S.S Imperialism

What was the British nickname for India? Why?

"Jewels of the (British) Crown". It was a HUGE market to sell finished goods.

Negative Impacts of European Imperialism in Africa

1. But transportation routes only connected areas that benefited European businessmen. 2. But Africans were paid low wages & Exploited. 3. But Africans were taught European culture. 4. Europeans profited off Africa's raw materials & cheap labor. 5. Africans were unable to rule themselves, participate in voting, or learn professional skills.

India is as big as all of _____, if you exclude Russia. They rank ______ in the world in population.

1. European 2.Second

Positive Impacts of European Imperialism in Africa

1. Europeans introduced new technologies like railroads, telegraph lines, & steamboats. 2. European brought an end to the slave trade. 3. European built schools, churches, & hospitals.

The Aryan invasion of India is most historically notable for the eventual creation of the Hinduism religion and the establishment of the ________.

1. caste system

The people of India are highly ______ and thus comprise of many different _______ and languages. This makes its history and current reality very complex.

1. diverse 2.ethnic group

By 1921, how many Congolese people were estimated to have died in the forty years since the beginning of Leopold's/Belgium's rule? Half the territory's population was lost.

10 million people

How many cultures could be found in Africa by the 15th Century?

100

KEY POINTS ABOUT THE CONFERENCE:

14 European Nations, Zero African representatives invited, They decided that a European power could not claim a part of Africa unless they had set up a government office there... So the race to colonize Africa was on—European nations rushed to send officials to begin exerting control and maintaining a presence in certain areas.

Great Bengal Famine

1769-1773, 10 million people died because they were forced to grow cash crops. So they couldn't grow food. Blamed on policies of the BEIC

Sepoy Mutiny

1857, Animal fat used to seal bullet cartridges in guns offended Muslims and Hindus. Existing resentment over British rule fueled the rebellion. Sepoys refused to fight against the rebellion, and the BEIC and the British Army fought them for a year. Finally the British government officially took control of India, making it the property of The Crown.

Great Madras Famine

1876-1768, 5.5 million people died because Again blamed on forced cash crops and wheat exported to England.

Indian National Congress

1885, First "invitation" for Indian voices to dialogue with British Raj and eventually led to the call of independence.

Muslim League in India

1906, Established to safeguard the rights of Muslims in India. Muslim nationalist group. They felt their vision for India's future was incompatible with that of the Indian Natl. Congress.

Gandhi Starts Independence Movement

1915, Civil Disobedience Strategist Gandhi Returns from South Africa to Start Indian Independence Movement in India

What was the "living tableau" shown at the 1897 World's Fair in Belgium? How was it evidence of the racist European ideology behind imperialism?

267 Congolese imported from the Congo and set on display like animals at a zoo to represent different tribes/villages. The idea that these people are so inferior as to be treated and displayed like animals - including a "don't feed the African/animals" sign.

When was Timbuktu first founded?

5th century

By 1870, how much of Africa still remained in indigenous rule?

80%

What did George Washington Williams find when he went to tour the "colony under benign rule" Leopold and Stanley had publicized? What did he describe in his letter/article?

A hell hole of murder, torture, cruelty and slavery (wholesale and retail) -Africans being subjected to incredible cruelty -"crimes against humanity"

What are 3 additional facts Leo Africanus adds about Timbuktu at this time?

A lot of them were wealthy, He adds that they have a huge army, The king loved learning, He hated Jewish people, Had great architecture, Lacked salt

In a nutshell (a few bullet points) what was Gandhi's philosophy of activism all about?

A way of life-based on love and compassion. Aimed to win not be overwhelming but by converting his opponent by bringing about a change of heart. Idea: The immorality or injustice of the law. the policy would be exposed by activists taking the "high road"

Economic

Access to raw materials/ market expansion

Describe what happened in the event referred to as the "Black Hole of Calcutta."

After a battle between The British East India Company and the Prince of Bengal, British soldiers were imprisoned and then killed in a dungeon. Story exaggerated, but a turning point in fostering British animosity towards India.

How did Leopold respond to the publication of stories such as Ilanga's by Edmund Morel? (How did he continue to hide what was really going on in the Congo?)

Again another PR campaign - calling attention to the abuse of other European powers in their colonies - as well as denial. Claimed that these cannibals were being taught how to work - as part of the civilization process. He has sole control over the Congo - the abuse will continue - coverup.

How are the legacies of imperialism still impacting the DRC today?

Armed conflict - disease - forced labor - starvation - corruption - economic exploitation.

What areas were historically considered part of India?

