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Why did Europe colonize so aggressively?
Industrialism was in full force and Europe needed raw materials not available in their countries - gave countries great wealth
Transnational Businesses
international corporations that strengthened Europe’s economic power in Asia and Africa
European Justification for Colonization
Europe was ethnocentric - other cultures were barbaric and uncivilized:
Social Darwinists: applied natural selection to sociology - there were dominant races or classes, therefore Britain was the most powerful/fit
They had a moral obligation to civilize others (“White Man’s Burden”)
Desirability of India
Had many luxuries to Europeans - tea, sugar, silk, salt, jute
Very vulnerable to external powers after wars in 18th century Mughal empire and religious conflict
Seven Year’s War
France and England battled each other for colonial superiority and Britain won
British East India Company
Joint-stock company like a multinational corporation - had exclusive British trade rights in India - led by Robert Clive
Sepoy Mutiny (1857)
Indians who worked for British as soldiers were called Sepoys - they rebelled against British Muslim/Hindu disrespect, but failed
Empress of India
Queen Victoria - above almost 300 million Indian subjects
Sent last ruler of Mughal Empire Bahadur Shah II into exile
Indian National Congress (1885)
group of Indians formed fighting for independence - wouldn’t be achieved until mid-20th century
Before European Imperialism in China
Up until 1830s, Europe could only trade with China in city of Canton - China was relatively isolationist, until Europe gained industrial power
Opium Wars
British traders brought Opium to China in 1773 and widespread addiction was caused - forbidden and seized in 1839
Britain wanted to continue trade, so brought war to China
Second Opium War occurred in 1856 for four years when Britain tried to further trade and China lost again - all of China opened to trade
Treaty of Nanjing
Before second Opium War - China forced to sign unequal treaty that gave Britain considerable rights to expand trade with China
White Lotus Rebellions (beginning of 18th century)
Chinese Buddhists who were frustrated over taxes and government corruption
Taiping Rebellion (mid-18th century)
Chinese rebels led by religious zealot who almost succeeded in taking down Manchu government
Self-Strengthening Movement (1860s)
Chinese Manchu Dynasty attempt to get its act together, which failed
When did Korea declare independence from China?
1876
Sino-French War (1883)
Chinese lost control of Vietnam
Sino-Japanese War (1894)
China defeated by Japan in war over influence in Korea
Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895)
China forced to hand control of Taiwan to Japan and give them trading rights
Open Door Policy (1900)
US pledged to support sovereignty of Chinese government and equal trading to prevent full British takeover - despite barring Chinese immigrants from US in 1882 (Chinese Exclusion Act)
Boxers
Chinese peasant nationalists attempted to rebel by slaughtering Christian missionaries and controlling foreign embassies in response to government’s defeats and concessions to the West, but failed
Boxer Protocol (1901)
China forced to pay Europeans and Japanese Boxer rebellion costs
Crumbling of Chinese Culture
Lost almost all their areas of influence in the past decades, leading to imperial government ending in 1911 and a republic established
Japan before Europe Imperialism
Japan kept Europeans away in 17th and 18th centuries - until European and US appetite for power intensified and Commodore Matthew Perry arrived from US in a steamboat in 1853 - Japan felt obligated to join industrialized world
Treaty of Kanagawa (1854)
Trade agreement with Japan and the West - Samurai revolted against shogun who ratified it and restored Emperor Meiji to power
Meiji Restoration
Era of Japanese westernization - Japan became a world power
1870s: built railways and steamships, abolished samurai warrior class
Prioritized military power - took control of Korea and Taiwan from China in 1895 - military pageantry became a cultural movement
1890s: Japan became powerful enough to reduce European and US influence
Europeans and Interior Africa
Remained unknown to Europeans - only costal regions used for limited trade, ship stopping points, and the slave trade
Europe Abolishes the Slave Trade
1807-1820 - most European nations abolished slave trade as Enlightenment principles gained more force
slavery officially abolished a few decades later
No new enslaved people entered Europe but those still in slavery were not free until mid-century
Imperialism in South Africa
Dutch first arrived and settled Cape Town - British seized it in 1795
Boer War (1899-1902)
South African Dutch (Boers) moved northeast and discovered diamonds and gold - British followed and fought the Boer War to gain rights to resources, which they won
Industrialization in Europe
When Napoleon tried to take control of Egypt in 18th century during the weak Ottoman rule, Muhammad Ali defeated the French and the ruling Ottoman Empire in 1805 - began industrialization and agriculture expansions
Suez Canal
Constructed by Egypt with French and completed in 1869 - connected Mediterranean to Indian Ocean (eventually British took control of it too)
Berlin Conference (1884)
Otto van Bismarck hosted European powers in Berlin in 1884 to discuss land claims in African Congo - encouraging colonialism
By 1914, almost all of Africa was colonized by Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Belgium (except Ethiopia and Liberia)
Europe Imperialism in Africa
Europeans added substantial infrastructure to the continent, but stripped Africa of resources
Most exercised direct rule and implementation of customs over African people
Disregarded African boundaries, cut tribal land in half or forced enemy tribes together, ignoring history and culture
Traditional African culture also started falling apart
Monroe Doctrine
US President Monroe declared Western Hemisphere off-limits to Europeans in 1823 - Britain agreed out of fear of Spain’s potential actions
Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine
US would be responsible for intervening in financial disputes between Americas and Europe, if to maintain peace because Europe was still investing in Latin industry
Panama Canal
US was exercising own imperialism over Latin America - built their Panama Canal in Panama
Spanish-American War (1898)
US aided Cuba in their conflict with Spain
defeated Spain and gained control over Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Cuba (given independence in exchange for construction of US military bases)
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Flashcard (40)