Age of Empire - W1

What dates define the Age of Empire in this lecture?

1875–1914.

What three features identify the Age of Empire?

New imperialism; imperial power concentrated in a few states; many rulers called emperors.

What is imperialism?

Extending a state's power and influence over other territories or peoples, through political, economic, diplomatic, or military means.

What distinguishes formal colonial rule from informal imperial domination?

Formal rule directly governs a territory; informal domination exercises influence without annexation.

What is a zone or sphere of influence?

An area where a foreign power strongly influences politics or the economy without formally annexing it.

Name three ways imperial power operated without direct occupation.

Trade, investment, and diplomatic or military pressure.

Which two African states are the standard independent exceptions to European partition by 1914?

Ethiopia and Liberia.

Was Morocco an independent exception in 1914?

No. French and Spanish protectorates had been established in 1912; check the conflicting lecture wording.

How did much of Asia differ from Africa under imperialism?

Several large Asian states remained formally independent but faced foreign influence; much of Africa was under direct European rule.

Which two powers divided Persia into spheres of influence?

Britain and Russia.

Which power expanded its influence in Tibet and the Persian Gulf?

Britain.

Which power expanded in Central Asia?

Russia.

Which transformation helped Japan become an imperial power?

Industrialisation and military modernisation following the Meiji Restoration.

Japan defeated China in which year?

1895.

What did Japan gain after defeating China in 1895?

Taiwan and increased influence over Korea.

When was the Russo-Japanese War?

1904–1905; Japan won in 1905.

Why was Japan's victory over Russia significant?

A non-European power defeated a major European empire.

Which war expanded US overseas power in 1898?

The Spanish-American War.

Which two possessions did the US acquire after defeating Spain in 1898, as emphasized in the cards?

Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

How did US influence over Cuba change after the Spanish-American War?

It increased; Cuba was not simply annexed like Puerto Rico or the Philippines.

Which doctrine opposed new European colonisation/intervention in the Americas?

The Monroe Doctrine.

How did the US increasingly dominate the Western Hemisphere without annexing all of it?

Through economic and political influence.

What was the Great Game?

British–Russian rivalry in Central Asia, linked to the security of British India.

Why was Tibet important to British imperial strategy?

Britain sought to protect India, the strategic centre of its Asian empire.

Who led Britain's 1903–1904 expedition into Tibet?

Francis Younghusband.

When was the Indian National Congress founded?

1885.

When did Britain partition Bengal?

1905.

What was the stated justification for partitioning Bengal, and how did opponents interpret it?

Administrative efficiency; opponents saw divide-and-rule politics.

Which movement developed in response to Bengal's partition?

The Swadeshi movement.

What did the Swadeshi movement promote?

Boycotting British goods, promoting Indian products, and political mobilisation.

When was the All-India Muslim League founded?

1906.

Which reforms expanded Indian legislative councils in 1909?

The Morley–Minto Reforms.

What electoral change did the Morley–Minto Reforms introduce?

Separate electorates for Muslims.

Did the Morley–Minto Reforms transfer sovereignty to Indians?

No. Participation expanded, but sovereignty remained British.

What agreements constrained China's sovereignty after the Opium Wars?

Unequal treaties.

What is extraterritoriality in the unequal-treaty context?

Foreign nationals being subject to their own country's jurisdiction rather than ordinary Chinese jurisdiction.

Name two other restrictions associated with China's unequal treaties.

Treaty ports/foreign concessions and restrictions on Chinese tariff control.

Which foreign power's sphere included Manchuria and northern China?

Russia.

Which power's Chinese interests centred on the Yangzi Valley?

Britain.

Which power's sphere included southern China and links to Indochina?

France.

Which power held rights in Shandong before WWI?

Germany.

What did the Boxer Uprising oppose?

Foreign influence and Christian missionary activity, including Chinese Christians.

When did the Boxer Uprising occur?

1899–1901.

Which agreement imposed penalties after the Boxer defeat?

The Boxer Protocol of 1901.

What two penalties did the Boxer Protocol impose?

A huge indemnity and expanded foreign military privileges.

Which revolution began the overthrow of the Qing dynasty in 1911?

The Xinhai Revolution.

When was the Republic of China established?

1912; distinguish this from the revolution beginning in 1911.

Did establishing the Republic of China eliminate foreign domination?

No. Unequal treaties, concessions, indemnities, and foreign economic influence persisted.

What dates refer to the late nineteenth-century downturn called the Great Depression in W1?

1873–1890s; not the Great Depression beginning in 1929.

Name two economic pressures in the 1873–1890s downturn.

Falling prices and pressure on profits; agricultural difficulties and industrial competition also mattered.

What is protectionism?

Protecting domestic industries from foreign competition, especially through tariffs.

How could protectionism encourage imperial expansion?

Protected foreign markets intensified competition and encouraged states to secure their own territories and markets.

What four economic motives supported imperialism?

Investment opportunities, raw materials, markets, and protection of overseas trade.

What strategic motives supported imperialism?

Naval bases, protection of trade routes, and control of strategic territory.

What political motives supported imperialism?

National prestige, rivalry between states, and domestic political considerations.

What four ideological motives justified imperialism?

Nationalism, racism, the civilising mission, and belief in Western superiority.

What did the civilising mission or white man's burden claim?

That Western rule was a duty to 'civilise' other peoples; it justified racial hierarchy and empire.

What does God, gold, and glory summarize?

Religious/ideological, economic, and prestige motives for imperial expansion.

How did Orientalist representations distort colonised societies?

They reflected European stereotypes and assumptions rather than accurate representations.

Name two ways the colonial world entered European popular culture.

Travel/adventure literature and colonial exhibitions; museums and advertising are other examples.

Did imperial cultural exchange erase racial hierarchy?

No. Artistic exchange and racial hierarchy could coexist.

Name two factors that helped small imperial ruling minorities retain control.

Military superiority;cooperation from local elites; divisions among subject populations

What is the paradox of imperial success?

Imperial rule spread education, political ideas, technology, and communications that could strengthen resistance to that rule.

[Sequence] Put these in order: Japan defeats Russia; Japan defeats China; US defeats Spain.

Japan defeats China (1895), US defeats Spain (1898), Japan defeats Russia (1905).

[Sequence] Put these in order: Muslim League; Indian National Congress; Morley–Minto Reforms; Bengal partition.

Congress (1885), Bengal partition (1905), Muslim League (1906), Morley–Minto Reforms (1909).

[Sequence] Put these in order: Republic of China; Boxer Protocol; Xinhai Revolution; Boxer Uprising.

Boxer Uprising (1899–1901), Boxer Protocol (1901), Xinhai Revolution (1911), Republic (1912).

[Connection] Recall the imperialism cycle in four steps.

Industrial capitalism, demand for markets/resources, overseas expansion, political and economic domination.

[Connection] How could imperial education undermine imperial rule?

It helped create educated elites who could use nationalism and political ideas to challenge empire