1. 15.3- Imperialism in the Middle East & India

2. The Middle East
Since the 13th century the Middle East had been dominated by the Muslim-majority Ottoman Empire. But the Ottomans began to slowly lose power, influence, and territory in the 1700s.

3. Reasons for Ottoman Decline
Nationalist Revolts- internal revolts weakened the multi-ethnic empire
Increased European Pressure- Britain, France, and Russia all attempt to claim territory from the weakened empire
Westernization- leaders saw the need for reform, but new ideas about government (democracy) caused internal tensions

4. Armenian Genocide
Armenians = Christian Ottomans/Turks = Muslim
Turks accused the Armenians of supporting Russian plans against the empire, enacted repressive laws against them in the 1890s
When the Armenians protested, the sultan had thousands slaughtered; over the next 25 years another 1,000,000+ were killed by the Turks or died from disease/starvation
Genocide- a deliberate and systematic killing of people who belong to a particular racial, ethnic, or cultural group

5. Suez Canal
Muhammed Ali was an Albanian Muslim who was appointed governor of Egypt in He modernized Egypt and brought it into the world trade market.
After his death, French entrepreneur Ferdinand de Lesseps headed the construction of the Suez Canal to link the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea
Egypt was unable to pay its share of construction costs and sold them to Britain, who soon expanded their influence over Egypt to control the canal

6. The British in India
As the Mughal Empire declined, the British began to exert control of India through the British East India Company
While the main goal of the British was to make money, they had some positive side effects on India:
built roads to improve transportation
built railroads to move goods and people faster
founded schools to promote western thought

7. Missionaries
Christian missionaries worked to convert Indians away from their religions:
They felt that Christianity was the superior religion and that they needed to “civilize” the Indians
Also outlawed the native custom of “sati”, the ritual suicide of a widow after her husband’s death

8. Sepoys
The British relied on sepoys—Indian soldiers recruited for the British Army—to help them maintain control throughout India
However, in the 1850s the British took several unpopular steps that angered the Indians:
Sepoys were required to serve overseas
Widows could remarry
Both of these things go against the Hindu religion
The Indians saw these changes as a way to force Christian and Western ideals onto the Hindus

9. The Final Insult Prohibited to Muslims Sacred to Hindus
In 1857 the British East India Company gave the Sepoy troops new guns with new ammunition. To load the gun, they had to bite off the tip of the cartridges.
However, these cartridges were sealed with animal fat, either cow or pig. The problem?
When the offended troops refused the order to “load rifles”, they were either dismissed without pay or imprisoned
Prohibited to Muslims
Sacred to Hindus

10. The Sepoy Rebellion
Angry Sepoys marched to Delhi, calling on their fellow Indians to support them
Some Sepoys brutally murdered British men, women and children
The British soon rallied and crushed the revolt, and took revenge for the Sepoys actions—they killed thousands of unarmed Indians and burned down several villages.

11. Impact of the Sepoy Rebellion
Parliament abolished the British East India Company and took direct control of India, making it a British Colony
More British troops were sent to occupy India
Taxes on the Indians were raised to pay the cost of the occupying forces
Bitter legacy of fear, hatred, and distrust between the British and the Indians

12. The Irish Potato Famine
The British pushed Indian farmers to begin growing cash crops such as cotton and opium to be sold on the world market
At the same time, they introduced medical improvements that led to rapid population growth
This combination led to terrible famines in the late 1800s. Many Indians sank into poverty, with nearly 10 million perishing over the course of British rule.
The Indians were forced to grow cash crops like cotton and opium instead of food causing starvation. What situation does this resemble?
The Irish Potato Famine

13. “The Jewel in the Crown”
India was source of pride to British Imperialists. Rule under the British was a mixed bag, with both positives and negatives:
Positives
Negatives
-Communication systems: telegraph and postal system
-Improved transportation: Roads and Railroads
-Part of the world trade system
-Indians treated as inferior to British
-Forced to grow cash crops which reduced the food supply
-Exploited Indian labor and resources

14. British World Imperialism
“The sun never sets on the British Flag”

15. Review A primary purpose for building the Suez Canal was to
encourage Jewish settlement in nearby Palestine
increase trade between the Middle East, Europe and Asia
reduce the time needed for travel between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea
allow Indian merchants to reach the east coast of Africa

16. Review
The borders that were established for many African nations during the late 1800’s were based primarily on
natural geographic barriers
easy access to natural resources
territorial claims of colonial rulers
cultural differences between ethnic groups

17. Review
Throughout the 1800’s, an increased need for both raw materials and new markets for manufactured goods led various European nations to pursue policies of
Imperialism
Socialism
Isolationism
Communism

18. Review
The 19th century term “White Man’s Burden” reflects the idea that
Asians and Africans were equal to Europeans
Asians and Africans would be grateful for European help
imperialism was opposed by most Europeans
Europeans had a responsibility to improve the lives of the colonial peoples