Imperialism summary and notes

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Imperialism summary and notes

Imperialism:

· Congress of Vienna: Bring peace after Napoleon, restoration of Aristocracy, the four great powers of Europe represented: Prussia, Austria, Great Britain, and Russia. Goals: international peace and the restoration of the old aristocracy, a clear support for Conservatism. Strengthen central government.

· Nationalism: Powerful force of change-means love for one’s country, began to become associated ith a drive for independence, groups united by a common goal or language.

· Conflict between Liberals and Conservatives: Revolts by liberal (students) concerning the overbearing centralized philosophies of conservatives, later turned into a social conservative conflict.

· Revolutions in France in the 19th Century: (1830-1848): in response to return to absolutism, revolutions began appearing. (first-1830 Louis xviii, set continental examples) took up arms against kings. Took up arms against the king and sent him into exile.

· 1848: Year of the Revolution: more than fifty revolutions in this year. France as usual was the first and the most important of these revolutions, discontent with Louis Phillipes philosophy. Two opposite groups: the socialist liberals and the ultra conservatives who disagreed over such items as liberty and strength of government.

· Reform movements in the United States: Middle class revolutions concerning the ills of industrialization. Challenge from socialists and liberals. Suffrage movements, and muckrakers.

· Reform movements in Great Britain: 1. Electoral Reform: suffrage, expansion, no women suffrage. 2. Political parties: enhancing representation, taking advantage of the large number of new urban voters. 3. Social reform: unions/minimum wage/safety reforms.

· Summary Statement: a return to absolutism led to revolutions and a rebirth of enlightenment ideas-socialism was becoming a major philosophy. A rising middle class acted as a buffer between the two classes and contributed to the order of the day. Labor unions and socialist movements prevented a return to the ancient aristocracy.

· Great Britain as the Imperialist Leader: For many of the same reasons as their dominance in industrialization. They had vast colonial resources, stable society and an industrial society. In addition they had a rebirth in enlightenment ideas. Dominated all regions of the world, Africa, North America, Asia, Latin America. Symbolized by the brilliance of the exhibition of 1851.

· The Crimean War: A continuation of Russia’s continuing desire for a warm water port. Warm water ports were obviously very important to Russia due to their poor climate. They tuned to the Mediteranean for this port and the Ottoman empire and the rest of the European powers allied against them in the hope of preventing a take over, and expansion into the balkans.

· German Unification: The keys: patriotism and nationalism. Nationalist feelings forces of Nationalism, and liberalism combined to key the rise of Otto Von Bismark who was given control by William. Rise of Prussian power amongst the 39 independent states, this led to the dominance of Prussia, and the seeds of their conflict with Austria.

· Otto Von Bismarck: Given control of Prussia and immediately began to focus on Realpolitick and a realistic approach to control. Don’t focus on ideas focus on action. He did this by immeidately baiting the Austrians (alliance) into a war with Denmark. Then claimed the southern lands creating a conflict with the Austrians baiting them into war, recognizing that they were the most powerful state standing in the way. Used this leverage to gain power amongst the southern states and create an alliance against France. Overran France with this help and subsequently united much of Germany as a result of his strength.

· Realpolitick: The Machiavellian philosophy of Otto von Bismark, that said that “whatever means necessary.”

· Creation of an Italian Nation: Divided, in a situation much like Germany. Started with revolutionary movements on Sicily, people began to push for a unified Italy.

· Causes of Imperialism: Economic causes: need for raw materials, new markets. Political and social causes: nationalism, missionaries, whiteman’s burden.

· Why Colonies? For all of the reasons mentioned above. Underlying theme competition in all of the above areas.

· Imperialist Tenstions: Resulting from the high reward competition between nations, all chasing Britain. “Sun never sets on the Britain”. Creates things like a balance of power and militarism, modern problems in an im-modern time. Tensions existed also because of the changing face of Europe as well as the issue of Nationalism. Britain emerged as dominant. Led to the building of alliances and alliance structures that would plague the world for decades to come.

· German rivalries: Rivals to Germany, hostility arose out of their pursuit of empires. Led to a naval arms race, Britain’s island status afforded them this luxury. Spread to the rest of Europe. Spread to all areas, education and economics.

· Showdown at Fashoda: imperialist conflict that occurred in a territory south of Egypt, resulted in the fact that France had a substantial amount of land in the region ad did Britain. The resulting conflict came to a head, France wanting no part of a conflict with Great Britain backed down.

