History test study guide

Imperialism

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, military conquest, or economic dominance.

Economic Imperialism

A form of imperialism where a stronger nation dominates the economy of a weaker nation, often through investments, trade agreements, or monopolies.

United Fruit Company

An American corporation that controlled vast banana plantations in Central America and the Caribbean, known for its influence in those regions.

Unilever

A multinational consumer goods company formed from the merger of British soapmaker Lever Brothers and Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie, with historical ties to colonial trade.

Causes of Imperialism

Motives include economic gain, the desire for colonies as sources of raw materials and markets, competition among European powers, nationalism, and the spread of culture and religion.

Effects of Imperialism

Include economic exploitation, cultural assimilation, political instability, territorial disputes, and resistance movements.

"Sick Man of Europe"

A term used to describe the declining Ottoman Empire in the 19th century due to internal strife and external pressures from imperialism.

Settler Colonies

Colonies where the colonizing power sends settlers to inhabit and develop the land, often displacing indigenous populations.

The Berlin Conference

A meeting in 1884-1885 where European powers divided Africa into colonies without regard for African ethnic or cultural boundaries.

Scramble for Africa

The rapid colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Boers

Descendants of Dutch settlers in South Africa, also known as Afrikaners.

Anglo-Boer War

Conflict between British forces and Boer settlers in South Africa from 1899 to 1902, resulting in British victory and the establishment of the Union of South Africa.

Guerilla Warfare Fighting

Irregular warfare where small groups use ambushes, sabotage, and hit-and-run tactics against a larger, conventional military force.

Anglo-Zulu War

Conflict between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom in 1879, resulting in British victory and the annexation of Zululand.

Apartheid

A system of racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the South African government from 1948 to 1994.

Ethiopia

One of the few African nations to successfully resist European colonization during the Scramble for Africa.

British East India Company

A British trading company that played a significant role in the colonization and exploitation of India before being dissolved in 1874.

Impact of British Imperialism in India

Included economic exploitation, cultural assimilation, the establishment of British colonial rule, and the disruption of traditional Indian society.

Sepoy Mutiny

A rebellion in 1857-1858 by Indian soldiers against the British East India Company's rule, leading to the end of the company's control over India and the beginning of direct British rule.

British Raj

The period of British rule in the Indian subcontinent from 1858 to 1947.

British East India Company

A powerful British trading company that controlled most local kingdoms in India with wealth and mercenary soldiers since the 18th century.

Sepoy Mutiny

The 1857 rebellion of Indian soldiers against the British due to rumors of bullet cartridges greased with animal fat, revealing the hostility between India and Britain.

British Raj

Direct British rule in India following the Sepoy Mutiny until 1947, controlling raw materials, building railroads, and incorporating Indians into the military for cheap labor.

Opium Wars

Conflicts in China where Britain forced unequal trade treaties, including the relinquishing of trade port cities and the sale of opium, leading to spheres of influence in China.

Boxer Rebellion

A 1899-1901 Chinese rebellion against Western influence, supported by the Qing military but ultimately defeated, leading to the division of China into spheres of influence.

Spanish-American War

A conflict where the US acquired territories like Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico, demonstrating US imperialism in Latin America.

Annexation of Hawaii

The US annexed Hawaii in 1898 after American planters overthrew the monarchy, leading to Hawaii becoming a US territory until 1959.

Open Door Policy

A US foreign policy in China to prevent colonization, ensuring all nations had equal trading rights and access to Chinese ports.

Meiji Restoration

A period in Japan where leaders rebelled against the shogunate, modernized the country, and expanded imperial ambitions, leading to conflicts with China and Russia.

Russian Industrialization

State-sponsored industrialization in Russia, ending serfdom, building railroads and factories, but facing financial challenges and social tensions.

Unified national states

Creation of cohesive political entities within regions due to imperialistic influences.

Improved Medical care sanitation and nutrition

Enhancement of healthcare, cleanliness, and food quality as a result of imperialism.

Increased agricultural production

Growth in farming output due to changes brought about by imperial powers.

Encouraged tribal wars by creating artificial borders

Instigation of conflicts among tribes due to arbitrary boundary demarcations by imperial forces.

Exploited natural resources

Utilization of Africa's minerals, lumber, rubber, and human resources for the benefit of European powers.

Downgraded traditional African culture

Diminished value placed on indigenous African customs and traditions through the process of westernization.

Europeans dividing Africa

The act of European nations partitioning Africa without regard for the existing tribal, ethnic, and cultural divisions.

Tribal conflict

Ongoing disputes and tensions between different ethnic groups within African nations due to the artificial boundaries imposed by colonial powers.