Chapter 26 - New Imperialism in Africa and Southeast Asia
Forms of anti-imperial resistance
- Direct resistance through rebellions (some religious) and uprisings - Creation of new states (see Zulu empire)
Political Motivations for New Imperialism
- Germany was becoming a political threat as they increased their economic standing, and hoped to establish equality between them and Britain by acquiring a large empire - France wanted to redeem themselves and their reputation after their loss to Germany
Belgium's territory in Africa (Congo) is _______ bigger than their own country
80%
Second Industrial Revolution
A phase of rapid industrialization in the late 19th century which featured advanced technology and intense capital. Countries now raced to secure access to natural resources outside of Europe. Main resources: (replaced coal and iron) - electricity - steel - petroleum
Major change in African imperialism
Before New Imperialism, Europe remained at the coasts with a few port settlements. After, Europe dominated nearly all of Africa asides from the free nations of Ethiopia and Liberia.
What nation claimed Congo?
Belgium
How did Africans, such as the Zulu and Xhosa, respond to European imperialism?
Both of them resisted in different ways. Zulu - New state was created - Zulu Empire. Eventually conquered as Zulu king refused the British request that he disbands his army, and thus a battle broke out. The British won due to their superior firepower, and the Zulu empire came into their possession. Xhosa - Followed the prophecy of Nongqawuse and killed off their cattle in the hopes that it would aid them in resisting the British. A famine followed though, and the British were able to easily conquer the Xhosa.
Colonial resource export economies
British Egypt - Cotton Belgium Congo - Rubber West Africa - palm oil All over Africa - diamonds
Cecil Rhodes
British entrepreneur, mining magnate, head of the British South Africa Company, and prime minister of the Cape Colony; played a major role in the expansion of British territory in southern Africa - example of personal motivation
Xhosa Cattle Killing led to
British were able to easily take over the land of the Xhosa by taking advantage of the famine (caused by the cattle slaughter) and add it to Cape Colony
Example of shifts from non-state to state colonial control
CONGO: Shifted from private control by King Leopold II after his abuses were revealed to many in Europe by private investigators. The Belgium government then got control. DUTCH INDONESIA AND SE ASIA: Shifted from the Dutch East India Co. to the gov.
What characterized the relationship between the state and multinational corporations during the era of New Imperialism?
Chartered companies (like the Dutch East India Company) came back into use with the approval of the government. State-backed monopolies by private companies with their own armies, much like what was used in the first wave of Imperialism, now represented the relationship between the state and corporations. - British South African Company
How did King Leopold justify his abuses of the Congolese people?
Claimed, like much of the rest of Europeans, that he was bringing "civilization" to the "wild and untamed" people of Africa.
Examples of African resistance to Europeans
Egypt - many resisted against British rule and united under Muslim resistance leader Muhammad Ahmad and revolted, but lost German East Africa - Maji Maji revolt occurred as a result of Germans forcing natives to grow cotton; quick and bloody suppression Ethiopia - resisted diplomatically and won
Two free African countries and why they're free
Ethiopia - Christian Liberia - founded by U.S. for freed slaves
Ethiopia and imperialism
Ethiopia successfully resisted European imperialism due to their emperor using Christianity as a diplomatic advantage but secured an army to fight against an assault from Italy. Britain also saw Ethiopia as an advantage due to the security they provided on the Egyptian frontiers.
What was decided at the Berlin Conference?
European nations divided out territories in Africa to avoid conflict and one nation having too much power
How did European imperialism in Africa reinforce European ideas about race?
Europeans had dominant means of conquering land (weapons), and this it reinforced the ideas of Europeans being superior to Africans. ALSO!!!! European colonies basically forced Africans to work for low-wages on farms and in mines, thus putting them in the lowest level of the economy, THUS reinforcing the European that they were less than.
Indochina
Federation created by the French after conquering Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos; Was an attempt to make administration more convenient as these societies had few similarities - French colonial authorities took over vast estates on which to grow rubber and rice for export - Profit went to the French, though merchants benefited from the increase in commerce
How did New Imperialism affect Southeast Asia?
Federation of Indochina - France had taken over Cambodia, Vietnam (though they faced much resistance), and Laos, and while they used it for their own agricultural endeavours, it did benefit some merchants as it opened up these areas to integration into global markets. Burma - Invaded and conquered by British. The British ruled Burma, placing their own India administrators and building railroads to exploit the rich timber of the area. Malay Peninsula - British let indigenous rulers maintain lifestyle while taking real power for themselves (much like in India). Used Malaya for tin resources. Java and Sumatra - chain of islands ruled by Dutch for sugar and coffee; their power was deepened by New Imperialism
What nation claimed the most of northwest Africa and WHY?
France - it may not have been useful land (its all just desert), but LAND IS POWER!!!
How did the British respond to African resistance with diplomacy?
Gave contracts, though they were usually written in English and were designed to give nearly everything away to the British
What nation claimed the most colonies in Africa?
Great Britain
Why would African cooperate with Europeans?
Hope of power, money, and/or social elevation
How did industrialization change the nature of state-building and expansion in the nineteenth century?