· The Boer War: at the Congress of Vienna, the Boers, South Africans of Dutch Descendant were placed under British Rule. The Boers were resentful and resisted British Rule, realizing this was futile they moved northward, and fought a tribe of Zulus. Defeated, the British officially recognized the two Boerish states. It was an uneasy alliance that eventually resulted in war after a failed British Coup.

· Morrocon Crisis: a triangle, Morocco wanted to remain independent, while Britain and France fought over who was to carve them up. 1904, an agreement: Britain would receive exclusive claim to Egypt, while France would receive a sphere of influence in Morocco. Germany began to mettle in this affair despite the fact that they were not involved. Germany bitter feelings.

· The three old empires of Eastern Europe: a growing trouble spot of rivalries. The Austrian, The Russian and The Ottoman empire were three such old rivalries, from the days of Empires. These regions were still dominated by feudalism and inequality. The problems consisted of Russian desire for warm water ports, as well as the growing conflicts between ethnic groups, particularly the Slavs, a conflict that still rages. The revolts and conflicts were based largely on nationalism and desire for independence. Ottomans ruled many of the Slavs who desired an independent nation or rule under a unified slavic Russian state. Treaty of San Stefano: independence for several Balkan states, as well as the right for Russia to gain an Aegean seaport in the Balkans. However, disdain for the treaty saw it revoked and Russia’s seaport taken away and British claiming Cyprus.

· Summary Statement: Illustrates the rise of and the importance of Imperialism. Discusses the many conflicts that arose out of this conflict and describes the rise of Nationalism, and the desire for self rule and independence.

· Changes in Spanish Imperial Policy: Spain gradually began to lose interest in the colonies as their economic productivity decreased so they began to turn the governments over to upper class residents of these colonies, a hands off policy “laissez-faire” imperialism.

· Value of Colonies: Began to realize under Carlos III that the New World possessed amazing untapped agricultural potential, so the control that had been given to the colonies was about to be rescinded.

· Leaders of the struggle: the leaders of the colonies had begun to become influenced by the writers of the enlightenment period in the late 1700’s and had begun to formulate their own ideas on independence. First Latin American independence movement occurred on the island of Saint Dominique, a major sugar producer, as France began to assert it’s authority a slave revolt occurred, in the name of independence. Set the tone.

· Hidalgo and Mexican independence: this was an almost Marxian revolution of class struggle led by a priest Father Hidalgo.

· “Buffer State”: countries began to be established as a “neutral zone” between two conflicting countries.

· New nations developing: Uruguay a good example.

· Latin American struggle for Stability: As the revolutions unfolded, governments began to develop unfortunately a problem that developed was the governments were dominated by the upperclass and were marked by instability. The result of conflict between conservatives and liberals. In addition, the distinction that has stayed with the world ever since: lower to middle class liberals and upper class conservatives.

· Dependency and Development of Latin America? Latin America had as a result of it’s political and economic instability dependent on the western nations for aid and protection. This has been a trend that Lain America has been unable to shake. Dependency is a situation where a country, (or series of countries, Latin America in this case) has little control over their destiny.

· Imperialism by the Americas: the Monroe Doctrine. A warning established by US president James Monroe designed to keep Europe out of the New World the burgeoning sphere of influence of the United States. It said “we would oppose any attempt by a European power to establish political control in the Western Hemisphere.”

· Summary Statement: In this chapter we see the burgeoning crisis in Latin America created by the imperialist europeans and the subsequent impact that has had on Latin American revolutionary movements. Explains the impact the revolutionary movements have had on the overall future of Latin America.

· Importance of Africa between 1800 and 1870? Had possessed amazing importance due to the slave trade. This had flourished in the early part of this century but later died out ast eh industrial revolution became dependent on the presence of paid labor.

· Race for Colonies in Africa: Why? Who? Largely entered into and controlled by Great Britain and France, minor influence by Portugal and Germany. Reasons: Natural Resources, Slave trade, imperialism, and exploitation.

· Colonial Structure: Europeans had to establish colonial governments in order to effectively rule their new claims. Unfortunately the African’s who had resisted this rule were in no position to resist the sophisticated weaponry of the British. The Europeans thought of themselves as caretakers of the African Children: White Man’s Burden. Heavy rule from the top while local administrations remained largely unchanged.

· Economic Control? The primary goal of the African colonies was to generate imperialistic wealth, so they had to make money off of these workers. Methods: Forced Labor-necessary to relocate the reluctant to needed projects. Takeover of land: unknowingly forced to give up land, were tricked thought the Europeans would leave. Head tax, beginning to tax every hut!

