The “New” Imperialism

Western Civilization II

Not New, but Renewed

Colonialism dates back to 1400s -1500s in Africa, Asia and Americas

Lull in early-mid 1800s for several reasons:– France tried to set up puppet empire in

Mexico during U.S. Civil War, but failed– Great Britain found indirect economic

control (“informal empire”) more efficient– Italy & Germany too busy trying to unify

New Motivations Industrial capitalism based

on relentless drive to expand business – New sources for raw

materials– New markets for

manufactured goods– New investments

Nationalism sparked competition

Darwinism – “the White Man’s Burden”– Assumed racial superiority– Saw Christian responsibility to

“civilize” & “uplift”

The Scramble for Africa Little interest in

African interior before 1880s

Sparked by Belgian King Leopold’s claims in the Congo

Berlin Conference (1884) laid out ground rules

Able to do it due to advanced weaponry, not innate superiority

Egypt & the Suez Canal Muhammad Ali became

hereditary ruler (khedive) of Egypt in 1805– Nominally an Ottoman vassal

– Introduced modern reforms French company owned by

Ferdinand de Lesseps constructed Suez Canal (1854-1869)

British bought Egyptian gov’t shares in canal & est. protectorate (1883-1922)

Muhammad Ali

British Seaways

Fashoda Crisis (1898) British helped Egyptians put

down the Mahdi’s revolt in the Sudan – Charles Gordon killed in

1885– Dervishes finally defeated at

Omdurman (1898) Cecil Rhodes wanted to

control Nile & build Cape-to-Cairo railroad

French wanted to connect Affars & Issas with West African colonies

Met at Fashoda – French finally backed down

Charles “China” Gordon

Boer War (1899-1902) British seized Cape Colony

from Dutch during French Rev. wars

Afrikaaners (Boers) left on Great Trek in 1830s– Est. Transvaal & Orange Free

State– Created reservations for blacks– Gold & diamond mines

discovered Boer War (1899-1901) made

Britain seem greedy & ruthless for conquering Afrikaaners

Self-governing Union of South Africa est. in 1910

©20

04 W

adsw

orth

, a d

ivis

ion

of T

hom

son

Lea

rnin

g, I

nc.

Tho

mso

n L

earn

ing ™

is a

trad

emar

k us

ed h

erei

n un

der

lice

nse.

The Moroccan Crises France had already seized Algeria &

Tunisia from Ottoman Empire Tried to est. control over Morocco Kaiser Wilhelm II seized opportunity to

try to make France look bad & isolate it diplomatically, but failed

1st Moroccan Crisis (1905-06) defused by Algeciras Conference

2nd Moroccan Crisis (1912) resulted in France gaining control of Morocco

The British Raj in India

Sepoy Mutiny (1857-58) made British decide to impose direct rule on India

India was “crown jewel” of British Empire– Great Britain’s largest export

market

– 10% of all British trade passed thru Madras, Calcutta & Bombay

Disraeli made Queen Victoria Empress of India in 1876

©20

04 W

adsw

orth

, a d

ivis

ion

of T

hom

son

Lea

rnin

g, I

nc.

Tho

mso

n L

earn

ing ™

is a

trad

emar

k us

ed h

erei

n un

der

lice

nse.

Carving Up Southeast Asia

British est. colonies in Malaysia & Singapore (1819) & Burma (1826)

France acquired Indochina (1859-93)

Agreed to keep Thailand independent as buffer between them– Kings Mongkut &

Chulalongkorn introduced Western education

King Mongkut Rama IV

Western Colonies in Southeast Asia

©20

04 W

adsw

orth

, a d

ivis

ion

of T

hom

son

Lea

rnin

g, I

nc.

Tho

mso

n L

earn

ing ™

is a

trad

emar

k us

ed h

erei

n un

der

lice

nse.

U.S. Imperialism

Alaska purchased from Russia, 1867

Samoa divided with Britain & Germany in 1889; annexed 1899

Sanford Dole led revolution in Hawaii in 1893; annexed in 1898

Victory in Spanish-American War (1898) gave U.S. Puerto Rico, Guam & Philippines

The Philippines Theater of the Spanish-American War

May 1 - George Dewey’s fleet defeats the Spanish in Manila Bay

Dewey joined forces with rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo

Aug. 13 – Manila surrendered

Effects of U.S. Imperialism Dewey denied promising

Aguinaldo independence Guerilla war vs. Aguinaldo’s

rebels in the Philippines, 1899-1902– 200,000 Filipinos killed– 5,000 Americans killed

Taft-Katsura Agreement (1905): U.S. recognized Japan’s conquest of Korea to protect Philippines

Root-Takahira Agreement (1907): U.S. recognized Japanese control of Manchuria to protect Philippines

Emilio Aguinaldo

Asian Colonies by 1914

The Panama Canal

De Lesseps tried to build canal, but stopped by disease

Hay-Paunceforte Treaty (1901): Britain allowed U.S. to build canal by itself

1903 treaty paying Columbia $10 million and $250 thousand a year in rent rejected by Columbia

Philippe Bunau-Varilla staged revolt in Panama with U.S. help

Canal completed in 1914

Copyright 2000, Bedford/St. Martin’s

Colonial Rule Mixed blessing:

– Restored stability in many areas & brought modern medicine & technology

– Most economic benefits went only to white colonists, however

– Missionaries often assumed cultural superiority Colonial societies never integrated

– French tried harder to assimilate colonial subjects– British maintained racial boundaries

Worked thru local elites whenever possible– Direct rule only where elites were uncooperative– Local elites never accepted as equals, however