British Imperialism

Britain in Southeast Asia Singapore  City at the tip of the Malay Peninsula on an island off the coast of Malaysia –Founded by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles –“Here all is life and activity; and it would be difficult to name a place on the face of the globe with brighter prospects.” Burma  Now called Myanmar –Nation located to the east of India –Britain claimed it as a colony in order to secure a land route from India to China –Terrain proved too difficult to pass, but Britain retained the colony and eventually led to the collapse of the Burmese monarchy

British Rule in India British East India Company (a trading company) was given power by the British government to become actively involved in India’s political and military affairs British East India Company had its own soldiers and forts to rule India Hired Indian soldiers, known as Sepoys, to protect the company’s interests –Sepoys eventually rebel against British rule when asked to violate their religious beliefs –British put down the rebellion and punished its leaders

Benefits of British Rule in India Brought order and stability to a society badly divided into many states with different political systems Led to a fairly honest, efficient government A new school system was developed by Lord Thomas Macaulay –Goal: train Indian children to serve the government and army –Served only the upper-class, elite Indians –90% of the population remained uneducated and illiterate Built roads, canals, universities and medical centers A postal service was introduced shortly after it appeared in Britain India received its first railroad in 1853 in Bombay

Costs of British Rule in India British entrepreneurs reaped financial benefits from British rule and brought hardship to millions of Indians British manufactured goods destroyed local industries –British textiles put thousands of Indian women out of work and damaged the industry In rural areas, British sent zamindars (local officials) to collect taxes –Zamindars took advantage of power and increased taxes and forced the less fortunate peasants to become tenants or lose their land

Costs of British Rule in Indian Britain encouraged local farmers to grow cotton instead of food, creating a shortage that could not keep up with the growing population –Between , 30 million Indians died of starvation British rule was degrading, even to the newly educated upper class Indians –The best housing/jobs were for the British only –British arrogance cut deeply into Indian pride The British did not respect Indian culture

British Imperialism in China By 1800, Europeans had been in contact with China for 200 years Qing dynasty attempted to limit contact with outsiders by only allowing European merchants in a small trading post at Guangzhou British were not happy with this new arrangement British trade deficit (unfair balance of trade) with China –Imported more goods from China than it exported to China British turned to Opium after previous attempts to balance the trade between the nations failed

The Opium War Opium was grown in northern India and then shipped directly to China Demand for opium, which is highly addictive, grew rapidly Chinese government had previously seen the negative effects of opium and had made it illegal China appealed to the British on moral grounds to stop shipping opium into the nation British refused to halt their activity

The Opium War Chinese responded with a blockade in the foreign trade area in Guangzhou Britain responded with force, resulting in the Opium War ( ) British warships destroyed Chinese coastal and river forts British fleet began to sail unopposed up the Chang Jiang (Yangtze) River and the Qing dynasty made peace Treaty of Nanjing (1842): –Chinese agreed to open five coastal ports to Britain –Limit taxes on imported British goods –Pay for the cost of the war –Give the British Hong Kong –Extraterritoriality  British not subject to Chinese laws

Tai Ping Rebellion ( ) Led by a Chinese Christian convert named Hong Xiuquan He was convinced God had given him the mission of destroying the Qing dynasty Captured the town of Yongan and proclaimed a new dynasty. The Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace Rebellion appealed to many Chinese because it called for social reforms –Giving land to all peasants –Treating women as equals to men Called for people to give up possessions since everyone was to share equally, outlawed alcohol and tobacco, eliminated the practice of binding women’s feet Rebels seized the second largest Chinese city, Nanjing and massacred 25,000 men, women, and children

Tai Ping Rebellion Europeans came to the aid of the Qing dynasty 1864  Chinese forces, with European help, recaptured Nanjing and destroyed the remaining rebel force 20 million people died during the 14 year struggle Because of the struggle with internal problems, China was unable to properly deal with foreign influences In 1858, the French and British forced China into the Treaty of Tianjin –Legalized the opium trade –Opened new ports to foreign trade –Gave the Kowloon Peninsula to Great Britain –Britain also seized Beijing in 1860

Advance of Imperialism Between , Britain seized Burma, Sikkim, and the Tibetan town of Yadong Spheres of Influence  areas where imperial powers had exclusive trading rights After Tai Ping rebellion, warlords in the provinces began to directly negotiate with foreign powers –In return, the warlords granted the nations exclusive trading rights or railroad building and mining privileges