Imperialism, Colonialism, and Resistance in 19th-20th Century History

Imperialism

Domination by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region.

Political and Military Interests

Industrial powers sent their steam powered merchant ships overseas and naval vessels needed military bases around the world to protect trading ships.

Nationalism

Pride and patriotism that played a role in nations wanting to expand and increase prestige.

Humanitarian Goals

Missionaries, doctors, and colonial officials believed they had a duty to spread what they saw as the blessings of western civilization, including its medicine, law, and religion.

Paternalism

The idea of looking down at others as if they are less able or like children.

Ethnocentrism

The idea that one's ethnic group or culture is superior to others.

White Man's Burden

Missionaries, doctors, and colonial officials believed they had a duty to spread the blessings of western civilization, including its medicine, law, and religion.

Social Darwinism

The idea that European races were superior to all others and that conquest and destruction of other cultures was nature's way of improving the world.

Colonies

Areas politically controlled by more powerful nations.

Direct Rule

Sending officials from Europe to directly control the colony.

Indirect Rule

The use of local rulers or chiefs who governed under the direction of the European power.

Protectorate

Leaving local rulers in place but forcing them to follow the advice of the European power.

Sphere of Influence

An area where an outside power claimed exclusive investment or trading privileges.

Richard Burton

Explorer who set out to map rivers and study African areas and cultures.

Missionaries

Catholic and Protestant missionaries who built schools, medical clinics, and churches and communicated the evils of the slave trade.

David Livingstone

Popular explorer-missionary who crisscrossed Africa, wrote about his findings, and called for the end of the slave trade.

King Leopold II

King of Belgium who hired Stanley to explore the Congo River basin, arrange trade treaties with African leaders, and dreamt of conquest and profit.

Scramble for Africa

When Britain, France, and Germany set out to conquer territory in Africa.

Berlin Conference

Europeans met to recognize claims and declared a European power could not claim any part of Africa unless they had set up a government office there.

Boer War

War in which Britain defeated the Dutch in South Africa and gained territory.

Apartheid

System of racial segregation set up in South Africa by the British.

King Menelik II

Ethiopian ruler who began to modernize his nation so his people were familiar with weapons and resisted European takeover.

Liberia

Nation settled by freed U.S. slaves that did not fall into the hands of Europeans.

Armenians

Christian minority in the Ottoman Empire who were accused of supporting Russian plans and were slaughtered.

Genocide

Deliberate attempt to destroy an entire religious or ethnic group.

Muhammad Ali

Egyptian leader who improved tax collection, reorganized landholding, improved farming methods, and expanded cotton production.

Ferdinand de Lesseps

French entrepreneur who organized a company to build the Suez Canal.

Suez Canal

100 mile waterway linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.

Sepoys

Indian soldiers in the service of the British East India Company.

Sepoy Rebellion

Rebellion caused when new rifles issued had cartridges greased with animal fat that violated Hindu and Muslim dietary restrictions.

Famine

Period of starvation caused when agriculture shifted away from food production under British policies.

Muslim League

Group that feared Hindu domination in India and called for a separate Muslim state.

Mohandas Gandhi

Leader who united Indians and adopted nonviolent resistance to fight British rule.

Nonviolent/Passive Resistance

Behavior of refusing to use violence in protest, promoted by Gandhi.

Civil Disobedience

Refusal to follow laws one deems unfair.

Salt March

March to the sea led by Gandhi in 1930 where he made sea salt in protest of British monopoly.

Pakistan

Independent Muslim state formed when India gained independence in 1947.

Opium War

Conflict between Britain and China because the Chinese executed opium merchants and drug dealers while Britain continued trading opium.

Treaty of Nanjing

Treaty that forced China to give Britain Hong Kong, open 5 ports to trade, and grant British citizens extraterritoriality.

Extraterritoriality

Right of British citizens to live under their own laws and be tried in British courts in China.

Taiping Rebellion

Movement in China where peasants called for land reform, communal property, equality, and an end to the Qing dynasty.

Hong Xiuquan

Leader of the Taiping Rebellion who supported reforms and equality for men and women.

Self-Strengthening Movement

Chinese movement in the 1860s to build factories, modern weapons, railroads, shipyards, mining, and light industry.

Spheres of Influence

Areas in China where foreign powers claimed exclusive investment or trading privileges.

Open Door Policy

U.S. idea that trade should be open to everyone on an equal basis.

Boxer Rebellion

1899 society in China called the Righteous Harmonious Fists tried to drive out foreigners but was crushed by Western powers and Japan.