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"The sun never sets on the British Empire"
TLDR: it was the biggest empire of its time.
At the peak of the British Empire's power, it was often said that "the sun never sets on the British Empire" because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous colonies or subject nations.
Africa
the second largest continent
Australia
Colonized by Britain and became known for its penal colonies in the 19th century.
Belgium
King Leopold II of this country controlled the Congo leading to brutal exploitation.
Became one of the most brutal episodes of African colonial history and has left violent legacy in places like Congo and Rwanda today.
Berlin Conference
A meeting from 1884-1885 at which representatives of European nations agreed on rules colonization of Africa
British East India Company
A joint stock company that controlled most of India during the period of imperialism. This company controlled the political, social, and economic life in India for more than 200 years.
Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902)
British businessman/imperialist involved in the expansion of the British Empire from South Africa into Central Africa.
He dreamed of a railway from "Cape to Cairo."
coal
demand for this fuel skyrocketed during industrialization, fueling factories and steam engines
Commodities
valuable goods that are exchanged
Cotton
Key to Britain's textile industry
Definition of Social Darwinism
Ideology justifying imperialism through perceived racial superiority
certain races/nations are superior and can dominate "weaker" populations. Applies Charles Darwin's concept of the "survival of the fittest"
Does imperialism lead to nationalism?
Yes, the act of conquering can fuel a sense of pride in one's nation.
Economic Gain from Ports: how did ports boost economic gain?
Access to trade routes and resources in China.
Enlightenment Ideas
Philosophical basis for European rule in colonies.
Ethiopia: what did it resist?
Resisted Italian colonization
ethnic enclave
A place with a high concentration of an ethnic group that is distinct from those in the surrounding area
basically a cluster of an ethnic population
Feminism
Movement for women's rights in jobs, political rights -such as suffrage- and education.
Force Labor System
Under King Leopold's rule, the Congo Free State was forced to collect rubber under the threat of violence
Ghost Dance Movement (1890)
The last effort of Native Americans to resist US domination and drive whites from their ancestral lands, came through as a religious movement.
How are imperialism and nationalism related?
Imperial expansion fosters national pride and identity.
How did capitalism facilitate the formation of Middle Classes
Creating a need for skilled workers beyond just manual labor, leading to the rise of roles like managers, accountants, and clerks, which offered higher wages.
How did capitalism fuel industrialization?
by encouraging entrepreneurs to establish businesses
How did industrialization lead to new elite classes?
creating a new economic landscape where individuals who owned/operated factories, mines, and businesses accumulated wealth, forming elite classes.
How did the Industrial Revolution contribute to imperialism?
Industrialized countries sought resources and new markets
How did the traditional elites remain powerful?
Traditional elites maintained power through strategic investments.
Imperialism
A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.
Indentured Servants
Migrants who left India/China to work in plantations/railroads in SE Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. (19th century)
indigenous
native to a certain area
Industrialization
The development of industries for the machine production of goods.
Jewel in the Crown (of the British Empire)
the British colony of India--- so called because of its importance in the British empire, both as a supplier of raw materials and as a market for British trade goods
Nationalism
A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country
Nationalism and Social Darwinism: what did it promote?
Promoted military and imperial expansion favored by industrial elites.
Opium
a highly addictive substance traded between British and China
Opium War
a conflict between Britain and China, lasting from 1839 to 1842, over Britain's opium trade in China
Panama Canal (1914)
connected Atlantic & Pacific
many workers died of malaria (before they found a cure) when it was being built
penal colonies
settlements for convicts
Queen Victoria
(1837-1901) British Queen during the imperial expansion
Sepoy Rebellion (1857)
This uprising against British rule in India was caused by cultural/religious tensions.
Socialism: why did it emerge?
Response to capitalist excesses and inequality.
Suez Canal (1869): what was this canal crucial for?
For Britain's control over trade routes to India.
Transformation of Africa
who did it benefit?
Political and cultural changes benefiting European powers.
Urbanization
An increase in the percentage and in the number of people living in urban settlements.
Westernization
adoption of western ideas, technology, and culture
What country did Belgium invade?
Country that invaded Congo for rubber.
What country did France invade?
Colonial control for resource extraction and profit. France extracted materials from Algeria.
What did Europe do to Africa?
extract their resources for their own good and reduced African colonies into markets for their goods.
What did imperialists use to justify imperialism/exploitation of colonies
Used prestige, power, and economic benefits as rationale. They used a distorted interpretation of Enlightenment ideas, like "natural rights" and "rule of law" to justify imperialism of Asia and Africa.
What did the British Navy Control do?
Secured dominance over Chinese ports like Canton.
What did the Treaties with China consist of?
Agreements allowing British control over Chinese ports.
What is guano? (south american resource)
South American resource rich in nitrogen and was mined for use as fertilizer and explosives.
What is socialism?
Economic system in which the factors of production are owned by the public and operate for the welfare of all
What is socialism? (SIMPLE TERMS)
Industries are owned by workers rather than private businesses. Not the same as communism
What was also used as an -excuse- to come into countries and help with infrastructure in countries like Kenya and India?
Imperialists claimed to improve colonies like Kenya/India with the use of -industrialization-.
What was Industrialization?
Economic development leading to new markets, especially in Asia.
What was the Opium War about?
the west kept bringing in opium (a drug) and the chinese were getting addicted very badly so the chinese revolted because the west wouldn't stop selling it.
What was the Opium Wars?
Conflicts that established European presence in China.
What was the Scramble for Africa?
Rapid European colonization and resource exploitation in Africa.
What was the Taiping Rebellion?
Civil war weakening Qing dynasty in China.
Where did Irish immigrants settle adter the Great Famine of the 1840s?
The United States
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