Bangladesh & Pakistan

Why did African attempts at resistance to European imperialist conquest fail

Because Europeans had advanced weaponry

Why did rubber become a highly sought-after material in the late 1800/early 1900s?

Because of the explosion of electricity - rubber is now needed any and everywhere - also for automobiles

How was the end to Mobutu's rule/life eerily reminiscent of Leopold's?

Both got away with looting the Congo for billions of dollars, exploited their country, millions of people died on their watch.

What entity (company) essentially ruled India for Great Britain?

British East India Company (BEIC). The BEIC was a charter company, but they essentially ran much of India. Charter companies were businesses with government powers...(like the power to wage war!)

What else did travelers mention in their writings of early Timbuktu?

Bustling marketplaces, narrow streets, and monumental architecture.

Why does the author Ludo de Witte claim that international powers will never "leave the Congo alone?"

Congo is simply too rich - too many forces that have a big stake in getting their grubby hands on its resources.

What were goods (besides enslaved people) that were part of the marketplaces there?

Cotton cloths, clothing, silks, iron, beads, silver, tobacco in rolls, paper, earthenware, and tar, gold-dust, ivory, the teeth of hippopotami, gum, and ostrich feathers.

Who was Darwin? What was his theory?

Darwin's theory was that biological evolution by natural selection, who everyone has a common ancestor, we are 99.9% the same, and how animals adapt. Darwin was a scientist.

What were the natural resources in Africa that were sought after by the Europeans?

Diamonds, tobacco, gold, copper, titanium

Exploration

Discover new land, resources, ect.

What impact did the rubber boom have on the Congo? Describe the process/results of rubber harvesting.

Dramatic and severe impacts, because of the ubiquitous nature of it in the Congo. Process involved tapping the vine for its sap- and then rubbing the sap of their bodies (to congeal it) - to be painfully removed at a later time

Ideological

European cultural & racial superiority -> duty of expand "civilized" culture to others

Prior to the 1800s, most of Africa was unknown to Europeans, who only explored ports along the coast where they traded enslaved people or commercial goods.

Europeans had been kept out of the interior of Africa by the difficult geography, tropical diseases, and resistance by Africans. New medical advances and river steamships developed during the industrial era allowed Europeans to begin exploring, and they started along the major rivers—Nile, Congo, Niger

This Macedonian conqueror briefly ruled the territory of India until his death: ____ and increased trade w/ the west.

Expand

Religious

Expand believers of Christianity

Political

Expand territory to display might/power

Motives for Imperialism

Exploration, More(More,more), Political, Ideological, Religious, Economic.

Why was Leopold forced to cede personal control of the Congo state (colony) to Belgium?

Few people discovered Leopold's massive genocide and publicized it. Like Edmund Dene Morel noticed that massive amount of goods arriving into Europe from the Congo but the lack of goods being brought to the Congo. Another example George Washington Williams who publicized the torture and crimes being committed through and open letter to King Leopold.

What other kinds of evidence began to trickle in to Edmund Morel by European informers? What eventually changed public opinion about Leopold's actions?

Force Publique Office, missionaries, concession employees - secret orders, confidential memos, casualty lists, journals and photographs. 1904 - Congress reform association - evidence presented to the public - in response to bad press - Leopold sends judges to Congo to clear his name - but they end up confirming the reports.

More, More, More

Get more of everything(power, land, wealth, ect.)

How did Leopold financially "get away" with his crimes against humanity committed in the Congo? How did he get rid of physical evidence, and "get away" from that, too?

Gets Belgium to take on the debt (110 million Francs), pay 45 million Francs to hs building projects - and received 50 million Francs personally - and he hides profits in assets/foundations/corporations/shares in corporations. He burns entire Congo State archives in Belgium furnaces and in fires throughout the Congo. Estimated wealth at over Billion dollars of money he got from the congo.

What are two other commodities that were traded internally in Africa?

Gold and ivory

What did Leopold II claim were his intentions in the Congo?

He claimed his intentions with the congo was he wanted to bring civilization to the Congo region, spread Christianity, infrastructure, technology. Establishing a strong society in the region. Protecting people of the congo from Arab-slave traders.

How did Leopold publicly promote his work in the Congo (How did he "spin" it?)? What did he claim he was doing there?

He promoted a campaign of misinformation (philanthropic work) - benevolent enterprise -stopping the slave trade - creating an international free-trade zone.

What did Leopold II actually do in the Congo?

