Aim (Day One): What were the motives behind European Imperialism?

Title: The Quest for Empire – Analyzing European Motives Do Now: 1.Based on your general knowledge surrounding imperialism and your spring break homework, what thoughts come to mind when you think of Africa?

- Carefully contemplate the above listed question and then jot down ideas that pop through your mind.

- In all honesty, do you think the “Age of Imperialism” might have altered &/or placed a negative outlook on contemporary state of the African continent? Explain.

OBJECTIVE I

1. What is imperialism? Define and give the significance.

2. Speculate: why do you think the “Age of Imperialism happened when it did?

OBJECTIVE II

1. Actively [mark it up as you read] review the PPT handout [Slides 3 – 23].

2. Main points included:

a. Definition of imperialism

b. Various motives surrounding European

imperialism.

- Causes & Effects

Imperialism• Imperialism is a term associated with the

expansion of the European powers, and later the US and Japan, and their conquest and colonization of African and Asian societies, mainly from the 16th through the 19th Centuries

• Was effected not just through the force of arms, but also through trade, investment, and business activities that enabled the imperial powers to profit from subject societies and influence their affairs without going to the trouble of exercising direct political control

The Age of Imperialism

• Imperialism =

a policy of conquering and ruling other lands

“OLD” IMPERIALISM

•1500s-1700s

•England, France, Holland, Portugal, and Spain

•Wars over colonies

INTERLUDE – LATE 1700s-LATE 1800s

Europeans were preoccupied with happenings on the European continent and in

the existing European colonies.

American RevolutionFrench RevolutionNapoleonic Wars

Latin American Wars for IndependenceGrowth of NationalismIndustrial Revolution

“NEW” IMPERIALISM

•Beginning circa 1875

•Renewed race for colonies

•Spurred by needs created by the Industrial Revolution

•New markets for finished goods•New sources of raw materials

•Nationalism•Colonies = economic and political power•Social Darwinism = racist justification

WHAT IS “NEW” IMPERIALISM?

•No longer about setting up colonies or exercising direct control over areas

•Became largely economic•Possession or control of an area for economic gain

•Spheres of influence and extraterritoriality rather than colonial settlement

Motivations

• Many Europeans came to believe that imperial expansion and colonial domination were crucial for the survival of their states and societies

• Motivations can be grouped as economic, political, and cultural

Nationalism motivated European nations to compete for colonial possessions. European economic, military, and political power forced colonized countries to trade on European terms. Industrially produced goods flooded colonial markets and displaced their traditional industries. Colonized peoples resisted European domination and responded in diverse ways of Western influences.

Forms of imperialism: •Colonies•Protectorate•Spheres of influenceImperialism in Africa, Asia, and Latin America (Caribbean, too)•European domination•European conflicts carried to the colonies•Christian missionary efforts •Spheres of influence in China •Suez & Panama Canals •East India Company’s domination of Indian states •American opening of Japan to tradeResponses of colonized peoples•Armed conflicts (European superior weaponry vs. outdated weapons/spears or bow & arrows of the natives)•Rise of nationalism amongst native population.

Economic Motives

• Overseas colonies could serve as reliable sources of raw materials not available in Europe that came in demand because of industrialization– Rubber in the Congo River

basin and Malaya– Tin in southeast Asia– Copper in central Africa– Oil in southwest Asia Rubber trees in Malaya

Political Motives

• Some overseas colonies occupied strategic sites on the world’s sea lanes

• Others offered harbors or supply stations for commercial and naval ships

• Foreign imperialist ventures were useful in defusing social tensions and inspiring patriotism at home, often between industrialists and socialists

JUSTIFICATIONS

•Social Darwinism•Interpreted Darwin’s evolutionary theory in terms of powerful nations

•“Only the strong survive”

•Powerful nations able to develop areas and resources being “wasted” by native peoples

•Racism•Increased feelings of white superiority

•Increased feelings of Japanese superiority

•Eugenics developed as a branch of science

Cultural Justifications

• Christian missionaries saw Africa and Asia as fertile ground for converts and often served as intermediaries between imperialists and subject peoples

• Other Europeans sought to bring “civilization” to subject peoples in the form of political order and social stability

• Cecil Rhodes believed, “We (the British) are the finest race in the world and the more of the world we inhabit, the better it is for the human race.”

The White Man’s BurdenTake up the White Man’s

Burden—Send forth the best ye breed—

Go bind your sons to exileTo serve your captives’ need;

To wait in heavy harness,On fluttered folk and wild—

Your new-caught, sullen peoples,Half-devil and half-child.