Industrialization led to a rapid growth in demand for certain products, one being rubber, and thus the approach of just growing the resource in colonies the nation owned no longer worked. So, nations now had to seek out areas where it grew naturally. EXAMPLE: Rubber - Central Africa = wild rubber Leopold goes crazzyyyyy for it and exploits the entire Congolese population for labor
Battle of Adwa
Italians attack Ethiopia and lose - inspired Ethiopian people and leaders PICTURE: biased towards Ethiopians
King Leopold of Belgium
King of Belgium from 1865-1909, accredited with setting off the Scramble for Africa with his acquisition of the "Congo Free State" in central Africa. - sought to use the Congo River as a gateway to a Central African empire - ruthless exploitation of Congolese rubber - Legacy: Inhumane treatment of Congo citizens for profit
Why couldn't Europeans conquer Africa before?
Lacked proper technology
What technological advances helped European nations establish a greater presence in Africa?
Machine guns, field cannon, telegraphs, steamships, new medicine, navigational tools, railroads
Xhosa Cattle Killing
Mass cattle killing in South Africa in 1856 that occurred after a large number of cattle died off from European disease. A young woman named Nongqawuse prophesied the returned of ancestral warriors to combat the Europeans if they were to slaughter the rest of the cattle.
Examples of African cooperation with Europeans
Mfengu - fought alongside the British in imperialism war in 19th century Uganda - allied with British though British betrayed them and exploited them for resources Boers - allied with British to make a self-governing dominion at the cost of natives
West African resistance to French
Muslim jihad leader Samori Toure led an organized resistance through a guerrilla campaign to the French invasion of the Senegal River. It was unsuccessful as it lacked support from the local population since they exploited the locals for supplies.
Economic Motivations for New Imperialism
Nations wanted control over large amounts of natural resources in Africa to make manufactured products with them
England's goal in Africa
One large connected landmass "from Cape to Cairo" (From South Africa to Egypt) - Germany got in the way though
Personal Motivations for New Imperialism
Owning land in Africa was seen as bringing glory to individuals
New Imperialism
Period in the late 19th century in which European nations increased imperial activity due to increased competition for raw materials and markets
Scramble for Africa
Set off by King Leopold II - Europeans worried about Belgium taking over all of Africa - Berlin Conference Nations battled to get colonies in Africa in order to obtain natural resources, trade markets, and power
Suez Canal
Ship canal that connected the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, designed by the French. It opened to shipping in 1869 and shortened the sea voyage between Europe and Asia. Its strategic importance led to the British conquest of Egypt in 1882.
Examples of Asian resistance to Europeans
Siam (Thailand) - resisted through diplomacy and legal reforms China - Citizens revolted and attempts were made by Chinese administration to reform but failed. India - Indian Revolt of 1857 against British. They were defeated, but led to the birth of the Indian independence movement.
Siam (Thailand) and imperialism
Siam leaders Mongkut and Chulalongkorn were able to secure independence from European imperialism in the 19th century through effective political leadership. Mongkut: - Educated by Western missionaries = diplomatic advantage Chulalongkorn: - modernized Siam through legal reforms - centralized gov. power - took advantage of European rivalries
How was the African experience with New Imperialism similar to and different from the Southeast Asian experience with New Imperialism.
Similarities: - bigger threat for both due to more firepower - both tried to resist and mostly failed - (though there were successes!) Differences: - European threat was new to Africa, though not new for Southeast Asia (see India) - some Africans formed new states in response, while SE Asia didn't
European Rationale for Imperialism
Social Darwinism - Europeans believed their way of life to be better than those they conquered, thus they were "improving" native peoples Nationalism - countries and their citizens wanted to take pride in their nation's power Religion - convert native people to Christianity
Ideological Motivations for New Imperialism
Social Darwinism: Europeans felt they were improving native African societies because European culture was more advanced
What were the changes and continuities in the ways Christianity was practised as it spread among African peoples?
Some Africans rejected European religious authority, looking to the ancient Ethiopian Church and stressed African control of African Christianity. Others did not have the option, like African Catholics, and still remained bound to authority of European leadership in Rome.
Religious Motivations for New Imperialism
Spread Christianity
How did industrialization affect European New Imperialism?
The Second Industrial Revolution pushed nations to seek out sources of raw materials from around the world in order to keep up with new rapid acceleration. Nations also had new technological advances (steamships, guns, telegraphs) from industrial productivity to take over more areas.
How was East Africa so easily conquered?
The violent and devastating slave trade ruined East Africa, and the British not only were easily able to take over, but now had a strong humanitarian argument for conquering them.
African resistance to Berlin Conference
They got no say in how they were divided up!!!
Why did Britain and France want Siam to remain independent?
They were having conflict with each other, so Siam acted as a buffer between their Asian colonies.
Xhosa Cattle Killing is an example of
religious syncretism - Xhosa religion mixed with Methodist tradition -> resurrection of the dead
New Imperialism is marked by
the rise of a unified Germany
Europeans used both ______ and ______ to expand their states.
warfare and diplomacy
