European Imperialism Imperialism – The practice of a powerful

nation building an empire by establishing control of weaker nations or regions.

Old Imperialism (1500-1800) - Colonization by European nations during the Exploration and the Commercial Revolution. Declined by the early 19th century due to high cost and rising resistance caused by nationalism.

Modern Imperialism – (Since mid 1800’s) – Industrialization began a renewed interest in expanding their territories and empire building. Imperialist nations are referred to “Mother Countries”

Motives for Imperialism by European Countries

Cheap supply of raw materials from inhabited lands. To create markets for the sale of manufactured goods To provide investors opportunities for safe investment of

surplus capital To provide outlets for growing populations in mother

countries. To increase national prestige and provide “a place in the

sun” for the growing middle class. Allowed Missionaries to spread Christianity throughout the

world. To spread the advance western culture to what they

considered “backward” people of the world. Known as “White Man’s Burden” (Social Darwinism).

Take up the White Man's burden-- Send forth the best ye breed--Go bind your sons to exileTo serve your captives' need;To wait in heavy harness,On fluttered folk and wild--Your new-caught, sullen peoples,Half-devil and half-child.

Excerpt from Rudyard Kipling’s White Mans Burden” - 1899

Types of Imperialist Control Colonies or Annexation – A foreign nation

gains total control over a region and its native population. It becomes part of the empire and is under complete control of the mother country.

Protectorate – The native ruler remains in power but the mother country controls affairs behind the scene.

Condominium – Regions in which two nations ruled as partners

Concession – An underdeveloped country grants economic rights and privileges to foreign businesses or governments in return for the building of infrastructure to develop the mining or collection of natural resources.

Sphere of Influence – Regions in which a nation is given exclusive economic privileges that are respected by other nations.

Mandate (Trusteeship) – Areas of defeated nations are put under control of victorious nations following war. The ruling nation pledges to prepare the native people for self-rule.

Types of Imperialist Control

Berlin Conference (1884-85)

* Purpose Otto von Bismarck convened the Great European Powers to determine procedures on how to divide Africa and provide for orderly establishment of colonies. Africans leaders were not included.

The Scramble for Africa

French troops invaded Algeria in 1830. They were initially repelled but eventually gained control.

By the late 19th Century, French interests in Northern Africa increased: Many French citizens began

moving into Northern Africa French Industrialists desired

more access to the raw materials and markets .

The French gained control of Tunis (now known as Tunisia) by 1881 and Morocco by 1904

France eventually controlled most of North and West Africa

French Control of North and West Africa

France’s Colonial Empire

Central Africa – The Belgian Congo In 1877, the famous American journalist/explorer Henry M Stanley

explored the area around the Congo River in central Africa King Leopold II of Belgium personally funded another expedition

(led by Stanley) into the Congo region In 1884-85, at the Berlin Conference, Leopold was granted a large

portion of Central Africa, surrounding the Congo River. It becomes known as “Congo Free State” It actually serves as his own private plantation Between 1885 and 1908, under Leopold’s authority, the rubber

companies brutally force the native inhabitants of the Congo River area to extract rubber and other products from the forests

Those who do not extract enough are killed or mutilated. Beginning in 1906, the British press began to run articles on these

atrocities drawing world wide attention. In 1909, Leopold is forced to give up control. It becomes an official Belgian colony called the Belgian Congo

In 1859, a French entrepreneur, Ferdinand de Lesseps, established a company to construct the Suez Canal with the blessing and assistance of Egypt’s rulers

The Suez Canal was opened by 1869 (at great expense to the Egyptians)

Because of huge debts Egypt sold its shares in the Suez Canal project to Britain in 1875.

After an uprising was put down by English troops in 1882. Egypt became a protectorate of England. It remained this way until 1954

British Control of Egypt (and the Suez Canal)

First settled by the Dutch in 1652 – “Cape Colony”Over time these Dutch settlers, became known as as the Boers. As the British began to settle in South Africa, the Boers began

migrating to the northeast to escape British rule and formed two independent Boer republics (1)Transvaal and (2) Orange Free State.

Major gold and diamond deposits were found in Southern Africa in 1868 – causing more British fortune-seekers to migrate into the area.

These lands, many of which belonged to a large tribe known as the Zulu’s, were annexed by the Cape Colony in 1871.