Rudyard Kipling

Technologies that made Imperialism Possible

• Transportation• Military• Communications

Cartoon showing China being divided by the

United Kingdom, Germany, Russia,

France, and Japan

Transportation Technologies

• Steamships allowed imperial powers to travel upriver much further than sailboats so imperialists could project power deep into the interior regions of foreign lands

The USS Monocacy was

used to protect US interests along the Yangtze River in

China

Suez Canal

• Between 1859 and 1869, the British constructed the Suez Canal which links Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea and Suez on the Red Sea

• Allows two-way north-south water transport from Europe to Asia without circumnavigating Africa

• In 1882 the British army occupied Egypt to ensure the safety of the canal which was crucial to British communications with India

1869 opening of the Suez Canal at Port Said

Military Technologies

• Breech-loading firearms with rifled bores provided European armies with an arsenal vastly stronger than any other in the world

• European armies could impose colonial rule almost at will

British soldiers show a Maxim gun to an elderly Zulu chief in 1901

Panama Canal

• Between 1904 and 1914, the US built the Panama Canal which links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without having to transit Cape Horn Gatun locks under construction in 1910

Communications Technologies

• Oceangoing steamships reduced the time required for imperial capitals to deliver messages to colonial lands

• In the 1850s engineers began developing submarine telegraph cables to carry messages through oceans

• By 1902, cables linked all parts of the British Empire throughout the world

Insignia of the British Indian Submarine

Telegraph Company

Why Imperialism?

Examining the main points surrounding European Imperialism – Motives & Justification in plain English

Analyzing Motives of Imperialism

ECONOMIC: POLITICAL:REGLIGIOUS:EXPLORATORY:IDEOLOGICAL:

Economic Motives of Imperialism

ECONOMIC: Make $$Control foreign trade New markets Raw materials and cheap laborInvestmentsExport technology.

Political Motives of Imperialism

POLITICAL: Gain powerCompete with other countriesExpand territoryExercise military forceGain prestigeBoost national pride & security

Religious Motives of Imperialism

RELIGIOUS: Spread ChristianitySpread European/American values and moral beliefs

Educate people of other cultures [My mistake, a “better culture” – One better than the East Indians, Africans, & Asians – wink, wink!]

Exploratory Motives of Imperialism

EXPLORATORY: Explore the “unknown”= Explore the

“Dark Continent.” Europeans had limited knowledge of Africa beyond the coast.

Conduct scientific researchMedical searchesAdventureInvestigate “unknown” cultures.

Ideological Motives of Imperialism

IDEOLOGICAL: Cultural valuesBelief in Race superiority (racism)Belief in duty to “civilize” people in

other parts of the worldBelief that all great nations should

have empires “Survival of the Fittest”- only the

strongest nations will survive.

Two Videos Surrounding European Motives for Imperialism

First one: “Motives for British Colonization of Africa based on ‘Things Fall Apart’”

Second video: “European Colonialism in Africa”

Day One Wrap-Up: Please put all papers/notebooks away

1. In your own words, define the term, imperialism.

1. List an then examine at least two motives surrounding European Imperialism

OBJECTIVE I (Day Two): Analyzing Motives of Imperialism

Today’s Focus: You will be analyzing 15 written and visual artifacts depicting European motives for empire building in the late 19th century.

Analyzing Motives of Imperialism

STEPS: Meet in assigned pairs Together, design a symbol to represent each

motive When you are complete, trade placards with

your neighbor or another pair in the room. Examine the placard to determine which

motive it reveals. Describe what you see, draw a symbol for

each motive and write an explanation of why you chose that motive.

Your goal is to complete all of the placards!

Open-shaft diamond mining in Kimberly, South Africa, 1872

Imperial motives: ECONOMIC (African labor, exploiting natural resources for profit) or IDEOLOGICAL (Europeans

treating Africans as inferior)

An example of what students are being asked to do:

Placard Describe What You See Symbol of Motive(s)

Why You Choose This Motive(s)

A Shows: open-shaft diamond mining at Kimberly, South Africa.

Europeans are exploiting the African workers and their land for resources. Treating the Africans as slaves, or semi-slaves. As you look closely, you will see the African laborers conducting all of the work while the Europeans act like mere overseers, making sure that the African workers keep the task at hand – hard labor.

Economic: $$$ [African labor, exploiting natural resources for profit]

Ideological: [Europeans treating African as inferior]

“This placard shows Europeans overseeing African workers as they mine a natural resource.”

)

An example of what students are being asked to do:

Placard

Describe What You See Symbol of Motive(s)

Why You Choose This Motive(s)

B Europeans teaching native people about Christianity and the ways of Europe [cultural imperialism] in a makeshift school/learning center.

Religious motives: [Europeans spreading Christian values & education

Ideological: [Teaching European customs & beliefs – that European culture was superior to the natives – adopt it].

“This placard shows a Methodist Sunday School at Guiongua, Angola (1925).”

Represent the spread of Christianity & European culture/values- Helped to play a large role in the conquest of foreign lands = Imperialism.