barbarians” in other parts of the world. • It was very ethnocentric…but…many well-meaning missionaries and doctors accompanied the imperialists • Two arguments: western advances did benefit natives; natives were denied their culture

10. Social Darwinism • Imperialism was based on feelings of racial superiority; this theory justified colonies. • Racism: the belief that one race is superior to others • Social Darwinists applied Charles Darwin’s ideas about natural selection and survival of the fittest to human societies. • Imperialism was nature’s way of improving the human race.

11. What made imperialism possible? • Weakness of conquered areas • Africa weak because of slave trade • Lack of weapons/technology • Western strengths and advantages • Strong economies and governments • Powerful armies and navies • Superior technology • Steam-powered ships, Maxim machine gun (1889), repeating rifles, the telegraph, quinine

12. Meeting in Berlin • Berlin Conference, 1884 • A gathering of European powers held in Berlin. • This was a means of avoiding war between the powers. • It established ground rules for staking claims in Africa.

13. Forms of Imperialism • Colony – direct control, most intrusive • Protectorate – local rulers left in place, but still under control of European advisors • Sphere of influence – exclusive investment or trading privileges • Economic Imperialism – most politically independent, but ldc’s indirectly controlled by large businesses

16. Impacts • Positive: medical advances, hospitals, schools • Life expectancy and literacy rates increased • Negative: Africans lost control of land and their independence • Forced to mine or plant cotton and other cash crops instead of their own food crops • Famine • Loss of traditional culture