· The “new” lure to Africa: the new lure was diamonds, it had been slavery and the potential for exploitation, however it was now diamonds, which were discovered in bunches in South Africa.

· Europeanization of Africans: As African’s began to be totally controlled a process began largely out of the “white man’s burden” philosophy, this said that the African’s were savaged and they must be saved. So education, (european style) and dress became the order of the day in Africa. One by one cultures, ancient cultures began to be destroyed by the west. Including conversions to Christianity.

· Africa’s size as a limiting factor for colonial change: Yet as all this change occurred, it became obvious that due to it’s size and geographical barriers, the Europeans would not be able to totally “europeanize” Africa.

· In the wake of the fallout of the Ottoman Empire the situation in Egypt: The Ottomans (Turkey) were at the height of their power in the early 16th century. Their empire included much of Northern Africa. However, European exploration in the same period began to shift the focus away from the Ottoman’s to the Atlantic Ocean and Europe. As a result the Ottoman Empire began to slowly decline, and by the 1800’s were dying. However despite their declining influence the Ottoman’s were viewed as very powerful because of the fact that if they fell who would lay claim to their vast empire. Russia made the first move. (Crimean War and Russo-Turkish War of 1877) Much was lost to both Russian Rule and independence. In addition, the empire was weakened by internal dissension, meaning: Nationalism, from the many groups within the country. Egypt became the focus for Western takeover because of its tradition and location on the Suez Canal.

· The partition of Persia: Threatened with invasions, Persia signed treaties with Britain dividing the empire into parts: Spheres of influence. Britain, Russia. Britain wanted Persia as a Buffer against Asia, whereas Russia wanted it to serve as an outlet to warm sea ports.

· Summary Statement: illustrates the impact of European Imperialism on Africa and the middle East.

· The East India Company: an example of economic control over a country. Originally designed to promote British commerce, not become a political entity. Disunity in the country enabled this large multi-national company to assume a role of this capacity.

· India under the British: company ruled 3/5 of India, company agents usually taking on the power of government officials, such as administering laws, and taxation. British troops and Indian trained recruits referred to as Sepoys backed the company. Changes: uniform courts, police, and taxes. They also improved communication and transportation and other things to be advanced. Socially, they also tried as they did in Africa to alter customs and traditions including Religion, with limited success. (such as the slaughter of unwanted female children, who would only add to the burdening population problem!, Suttee: suicide by widows) One of the best changes however, was the establishment of a national system of education. Including the establishment of Universities specializing in medicine, engineering and the sciences, staples of the Indian society today. Later the parliament transferred control back to the British crown, believing the organization to be ineffective (Raj).

· Indian nationalism: as anyone might expect the Indians were none to happy about being under the thumbs of the British and gradually revolts began to break out. Largely responsible was the British trend of superiority. Their hatred of this attitude and the changes the British brought to their society actually had the effect of unifying the country against their rule. Ultimately it was the British advancements of the country that led to the rapid unification. The British led universities educated the Indians on all fronts including those of the enlightenment thinkers.

· The Indian National Congress: Listening to enlightenment influenced thinker Banerji who applauded British principles of justice but wondered if they were being honored fairly, also had a problem with the intense segregation and inequality. Similar to the plight of the American Black. This congress was organized to demand greater Indian participation in Government and that employment should be based on Merit or civil service exams. Began to boil over in 1905 when in response to British rule on partition the state of Bengal, desire for self rule began to grow. Conflict however was rising between rival Hindus and Muslims.

· Mahatma Ghandi: began the concept of peaceful resistance that was vital to the success of the Indian national movement.

· Self Rule: the desire to control ones own government

· The Opium Wars in China: occurred under the Ching dynasty continuing the tradition of xenophobia in China. Nowhere was this more obvious than in commerce. Britain began to try and force their way into a trading relationship with China. Trying to stimulate trade between the two because the Chinese had nothing that the British had except Gold and Silver. So they settled on Opium a habit forming drug, a narcotic used by the Chinese for the seriously ill. China banned this but Britain established a black market organization to pay for the tea. However, when the Chinese attempted to break the trade, a war broke out. The British were victorious due to their naval attack on the Chinese ports of trade. Three effects: Hong Kong as a treaty port, or a port open without restriction to foreigners. Extraterritoriality: exemption of foreigners under local law. Many foreign powers gained: most favored nation clause. Second Opium War: over foreigners living in China. As a result China lost much of it’s characteristic independence and closedness.

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