Chapter 9 and 10 AP WORLD THESIS Review

Main causes of European conquest of Africa

Modernization of military technology and medical advancements, ideologies like Social Darwinism and the White Man's Burden, and economic demand for raw materials.

Social Darwinism

Darwin's evolutionary theory 'survival of the fittest' used to justify imperialism and war as natural.

White Man's Burden

The belief that Europeans had a responsibility to bring progress and civilization to 'weaker races.'

Impact of the Meiji Restoration on Japan

Allowed Japan to rapidly modernize and secure military victories, transforming it into a strong imperial power.

Russo-Japanese War

A conflict where Japan defeated Russia over Korea and Manchuria, marking Japan's emergence as a significant imperial power.

Treaty of Nanjing

First unequal treaty imposed on China after the Opium War, restricting Chinese sovereignty and opening ports to European traders.

Failed Modernization in China

China's industrialization was stunted by unequal treaties and internal crises, leading to a decline in power.

Comparison of Japan and China during imperialism

Japan modernized and became an imperial power, while China faced humiliation and decline.

19th century Western imperialism

Characterized by aggressive territorial conquest and the use of Industrial Revolution technologies to control inland regions.

Commercialism in earlier European expansion

Earlier waves focused on coastal trading outposts, while 19th-century imperialism shifted to total territorial conquest.

Scramble for Africa

The rapid partitioning of Africa by European powers, ignoring ethnic and linguistic divisions.

Industrial Revolution's role in imperialism

Fueled Europe's expansion by increasing demand for raw materials and agricultural products.

Economic motivations for imperialism

Demand for raw materials and new markets to sell European products.

Military technology advancements

Steamships, breech-loading rifles, and machine guns widened military gaps between Europeans and others.

Medical advancements in imperialism

Quinine helped prevent malaria deaths, facilitating European penetration into tropical regions.

Impact of the Second Opium War on China

Led to more treaty ports opened to foreign trade and increased foreign influence in China.

Chinese efforts at self-strengthening

Attempts to modernize through traditional principles and some borrowing from the West during the 1860s and 1870s.

Conservative leaders' fears in China

Feared that urban, industrial, and commercial development would harm the landlord class.

Economic necessity of African territories for Europeans

African territories became essential for raw materials and markets due to industrial demands.

Ideological justifications for imperialism

Used science to justify racial attitudes and the belief in European superiority over 'child races.'

British textile exports

Exported textiles to Europe, Latin America, and India, creating a need for markets.

Korean experience under Japanese imperialism

Koreans lost half of their arable land to Japanese settlers, indicating the brutality of Japanese imperialism.

Unequal treaties

Treaties that imposed restrictions on China, preventing effective modernization and sovereignty.

Impact of internal vs external factors on Qing Dynasty collapse

To be evaluated in the context of imperialism and internal strife.

Opium Wars

Conflicts between Britain and China (1839-42) over opium trade.

Spheres of Influence

Regions in China where foreign powers had exclusive rights and privileges.

Corruption

Widespread dishonesty and unethical behavior in Chinese bureaucracy.

Population Pressure

Rapid population growth in China leading to social and economic strain.

Taiping Rebellion

Massive civil war in China (1850-64) against the Qing Dynasty, advocating radical reforms.

Raw Material

Natural resources extracted from colonies to fuel European industrial growth.

New Markets

Foreign markets established by Europeans to sell their manufactured goods.

Transportation

Advancements like steamships and the Suez Canal that facilitated imperial expansion.

Military Technology

Innovations such as breech-loading rifles that gave Europeans a military advantage.

Civilizing Mission

The justification for imperialism claiming to bring progress and civilization to 'heathens.'

Scientific Racism

Use of science to justify racial hierarchies and prejudices.

Religious Justification

The use of Christianity to legitimize imperial expansion and conversion efforts.

Missionaries

Individuals who spread Christianity and often influenced local cultures in colonized regions.

Gentry

Wealthy landowners in China who gained power during the Taiping Rebellion.

Industrial Revolution

Period of rapid industrial growth in Europe that increased demand for raw materials.

Peasant Rebellions

Uprisings by the lower classes in response to oppression and economic hardship.

Christianity in Africa

Significant spread of Christianity in Africa, transforming identities and social structures.

Quinine

A drug that helped prevent malaria deaths, facilitating European colonization of tropical regions.

Breech-loading rifles

Firearms that allowed for faster reloading, enhancing military effectiveness.

Underwater telegraph

Communication technology that enabled faster global communication.

Population Growth in China

Increase from 100 million in 1685 to 430 million by 1853.

Economic Extraction

The process of extracting resources from colonies for the benefit of the colonizers.

Cultural Transformation

Changes in local cultures due to the influence of European colonization and Christianity.

Resistance to Colonization

Efforts by indigenous peoples to resist European domination and control.

Economic Domination

The establishment of European powers as the central players in the global economy.

What were the main causes that enabled the European conquest of Africa?

Although modernization of military technology and medical advancements gave the physical means for an invasion, European nations successfully executed the conquest of Africa because of ideologies, such as Social Darwinism and the White Man’s Burden, which provided a moral direction for expansion, and the urgent industrial demand for raw materials and markets that made African territories an economic necessity for Europeans.

Evaluate the impact of imperialism on Japan and China?

Although both nations faced weakening pressures of Western imperialism, Japan successfully transformed into a strong imperial power while China suffered a decline in domination because the Meiji Restoration allowed Japan to rapidly modernize and secure military victories like the Russo-Japanese War, while the Treaty of Nanjing caused embarrassment for China which was marked by unequal treaties and failed modernization efforts.

Evaluate the changes in 19th century Western imperialism from earlier global attempts at domination?

Although earlier waves of European expansion were characterized by coastal trading outposts and commercialism, 19th century Western imperialism represented a more aggressive and systemic form of global domination because it shifted its focus to total territorial conquest to secure raw materials in Africa and Asia and utilized Industrial Revolution technologies to control inland regions.

Evaluate the impact of internal VS external factors on the collapse of the Qing Dynasty?

Although external pressures such as the Opium Wars and the creation of foreign spheres of influence severely weakened Chinese sovereignty, the collapse of the Qing Dynasty was primarily driven by internal factors such as the Taiping Rebellion which destroyed the central government’s resources and widespread corruption combined with population pressure the imperial system was unable to maintain social order.

Evaluate the impact of colonialism on Europeans?

Although the chase for overseas territories often intensified violent rivalries and diplomatic tension between competing nations, colonialism fundamentally enriched and empowered European stated because the extraction of raw materials fueled rapid industrial expansion and the creation of new markets established a level of global domination thar placed Europe at the center of the world’s economy.

Analyze the impact of modern science/technology on European Imperialism?

Although Social Darwinism provided a pseudoscientific moral justification for expansion, modern science and technology fundamentally drove European imperialism because advanced transportation enabled rapid access to remote interiors and superior military technology ensured a conquest of indigenous population

Evaluate the justification for Western imperialism?

Although advocates of imperialism claimed their actions were rooted in a selfless civilizing mission to improve global society, Western imperialism was an unjustifiable system of exploitation because it relied on pseudoscientific racial ideologies to dehumanized indigenous populations and religious mandates as moral facades to mask economic extraction.