Tuesday, April 30th, 2019 Global History Regents Review Mrs.Newman TOPICS: Causes of European Imperialism Imperialism of Africa
To start today’s review lesson, we will watch a brief clip: European Colonial Empires 1492-2008 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihD3__Nm8qA
Imperialism Imperialism is when one country dominates another territory politically, economically, and/or socially.
ECONOMIC CAUSES OF IMPERIALISM As a result of industrialization, Europeans desired: sources of cheap raw materials. new trade markets- people to sell their manufactured goods to.
SOCIAL CAUSES OF IMPERIALISM Many Europeans were ethnocentric, meaning they believed they were culturally superior to other groups. Ethnocentric attitudes led many Europeans to believe in the White Man’s Burden- that they had a moral duty to “civilize” others. Another cause was Social Darwinism, which is the belief that superior groups will naturally conquer weaker groups, much like how predators kill their prey in nature.
“Take up the White man’s burden-- Send forth the best ye breed-- Go bind your sons to exile To 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 The White Man’s Burden (1899) by Rudyard Kipling
CIVILIZATION
POLITICAL CAUSES OF IMPERIALISM NATIONALISM: Europeans wanted to acquire territory (spread out) to show the world how powerful they were.
“The Rhodes Colossus” was a famous political cartoon from the 1890s depicting British colonialist (supporter of imperialism), Cecil Rhodes dominating Africa.
How big is Africa?
The Congo is about 77 times bigger than Belgium.
King Leopold of Belgium
Belgium Imperializes the Congo “…The rubber from this district has cost hundreds of lives, and the scenes I have witnessed, while unable to help the oppressed, have been almost enough to make me wish I were dead...” -- Belgian Official
'In the Rubber Coils', 1906
Berlin Conference 1884
Berlin Conference Meeting of 14 European nations to discuss the division of Africa. African rulers were not invited to the conference. Tribal and ethnic boundaries in Africa were completely disregarded. Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway (unified from 1814-1905), Ottoman Empire (Turkey), the United States.
Before the Berlin Conference After the Berlin Conference
HOW DO YOU THINK THE BERLIN CONFERENCE WILL IMPACT THE AFRICAN PEOPLE?
THE ANGLO-BOER WARS The Boers (also called Afrikaners) descended from the Dutch. The Boers settled in the Cape Colony in the 1600s. Britain took over the Cape Colony in 1806. In the 1830s, the Boers moved north to Transvaal and the Orange Free State to get away from the British. The influx of the Boers created conflict with the Zulus (African tribe) already living there. In 1867, miners discovered diamonds in the Boer territories. In response, Britain announced in 1875 that they would conquer all of South Africa, including the Boer regions. The First Boer War began in 1880 between the Boers and the British. The Boer War ended in 1881 with a Boer victory. In 1886, gold was discovered in Transvaal, prompting another war between the British and the Boers. The Second Boer War ended in British (Anglo) victory in 1902.
SOUTH AFRICA AFTER THE ANGLO-BOER WARS In 1910, the Union of South Africa was established by Britain. The white population (about 20%) dominated the government and economy by implementing unequal laws for black and white people. Racial discrimination would persist for decades, even after South Africa gained its independence in 1961.