Imperialism - Causes

Name: Global History 10

Causes of Imperialism

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Background: Industrialization stirred (caused) ambitions in many European nations. They wanted more resources to fuel (support)their industrial production. They competed for new markets for their goods. They looked to Africa and Asia as sources of the raw materials and as markets for cloth, plows, guns, and other industrial products.

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Directions: Using the documents in the folder, complete the graphic organizer below.

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Cause

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I love my

country!

Reason

Date: Period:

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$

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!It's MY job

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How to be civilized 101

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Cause

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Reason

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Ability to unite

? Fighting over land

? Different languages & religions

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Colony

Types of Imperialism

Protectorate

Sphere of Influence

Economic Imperialism

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Directions: Examine the causes of Imperialism that we discussed today, and categorize them using the chart below.

Categories of Imperialism

Political

Social

Economic

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The Industrial Revolution Economic, political, and social forces accelerated (caused it to happened more quickly) the drive (desire) to take over land

in all parts of the world. The takeover of a country or territory by a stronger nation with the intent of dominating the political, economic, and social life of the people of that nation is called imperialism. The Industrial Revolution provided European countries with a need to add lands to their control. As European nations industrialized, they searched for new markets and raw materials to improve their economies.

The race for colonies grew out of a strong sense of national pride as well as from economic competition. Europeans viewed an empire as a measure of national greatness. As the competition for colonies intensified, each country was determined to plant its flag on as much of the world as possible

Belief of Superiority

Because of their advanced technology, many Europeans basically believed that they were better than other peoples. Many Europeans believed that whites were better than other races. The belief that one race is superior to others is called racism.

A V O I C E F R O M T H E PA S T

I contend that we [Britons] are the first race in the world, and the more of the world we inhabit (live in), the better it is for the human race... It is our duty to seize every opportunity of acquiring more territory and we should keep this one idea steadily before our eyes that more territory simply means more of the Anglo-Saxon race, more of the best, the most human, most honorable race the world possesses.

CECIL RHODES, Confession of Faith 1877

Social Darwinism

The attitude was a reflection of a social theory of the time, called Social Darwinism. It merged Charles Darwin's theory of "survival of the fittest" to explain human societies. This idea was that the fittest, or strongest, species (a group of animals or plants that are similar) would survive. Weak species would not survive. Social Darwinists argued that individuals and groups, just like plants and animals, competed with one another for success in life. They claimed that individuals or groups at the top of the social, economic, or political hierarchies belonged there, because they had competed against others and had proven themselves best adapted. Any social or political intervention that weakened the existing hierarchy, they argued, would undermine (make weaker) the natural order.

Some Social Darwinists justified imperialism on the basis that the imperial powers were naturally superior and their control over other nations was in the best interest of human evolution. Many Europeans used this to justify their invasion and conquest of places such as Africa. According to the theory, non-Europeans were considered to be on a lower scale of cultural and physical development because they had not made the scientific and technological progress that Europeans had.

White Man's Burden

Europeans believed that they had the right and responsibility to bring the Western ideas and technology to people in undeveloped parts of the world. Each industrialized nation believed its civilization and culture to be the best and most suited to be brought to the non-industrialized people of the world. Europeans had the responsibility to civilize and educate other races, which they deemed (thought) as backwards (not as advanced/behind others) and uncivilized. This belief was commonly known as "the white man's burden," a phrase from a poem by Rudyard Kipling.

Take up the White Man's burden ? Send forth (forward) the best ye breed (race) ? Go bind (force) your sons to exile (send away) To serve your captives' (prisoners') need; To wait in heavy harness On fluttered folk and wild ? Your new-caught, sullen (gloomy) peoples, Half devil and half child.

Take up the White Man's burden ? The savage wars of peace ? Fill full the mouth of Famine (food shortage) And bid (offer) the sickness cease (stop); And when your goal is nearest The end for others sought, Watch Sloth (laziness) and heathen (uncivilized) Folly (foolishness) Bring all your hope to nought (nothing).

" "The!White!Man's!Burden"!by!Rudyard!Kipling!

European Technologies

European countries were able to takeover and control their empires due to their technological superiority. The Maxim gun, invented in 1889, was the world's first automatic machine gun. European countries quickly acquired (got) the Maxim, while the resisting nations were forced to rely on outdated (old/not useful) weapons. European countries also had the means to control their empire. The invention of the steam engine allowed Europeans to easily travel upstream (along a river, in the opposite direction from the way the water is flowing) to establish bases of control across a region. Railroads, cables, and steamers allowed close communications within a colony and between the colony and its controlling nation. All these made control easier.

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!Explorers and Missionaries

Most Europeans that went to Africa were explorers, missionaries, or humanitarians. Before the 1800s, Africa was known as the Dark Continent because of many unknowns. Due to technological limitations of the time, people had only explored the outer parts of Africa. With the updated technologies, explorers and missionaries were able to go further into Africa. Some of these explorers wrote books and articles about what they saw, which led to people wanting to explore Africa more.

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Cultures of Africa

Many different geographic features cover Africa. The north is covered by the Sahara desert, the south has waterfalls, jungles, and rapids which make travel and cultural diffusion (spread of ideas) difficult. As a result of the geography there is much cultural/ethnic diversity (differences between people) throughout Africa

Types of Imperialism

? An independent country controlled by a private business or business interests. ? A country or territory directly governed by a foreign power. ? Independent country in which a foreign power claims exclusive economic privileges ? A country or territory with its own government but their government is influenced by a foreign power.

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