Traditions & Encounters Volume 2 (7th Ed.): Chapter 32

Cecil John Rhodes

Built a massive fortune exploiting African laborers mining for diamonds in South Africa. He was also a tireless advocate for the extension of British rule to the rest of the world

Mission Civilisatrice

Invoked by French imperialists, this was used to justify expansion into Africa and Asia. In English, it means “civilizing mission” meaning that white nations are in Africa to civilize Africans

Battle of Omdurman

The British battle against a huge Sudanese force. This battle demonstrated the power of machine guns and other advanced weaponry, as British troops, incredibly outnumbered by the Sudanese, killed 30,000 of them in a matter of hours

East India Company

The British Company that had a monopoly on English trade with India. This company soon took over India due to the weak government of the Mughal Empire and expanded beyond it. However, there was significant rebellion by Sepoys and Indians, as company rule was insulting to both Muslim and Hindu religions, leading to direct British rule after peace was declared

The Great Game

The competition and geo-political rivalry between the British and Russia over influence and control of central Asia. Russian and British explorers ventured into parts never visited by Europeans and made alliances with local rulers. Tensions were brewing and war for India was anticipated. However, this was halted due to the collapse of the tsar and WWI

Leopold II

The king who became convinced that the only way Belgium could play a part in world affairs was to acquire colonies like Britain and France in Africa. He sent forces to establish a colony in the Congo River Basin, known as the Congo Free State, which was known for open use of forced labor and extreme violence to harvest resources. World opinion was against the king, however, and the Belgian government took control of Congo

South African War

A major conflict between the British Empire and two independent Boer republics over land resources and mineral deposits. The war was incredibly brutal, as both sides possessed modern weapons, and the British made use of concentration camps. It ended in British victory as the Union of South Africa was formed

Berlin West Africa Conference

Resulted from tensions by British control of the Suez Canal, this conference, between 12 European states, the US, and Ottoman Empire set ground rules for the division of African territories

Russo-Japanese War

The war between Japan and Russia, following the Sino-Japanese war, started after Japanese forces overran Russian outposts. The war ended in decisive Japanese victory, giving them international recognition of colonial authority over Korea and the Liaodong Peninsula

Ram Mohan Roy

Considered the “father of India” this Bengali intellectual argued for the establishment of a society of European values and Indian tradition. He advanced social reform in colonial India, leading to increased demand for self-governance

Indian National Congress

Founded by Indian reform groups, this acted as a forum for educated Indians to communicate their views on public affairs to colonial officials. The inability of British colonials to meet demands, face social issues, and racism towards Indians led to them publicly support self rule and rebellion