1. The Age of Imperialism
Chapter 11

2. The Scramble for Africa
During 19th and early 20th centuries European nations seized large areas of Africa
Wanted a source of raw materials and new markets for manufactured goods
These stronger countries dominated the political, economic and social life of these countries (this domination is called imperialism)
Africa before European domination:
Divided into hundreds of ethnic groups with over 1,000 different languages
Had large empires and independent villages
Before 1880 most European settlement was along the coasts
Europeans could not navigate the rivers, diseases (malaria, etc.) discouraged settlement
The Scramble for Africa

3. The Scramble for Africa
Forces driving Imperialism
Industrial Revolution provided reason to add lands to their control
Belief in national superiority- many European countries saw empires as a measure of national greatness
Many believed they were better than other peoples, saw their race as superior
Attitude was a reflection of Social Darwinism- major social theory of the time
Took Darwin's ideas about evolution and applied it to human society
They felt they were the fittest and saw others as inferior
Believed they had the right and duty to bring progress, government and culture to others
Christian missionaries wanted to “civilize” peoples of Africa and Asia
The Scramble for Africa

4. The Scramble for Africa
Europeans had the advantage of better technology
Weapons- machine guns
Transportation- railroads, and steamships allowed them quicker access inside their colony
Better communication systems- within the colony and between the colony and the controlling nation
Medicine the drug quinine was developed to prevent malaria
Internal issues led to European domination
Africa’s ethnic and linguistic differences discourage unity and the Europeans took advantages of these divisions
The Scramble for Africa

5. The Scramble for Africa
The Division of Africa
Conquest of territory began around 1880
French expanded along the West African coast and across the Sahara Desert
Gold and diamonds were discovered in South Africa and this increased European interest
European countries met at the Berlin Conference to divide up Europe
No African countries were invited to attend
European countries could claim any land they could control
Divided country with little thought to traditional African ethnic and linguistic groups
By 1914 only Liberia and Ethiopia were free from European control
The Scramble for Africa

7. Imperialism
Section2

8. During the imperialism of the 1800s European countries demanded influence over the economic, social and political lives of the people
They wanted to develop the economies to benefit European economies
They wanted to them to adopt European customs
The four forms of colonial control
Colony- country or territory governed by a foreign power
Protectorate- country with its own government but under the control of an outside power
Sphere of influence- outside power claims exclusive trading or investing rights in a country or territory
Economic imperialism- independent country controlled by private business interests rather than a government
Imperialism

9. Imperialism Methods of management
Indirect control- relied on existing local rulers
Local government used
Limited self rule
Government institutions based on European styles but may have local rules
Direct control- viewed Africans as unable to rule themselves
Europeans governed in a parental way, by providing for their needs but not giving them individual rights (paternalism)
Foreign officials brought in to rule
No self rule
Government institutions based on European styles only
Type of control had an influence on the type of government chosen when countries achieved their independence
Imperialism

10. Imperialism African Resistance
A majority of attempts at African resistance failed because of superior weapons that the Europeans had
The one exception was Ethiopia
1889- Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II played the British, Italians and the French against each other
He built up a large arsenal of weapons purchased from the French and Russians
1896 he defeated Italian forces at the Battle of Adowa and kept the nation independent
Imperialism

11. Imperialism Legacy of Colonial Rule Negative Positive
Africans lost independence
Were introduced to new deadly diseases
Famine resulted from change from subsistence farming to cash crop agriculture for export
Many lost traditional beliefs and ways of life that undermined society
African continent divided without regard to political or ethnic boundaries (problem continues today)
Positive
Local warfare reduced
Sanitation and literacy were improved
Economic expansion
Railroads, telegraphs, telephones
Most of the positive effects benefitted the European business interests rather than African lives
Imperialism

12. U.S. Economic Imperialism
Section 3

13. U.S. Economic Imperialism
Latin American’s struggle for independence in the late 1700s and early 1800s left the new nations in shambles
The new nations struggled for economic and political security
Colonial legacy
Most people were poor farmers that worked for large landowners
Landowners gained more land and wealth after independence
This unequal land and wealth distribution prevented social and economic development development in Latin America
U.S. Economic Imperialism

14. U.S. Economic Imperialism
Political Instability
Army leaders used their power to control the new nations as military dictators (caudillos)
They were able to hold power because they were backed by the military
By the mid-1800s most of Latin America was ruled by caudillos
Reformers, who wanted to improve the lives of people in these countries did not stay in power long before they were defeated by the military
Wealthy landowners supported the caudillos because they did not want to give up power to the lower classes
Voting rights were restricted to those that owned property and those that could read
U.S. Economic Imperialism

15. U.S. Economic Imperialism
Economies grow under foreign influence
The new nations main trading partners were the US and Great Britain
Economies depended on export of one or two items
Railroads, refrigeration and steamships increased Latin Americas exports
Foreign nations benefitted the most form trade
Latin American countries imported most manufactured goods and they had little reason to develop their own industries
U.S. Economic Imperialism

16. U.S. Economic Imperialism
Latin American countries did not spend money to build roads, schools and hospitals
They borrowed and spent money to develop facilities for their export industries
Many countries could not pay back their loans and foreign countries gained control over these industries
U.S. Economic Imperialism

17. U.S. Economic Imperialism
Latin American Empire
US had strong links with Latin America
Security of Latin America was good for security of the US
1823 shortly after many Latin American countries gained independence they worried that they would be reconquered by European countries
U.S. issued the Monroe Doctrine stating that the Western Hemisphere were off limits to European colonizers
The US could not enforce this until the late 1800s
U.S. Economic Imperialism

18. U.S. Economic Imperialism
Cuba
Was one of the last Spanish colonies in the Western Hemisphere
Cubans fought a decades long battle to gain independence from Spain
By the mid-1890s Americans had significant business holdings in Cuba (sugar plantations) and had an economic stake in the future of the country
The Spaniards began to put many Cuban rebels in concentration camps
Many American objected to this treatment and began to sympathize with the rebels and their fight for freedom
They also wanted to protect their business interests
1898 U.S. gets involved in the war for Cuban independence
U.S. Economic Imperialism

19. U.S. Economic Imperialism
War became know as the Spanish American War
Lasted about four months
Results
Spain lost the last of their colonies
The U.S. gained control over Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines
The U.S. became the dominant imperial power in Latin America
As the U.S. asserted control over these regions many Latin American countries began to resent U.S. power
U.S. viewed as the “Colossus of the North”
U.S. Economic Imperialism

20. U.S. Economic Imperialism
Panama Canal
The U.S. wanted to build a canal across Central America to:
Cut the travel time between the east and west part of the United States
To be able to move goods and their navy easier between the two oceans
They decided to build in Panama and they supported a revolution in Panama to break free of control by Columbia
From the U.S built the canal across the jungles and mountains of Panama
Latin America became a crossroads of world trade that was controlled by the United States
U.S. Economic Imperialism

21. U.S. Economic Imperialism
Roosevelt Corollary
United States expanded their economic interests in Latin America at the beginning of the 20th century
To protect economic interests President Teddy Roosevelt issued an extension or corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
Gave the US the right to be the policeman of the Western Hemisphere
US had the right to intervene in the economic affairs of Latin American countries
US used it to justify military intervention in many countries in Latin America over decades
Latin American countries were powerless to stop the US
U.S. Economic Imperialism