He stole tons of ivory, gold, and rubber. He acquired items through slave labor industries. Physically abused the people of the Congo through imprisonment, slavery, torture, and fear. Through his terror-stricken rule, around 10 million Africans were killed.

Who was Patrice Lumumba? What did he want? Why was he perceived as "dangerous" by powerful European and American politicians and business owners?

He was the leading voice of the congo. He was perceived as dangerous because they thought he was a communist during the cold war. He wanted Congo independence. He was the coalition prime minister. If Lumbumba could decolonize the congo it would serve as an example for the rest of Africa - thus hardcore colonialism saw him as a threat to their economic interest.

Who was Henry Morton Stanley? What was his relationship with Leopold II?

Henry Morton Stanley was claimed to be an American explorer/journalist who was actually European. He was the first to explore all of Africa, from east to west. First to visit the Congo. His relationship with King Leopold was that he was hired by him to visit the Congo and build roads/infrastructure.

Which religion is dominant in India? Next most common religion

Hinduism and Islam

Record 3 facts you didn't know about Africa, the process of European colonization, etc. before watching this clip.

I did not know that America was going to send the freed slaves back to Africa. I was surprised that native people had to pay taxes for their own land and if they didn't they had their hands or foot cut off. I didn't know that there were no representatives at the berlin conference

Why was the Belgian administration of the Congolese colony not substantially different (economically and politically) than Leopold's personal rule? (What were the similarities?)

Ideas and methods that leopold used. New Kind of enslavement from taxes imposed by Belgium to cover their debt - the territory is still under control of belgium - government organized as systematic plunder. wealth to be extracted - western demand increases during world was - "recruiters" still assigning "work" to district capital - where they are transported to mines. labor. They still abused them.

THE FIGHT OVER AFRICA BEGINS:

In 1880, when King Leopold II of Belgium hired Henry Stanley to explore the Congo and arrange trade treaties with African leaders. Leopold's actions set in motion a race among European nation to claim African territory, with Britain, France, and Germany trying to claim the same territory as Belgium.

THE BERLIN CONFERENCE:

In 1884, European powers met in Berlin, Germany, to discuss the division of Africa and avoid European bloodshed over territorial disputes.

What did the UN panel on the exploitation in the DRC conclude? What were the "root causes" of the warfare, famine, etc. there? (Who is to blame?)

Inappropriate commercial activity - criminal operation, terrorist operation, military regimes of neighboring countries, transnational corporation.

Why did Europeans "need" to expand their trade with Africa as the Industrial Revolution moved through Europe?

Industrialization created a surplus of goods and Europeans looked for new markets to sell to. They needed new land to grow agricultural products to sell to these new markets. They were able to extract rubber, palm oil, gold and diamonds from the interior of Africa all of which became major resources for the European economy.

What was the only American colony in Africa, and why was it established?

It was established to send back freed slaves. The colony was Liberia.

What resources does the area currently called the Democratic Republic of the Congo have?

Ivory, rubber, gold, coffee, diamonds, timber, copper, uranium, Coltan.

Who is Leo Africanus

Leo Africanus was a nickname given to an Arab man who was forced to leave Spain due to his Muslim faith and later was baptized by force into Christianity. He traveled to Africa and recorded his observations of Timbuktu in the early 1500s, much earlier than most European contacts.

Who was Leopold II? Why is he an important figure during the period of European imperialism in Africa?

Leopold II was a Belgian king, selfish, greedy, wealthy, owned the Congo free from 1885-1908, formed the International African Association and the International Association of the Congo to establish himself as a philanthropist and humanitarian. He was important figure because he owned the Congo.

What was the Force Publique? Why did they work for Leopold? What were the free state schools that Leopold set up used for?

Leopold's private army - had no loyalty to anyone - but the state, because many were orphans that were taken far away and subjected to cruel/intense condition. The so-called free schools were used to train the Force Publique

Who allegedly conspired to assassinate Lumumba? Why?

Lumumba wanted to stop the economic exploitation of the Congo - he was willing to do business with anyone willing to pay for their resources - and thus was branded a communist (this is during the Cold War) - so the Americans and Belgians conspired to have him assassinated.

What is col-tan? What is it used for? How has its importance as a natural resource impacted the people of the Congo? (Physical and economic effects)

Metallic ore that is vital for cell phone, computer ships, global communications, transportation and defenses - 73% of it found in the Congo. Leads to mad rush by all armed groups. Miners have no use for it - and the physical impact are sterility, birth defects and/ or cancer.

