unit 3 pt 2 vocab

Steam Engine

A machine that converts steam into mechanical power, allowing work to be done without reliance on human or animal labor. It dramatically increased production speed and efficiency in factories. James Watt’s improvements in the late 1700s helped power textile mills in Britain. This innovation helped Britain become the first industrialized nation.

Steamships

Vessels powered by steam engines rather than wind. They allowed faster, more reliable travel across rivers and oceans regardless of weather. European empires used steamships to move troops and goods, such as British control of river systems in India. This technology strengthened imperial expansion and global trade.

Steel

A strong, flexible metal that replaced iron in many industrial uses. The Bessemer Process made steel cheap and mass-producible in the mid-1800s. Steel was used to build railroads, bridges, and weapons. Its availability accelerated industrialization in Europe and the United States.

Stock markets

Systems where investors buy shares in companies to raise capital. They helped fund factories, railroads, and overseas ventures. The London Stock Exchange financed British industrial growth and colonial projects. This connected industrialization to global capitalism.

Suffrage

The right to vote in political elections. Expanding suffrage became a major democratic goal in the 19th and 20th centuries. Women in the United States gained suffrage with the 19th Amendment in 1920. This reflected broader demands for political equality.

Sugar

A valuable cash crop produced mainly on plantations. Its production relied heavily on enslaved Africans and later indentured laborers. Caribbean sugar plantations were central to the Atlantic economy. Profits from sugar helped finance European industrialization.

Telegraph

Allowed messages to be sent electronically over long distances almost instantly. It revolutionized communication for governments and businesses. Britain used telegraph lines to govern its empire more efficiently, especially in India. Faster communication strengthened centralized imperial control.

The HSBC

An international bank founded in Hong Kong in 1865. It was created to support British trade and investment in Asia. The bank grew after China was forced to open ports following the Opium Wars. HSBC became a symbol of Western economic dominance in China.

Transnational businesses

Businesses that operate across multiple countries to maximize profit. They expanded during industrialization and imperialism. These businesses controlled resources, labor, and transportation networks abroad. European mining companies in Africa are a key example.

United Fruit Company

A U.S.-based corporation operating in Central America. It controlled land, railroads, and ports while exploiting local labor. In Guatemala, it influenced government policy to protect its profits. This made it a classic example of economic imperialism.

Utopian Socialism

A vision that promotes ideal societies based on cooperation rather than competition. It emerged as a response to harsh factory conditions. Robert Owen created a model community at New Lanark in Scotland. Although unsuccessful long-term, these ideas influenced later socialist movements.

Economic imperialism

Occurs when powerful nations dominate others through trade, investment, and finance. It allows control without formal colonization. Britain economically controlled Egypt by managing its debt and the Suez Canal. This limited Egyptian sovereignty.

Liberian nationalism

Developed among formerly enslaved African Americans who settled Liberia. They created a Western-style government and culture. The Americo-Liberians dominated politics and excluded indigenous peoples. This created internal divisions within the nation.

Nationalism

Loyalty to a shared national identity based on culture, language, or history. It became a powerful force in the 19th century. German nationalism led to unification under Otto von Bismarck in 1871. Nationalism also inspired resistance to imperial rule.

Opium Wars

Conflicts between Britain and China over the opium trade. Britain wanted to maintain its profitable opium sales to China. After losing the First Opium War, China signed the Treaty of Nanjing. This weakened Qing authority and increased foreign influence.

Settler colonies

Colonies where foreign settlers permanently move in large numbers. Indigenous populations were often displaced or killed. British settlement in Australia forced Aboriginal peoples off their land. These colonies reshaped demographics and cultures.

Social Darwinism

An ideology that applied the idea of natural selection to human societies. It claimed stronger nations had the right to dominate weaker ones. Europeans used it to justify imperialism and racism. This ideology supported conquest and exploitation.

A Vindication of the Rights of Women

A book written by Mary Wollstonecraft in 1792 that argued that women were rational beings deserving education and rights. Wollstonecraft challenged traditional gender roles. The text influenced later feminist and suffrage movements.

Abolition

The movement to end slavery and the slave trade. It grew from moral, religious, and Enlightenment ideas. Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807. Abolition weakened plantation economies dependent on enslaved labor.

American Revolution

A colonial rebellion against British rule. It was inspired by Enlightenment ideas like natural rights and consent of the governed. The colonies won independence in 1783. The revolution influenced later democratic movements worldwide.

Anticolonial movements

Movements that sought independence from imperial powers. They often used nationalism and mass protests. In India, the Indian National Congress organized resistance to British rule. These movements grew stronger in the early 20th century.

Boxer Rebellion

A Chinese uprising against foreign influence. The Boxers targeted missionaries and foreign businesses. A multinational army crushed the rebellion in 1901. China was forced to accept more foreign control.

Declaration of Independence

It was written in 1776, and it announced the American colonies’ break from Britain. It argued that people have natural rights like life and liberty. This document became a model for later revolutions.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

This document was issued during the French Revolution in 1789. It proclaimed liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty. It ended legal privileges of the nobility. The declaration reflected Enlightenment principles.

Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen

Written by Olympe de Gouges in 1791, this document demanded equal rights for women. It criticized the French Revolution for excluding women from citizenship. De Gouges argued women should have political and legal equality. She was later executed during the Reign of Terror.