In 1879, the British and Zulus went to war. In spite of early defeats, the British finally manage to win the war.The remainder of the Zulu lands were annexed to the Cape Colony

and granted to British settlers

British Colonial Influence in Southern Africa

The Influence of Cecil RhodesCecil Rhodes was a powerful and

wealthy businessman who enriched himself with diamond mining in Cape Colony– He founded De Beers Consolidated Diamond Mining Company

Rhodes created two more British colonies through takeover of tribal lands. They becomeNorthern Rhodesia (now Zambia)Southern Rhodesia (now

Zimbabwe)Rhodes became the Prime Minister of

the Cape Colony

British Colonial Influence in Southern Africa

Gold was discovered in the Transvaal in 1886 British prospectors and settlers quickly move into the Boer

republics Under the leadership of Rhodes, the Cape Colony attempted to annex the Transvaal and Orange Free State by force in 1896 The attempt fails and Rhodes is forced to resign The British begin the Boer War to capture these areas

The War lasts from 1899 – 1902 The Boers at first succeeded using guerrilla tactics The British respond by sending in several hundred thousand

troops. They scorch Boer farms and set-up prison camps for captured Boers (including women and children)

The British win, but experience an international public relations nightmare for their treatment of the Boers

The Boer War

The settlers of European ancestry vote to establish the Union of South Africa Three major groups of people

Whites (entirely of European ancestry) “Coloreds” – including ethnic Indians and peoples of mixed

African and European ancestry Native Africans

In 1913 – South Africa’s Parliament passed the Native Lands Act Only White South Africans had the right to vote Native African peoples only allowed to live and own land on

reservations This created the South African system of Apartheid, which lasted

until the 1990s In response Mohandas K. Gandhi, a lawyer living in South Africa,

urged his fellow Indians to peacefully disobey these laws Black and “colored” peoples form the South African Native National

Congress, the forerunner of the African National Congress protest these racist policies

Establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910

By 1900 Europe controlled over 75% of the World’s territory and 25% of the World’s Population

Britain Is Everywhere!

The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire

India: The British Raj

The new “Empress of India” receiving the “Jewel in the Crown” of her Empire.

British Imperialism in India

British Imperialism in India

India around 1750 Power rested in the hands of local Muslim and Hindu

landed nobility. India was a collection of separate principalities

The British East India Company influence and power in India began increasing with presence mostly in the Eastern coastal regions by about 1750.

The company recruited and funded their own branch of the British army – containing British as well as Indian troops called Sepoys

Increase economic output Increase private land ownership (to increase cash crop and

raw material production) Increase jobs in trading ventures Increase “power” and wealth to the local princes who often

supported the British

Economic OpportunityBritish Imperialism: India

Problems of British Rule Women and people of the lesser castes of India did not

benefit from British policies New taxes were imposed on the people. Only the higher castes socially and financially benefited

directly from British policies. The poor got even poorer Collapse of the textile industry – due to Britain’s

successes in textile industrialization and utilization of Indian cotton

Decreasing loyalties of the Sepoy regiments

British Imperialism: India

The Sepoy Rebellion Sepoys contained a mixture of ethnic and religious

groups – all forced to live and work together even though some did not get along

New procedure as of 1856 Some Sepoys were to be ordered to be stationed

abroad (Ocean travel was forbidden by Hindu law) Gun loading procedures of new Enfield Rifles –

open paper cartridge (sealed with cow or pork fat) Hindu soldiers upset – cow is a sacred animal Muslim soldiers upset – pig is an unclean

animal and consumption is forbidden by Islam law

Due to these issues, the Sepoy regiments mutiny against the British

British Imperialism: India

The Sepoys were joined by Indian peasants The British army finally put down this rebellion by March 1858 The British Government took firm control of India as a colony in

1858The last Mughal Emperor was removed from powerBritish government took over control of India from the British

East India Co.The British Government establishes a centralized colonial

government and social structure

The Sepoy RebellionBritish Imperialism: India

Secretary of State for India – British government official, stationed in London, who effectively controlled government policies relating to India

A Viceroy (appointed by Queen Victoria) – Based in Delhi, this official acted as the queen’s representative on site and lived in great splendor in Delhi as a show of authority

Queen Victoria issued a proclamation affecting India in 1858 All Indians were granted equal protection under British law All Indians were free to practice their religion and social customs Local princes (so long as they remained loyal to Britain) would be

allowed to have the same local control over their territories She was named “Empress of India” in 1877

An Indian colonial bureaucracy was established

British Imperialism: India

Britain made economic and infrastructural changes in India after1857 British government spends millions in building ports, harbors,

bridges, canals, railroads, telegraph lines, sanitation systems and plantations

Much of these were built and run by British companies and executives employing Indian workers

Even though sanitation improvements were made, 4 in 1000 Indians died of cholera until the early 20th century

Increased production of raw materials and cash crops Increased importation of (British-made) manufactured goods

British Imperialism: India

Very little social changes as most Indians remained in poverty Most Indians benefitted little from the infrastructural

improvements Destruction of Indian “cottage industries” due to British

manufacturing and importation Rise in prosperity in India’s middle classes Sporadic famine episodes – caused by an overproduction of cotton

on lands once used to grow wheat Rise in Indian Nationalism.

Effects on Indian Colonial Society

British Imperialism: India