PRIOR TO THE 1800s:

Most of Africa was unknown to Europeans, who only explored ports along the coast where they traded "goods" (often slaves, especially in west African ports.) Europeans had been kept out of the interior of Africa by the difficult geography, tropical diseases, and resistance by Africa. New Medical advances and river steamships developed during the industrial era enabled Europeans to begin exploring, and they started along the major rivers—the Nile, Congo, and Niger.

How many enslaved people were transported through Timbuktu? (Remember we talked about slavery existing before Europeans arrived but also how Europeans changed it.)

Nearly 5 million

Who was Laurent Kabila? What did he do in 1997?

Rebel leader that sweeps into Kinshasa and declares himself head of state

What were the impacts of the "African World War" on the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

Rwanda and Uganda tried to depose Kabila- and other countries came to his aid - which triggers this war over loot - soldiers don't care -a dn the place slip into lawlessness and exploration

The most known trade routes across the Sahara were used to trade what?

Slaves or african captives

The Mughal Empire crumbled due to several factors:

Started fighting between smaller kingdoms. English, French, and Portuguese traders had gained influence along coastal ports. British (British East India Company) won control of crucial ports/cities in India from the French

What stands out to you about the size of Africa compared to the rest of the world?

That China and the Americas could fit in Africa

What stands out to you about the illustrations of the Berlin Conference?

That all of them are white and no Africans that could represent themselves

What did Leopold name his newly-granted territory in 1885? Why was its name sickly ironic? To whom did it belong (Belgium or Leopold himself?) Leopold's land.

The Congo free state - ironic because it is anything but free for the natives- belongs to Leopold himself/ privately.

How did the U.N. play a role in getting rid of Lumumba? Why?

The U.N refused to allow Lumumba access to his supporters -both militarily and politically- because of the attempted secession of Katanga - a resource rich area that was winning his battle with help from Lumumba's troops. They shut down radio stations and airport.

Why, even in the 1980s, did the Belgian people know nothing about Leopold/Belgium's history in the Congo?

The archives were not allowed to show anything bad about belgium so they could not show anything about Leopold history. They were taught that leopold did good things.

What did the name bula matadi literally mean, and what did it also come to represent to the Congolese?

The breaking of rocks. It represents Breaking all resistance

How did the forced transition from food to cash crops and forced closure of the textile trade by the British impact India?

The british profit from all ends

How are the excesses/problematic aspects of capitalism we discussed in the last unit evidenced in this case study, too?

The lowering of the cost of production to maximize profits - the control of factors of production to maximize profits.

What were other effects of Leopold's colonization of the Congo?

The other effects of Leopold's colonization was Disease from Europe brought to the Congo. Famine spread as his army destroyed villages and stole food from villages. Wives and children of men who did not complete their work were brutally taken hostage by Leopold's soldiers. "Rubber terror" defines the many human rights abuses that were violated during Leopold's reign of the Congo region.

Imperialism

The policy of one country extending political, economic, or military control over another country.

How/why did the rise of nuclear weaponry affect the Congo? How is it still affecting the people/area of the Congo today? (How are the land and people still being exploited, even half a century after the end of colonial rule?)

The supply of uranium came mostly from the Congo. The Congolese sold uranium to mostly North and South Korea. The value of these mines increased with the rise of nuclear power. These mines are still exploited - thousands of illegal miners ship the uranium soil out for sale on the black market.

From what you have read so far, why was Africa attractive to Europeans looking for more territory beyond the slave trade?

They had access to lots of raw material.

Who were the sepoys?

They were Indian soldiers working for BEIC

African royalty?

They were a big deal, women could be kings and had a higher status

Why did King Leopold II of Belgium want/need a colony?

To build grandiose cities like London and Paris - match other European powers.

What were the transportation lines/infrastructure set up in the Congo during the late 19th century designed for?

To ship materials/resources to the coast.

How did Leopold and Stanley conspire to gain large amounts of land/waterways/resources in the Congo?

Under the guise of benevolent intent - Leopold intstructs Stanley to create contracts/treaties with all the tribal chiefs of the Congo -and Stanley gets the chiefs to sign over their rights for "nothing". This is done under the flag of an "independent Congo" flag (done for cloths/trinkets/beads). They had no clue what were they signing because they can't read and write.

Who was Mobutu? Who backed him? How did he emulate (mimic) European rule?

What was the result for the Congo (later, "Zaire")? Mobutu was a former military chief- and leader of a coup against Lumumba with help of the Americans and Belgians - he was ruthless ruler who employed mercenaries to brutally rule of the Congo (now called Zaire) - massacres, brutality, corruption - all this was done with the financial/military backing of the west specifically the US.