Imperialism - The Kidnapping of Nations

Reasons for Imperialism

• Economic Interest• Political Interests• Military Interests• Humanitarian and

Religious Goals

• Economic Interests– the Industrial Revolution created a need for

natural resources – a need to expand trading markets– colonies were an outlet for an expanding

population• Political Interests

– rulers wanted the prestige of ruling a global empire

• Military Interests– the colonial power needed to protect their

economic interests and stop the expansion of other European powers

Reasons for European Success

• western nations had superior technology

• the weakness and disunity of nonwestern states

Forms of Imperial Control• Colonies – the ruling country would send out governors,

officials, and soldiers to control the people and transform their society

• Protectorates – local rulers were left in place but they had to follow the rules of the ruling country

• Spheres of Influence – an outside power would claim exclusive investment and trading privileges with a certain country or region

Criticism of Imperialism• Western Nations were democratic at home but imposed

undemocratic ways on other people

Justification for Imperialism

• Western Nations believed they were bringing “civilization” to the “backwards people” of Asia and Africa

Charles Darwin

• Wrote the Origin of the Species

• This theory states that all life-forms including humans have evolved from some “less highly organized form”

Theory of Evolution

Theory of Natural Selection• “survival of the fittest”

- members of each specie constantly compete to survive

• natural forces select those with with physical traits best adapted to their environment to carry on that specie

Social Darwinism

• Applying Darwin’s ideas to war and economics• this encouraged racism - the belief that one racial group

is superior to the other

Imperialism - The Kidnapping of Nations

Game of Imperialism• CHOOSE A COUNTRY

– You are to organize yourself into groups of three or four

– Within the groups, each person will select a Western nation – England, France, the United States or Germany.

• BEGIN PLAY– Play begins with each player rolling the die to see who goes first.

– The highest roll goes first – after the first turn rotate the player who chooses a territory in a clockwise manner.

• HOW TO WIN TERRITORIES– The player whose turn it is chooses a territory they want to

colonize. Each player will roll the die. Whoever rolls the highest number wins control of the territory.

• TIE ROLLS– If two or more players tie for the highest roll, they will roll again -

the highest number gets the territory.

– If no one rolls a 4,5, or 6 or if there is another tie for highest roll, the territory remains independent.

• AFTER YOU WIN A TERRITORY: After a country is colonized put the ruling countries name next to the area conquered on the TERRITORIES TO CONQUER map.

• If an area remains independent – write independent on the sheet – it can not be conquered now.

• Once a country is colonized it can not be reconquered. • By colonizing a country you will receive the worth of that

conquered area– Prestige Points for your growing empire

– GDP – Gross Domestic Production (your economy strengthens)

– Bonus Points (Bonus on Roll – you add the number of points to all of your rolls – maximum of 2 points)

• HOW TO WIN– Add up all of your Prestige Points and GDP Points - the

person with the most amount of points is the winner.

Proximate Factors

Ultimate Factors East West Axis

Many suitable wild species

Ease of species spreading

Many domesticated plant and animal species

Food surplus; food storage

Large, Dense, Sedentary, Stratified Societies

Technology

Horses WeaponsPolitical Organization, Writing Disease

Ocean Going Ships

Geography

Why Europe? Why not the Middle East or China?

Ecological Suicide

European culture

Development of merchant and middle class

capitalism

patent protection for inventions

tradition of empirical inquiry

Disunity - Lack of an absolute despot ruler for all of Europe creates competition between the many nation states of Europe

Unity - one ruling despot had the power to stop innovation