imperial consolidation and liberal rule

What was the primary goal of British imperial policy between 1890 and 1914?

Consolidation of existing territories and protecting trade routes rather than rapid expansion.

Who served as the British Colonial Secretary from 1895 to 1903?

Joseph Chamberlain.

What was the "Jameson Raid" (1895)?

A failed attempt by British settlers to overthrow the Boer government in the Transvaal, endorsed by Cecil Rhodes.

What triggered the Second Boer War in 1899?

Tensions over Uitlander rights, gold mines, and Kruger's ultimatum to the British.

Define "Scorched Earth" policy used by Lord Kitchener.

Destroying Boer farms and livestock to prevent Boers from obtaining supplies.

What was the significance of the Treaty of Vereeniging (1902)?

It ended the Boer War; Boers accepted British sovereignty in exchange for $3 million for reconstruction.

When was the Union of South Africa formed?

1910.

Who was Lord Curzon?

Viceroy of India (1899-1905) who implemented administrative reforms and partitioned Bengal.

Why was the Partition of Bengal (1905) controversial?

It was seen as a "divide and rule" tactic to weaken the Indian nationalist movement.

Define "Splendid Isolation".

Britain's traditional foreign policy of avoiding permanent alliances with other European powers.

What ended Britain's "Splendid Isolation" in 1902?

The Anglo-Japanese Alliance.

What was the Entente Cordiale (1904)?

An agreement between Britain and France resolving colonial disputes regarding Egypt and Morocco.

What was the Triple Entente (1907)?

The loose alignment of Britain, France, and Russia.

Define "Jingoism".

Aggressive, patriotic foreign policy fueled by popular media and music halls.

Who was Lord Cromer?

The Consul-General of Egypt (1883-1907) who effectively ruled Egypt as a "veiled protectorate".

What was the importance of the Battle of Omdurman (1898)?

British and Egyptian forces under Kitchener defeated the Mahdist army, securing the Sudan.

What was the "Hut Tax War" of 1898?

A rebellion in Sierra Leone against British tax imposition, suppressed with force.

Explain Joseph Chamberlain's "Tariff Reform" proposal (1903).

A system of "Imperial Preference" involving taxes on non-Empire goods to fund social reform and strengthen imperial bonds.

Why did the Liberals win a landslide in 1906?

Conservative divisions over Tariff Reform, the "Chinese Slavery" issue, and the high costs of the Boer War.

What was "New Liberalism"?

A shift from "Laissez-faire" to state intervention to provide a social safety net.

Name three Liberal social reforms after 1906.

• Old Age Pensions (1908) - National Insurance (1911) - Free School Meals (1906)

What was the "People's Budget" of 1909?

Lloyd George's budget proposing taxes on the wealthy and land to fund welfare and naval expansion.

What did the Parliament Act of 1911 achieve?

It removed the House of Lords' power to veto "money bills" and limited their veto on other bills to 2 years.

Define "National Efficiency".

A movement to improve British health, education, and industry to maintain global and imperial competitiveness.

Who was Cecil Rhodes?

Prime Minister of the Cape Colony (1890-1896) and founder of the British South Africa Company.

What was the "Cape to Cairo" railway?

Cecil Rhodes' ambitious and unfinished project to link British African territories from north to south.

What was the All-India Muslim League (1906)?

A political group formed to protect the interests of Indian Muslims and advocate for separate representation.

Who was Emily Hobhouse?

A British activist who exposed the horrific conditions in South African concentration camps during the Boer War.

What was the significance of the HMS Dreadnought (1906)?

A revolutionary battleship that rendered all existing ships obsolete and accelerated the naval race with Germany.

Define "Indirect Rule".

A system of governance using existing local power structures to administer colonies, championed by Lord Lugard in Nigeria.

Who was Lord Milner?

High Commissioner for South Africa and a "liberal imperialist" who pushed for hardline policies against the Boers.

What happened to the Royal Niger Company in 1900?

Its charter was revoked, and the British government took over formal control of Nigeria.

When was Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee?

1897, serving as a massive celebration of imperial power.

What was the "Two-Power Standard"?

The British naval policy that the Royal Navy should be as strong as the next two largest navies combined.

Describe the "Chinese Labour" controversy.

The use of indentured Chinese workers in South African mines under poor conditions, which damaged the Conservative reputation.

What was the impact of the Boer War on British military policy?

It revealed poor physical fitness in recruits and led to the Haldane Reforms (1906-1912).

What did the Imperial Conference of 1911 discuss?

Defense and foreign policy, while acknowledging the growing autonomy of Dominions like Canada.

Who was Henry Campbell-Bannerman?

Liberal Prime Minister (1905-1908) who granted self-government to the former Boer republics.

Define the "White Man's Burden".

The idea, popularized by Rudyard Kipling, that white colonizers had a duty to "civilize" non-white subjects.

What was the significance of the 1890 Anglo-German Agreement?

Britain exchanged Heligoland for control of Zanzibar and Witu in East Africa.

What was the Southern Nigeria Protectorate?

Formed in 1900 from territories previously managed by the Royal Niger Company and the Niger Coast Protectorate.

Who was Mary Slessor?

A missionary in Nigeria who campaigned against traditional practices while spreading Christianity and British influence.

What was the "Great Game"?

The diplomatic and strategic rivalry between Britain and Russia for supremacy in Central Asia.

Explain the term "Dominion Status".

Semi-independent status within the Empire granted to Australia (1901) and New Zealand (1907).

What was the Algeciras Conference (1906)?

A conference to resolve the First Moroccan Crisis; Britain supported France, strengthening their Entente.

Who were the "Die-hards"?

Conservative peers who fiercely opposed the Parliament Act of 1911 to preserve the House of Lords' powers.

Define "Guerilla Warfare" in the Boer War context.

The Boers' tactic of using mobile, hit-and-run strikes after the formal fall of their capital cities.

What was the role of the Round Table Movement (1909)?

An organization promoting closer political union between Britain and its self-governing Dominions.

What was the state of the Empire by 1914?

It reached its territorial peak but faced rising nationalism, domestic crises, and the threat of European war.