History 9 Unit 7 Study Guide

Study Guide: Imperialism (1870-1914)

I. Causes of Imperialism

Economic Motives

• Need for raw materials (cotton, rubber, oil)

• New markets to sell manufactured goods

• Example: British East India Company controlled Indian resources

Political & Military Motives

• Nationalism: Colonies = power and prestige

• Naval bases needed for global trade (e.g., British in Hong Kong)

Social & Cultural Motives

• Social Darwinism: Belief in European racial/cultural superiority

• "White Man’s Burden" (Rudyard Kipling): Duty to "civilize" non-Europeans

• Missionaries: Spread Christianity (e.g., in Africa)

II. Imperialism in Asia

India (British Rule)

• East India Company (EIC): Controlled trade → exploited resources

• Sepoy Rebellion (1857):

  • Cause: Rifle cartridges greased with cow/pig fat offended Hindus/Muslims

  • Effect: British Crown took direct control ("The Raj")

• Impacts:

  • Positives: Railroads, schools, unified legal system

  • Negatives: Famine (cash crops), cultural suppression, racism

China

• Opium Wars (1839–1842):

  • British sold opium → addiction → Chinese resistance → British victory

  • Treaty of Nanjing: Hong Kong to Britain, extraterritorial rights

• Spheres of Influence: Foreign powers (Britain, France, etc.) dominated trade

• Resistance:

  • Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864): Peasant revolt (millions died)

  • Boxer Rebellion (1900): Anti-foreign uprising → crushed

Japan

• Meiji Restoration (1868): Modernized Japan (industrialization, military)

• Imperial Expansion:

  • Sino-Japanese War (1894): Took Taiwan

  • Russo-Japanese War (1904): Defeated Russia → gained Manchuria/Korea

III. Imperialism in Africa

Scramble for Africa (1880s–1914)

• Berlin Conference (1884–85): European powers divided Africa without African input

• Key Colonizers:

  • Britain: Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria

  • France: West/Central Africa

  • Belgium: Congo (brutal rule under King Leopold II)

African Resistance

• Ethiopia: Only nation to resist (defeated Italy, 1896)

• Unsuccessful Revolts:

  • Maji-Maji Rebellion (1905): Germans crushed uprising in East Africa

  • Zulu vs. British: Defeated despite Shaka Zulu’s leadership

Impacts of Colonial Rule

• Positives: Reduced local wars, railroads, hospitals

• Negatives:

  • Artificial borders → ethnic conflicts

  • Cash crops → famine

  • Cultural erosion

IV. Forms of Imperial Control

V. Key Figures

• Cecil Rhodes: British imperialist in Africa ("Cape to Cairo" vision)

• King Leopold II: Brutal ruler of Congo Free State

• Commodore Perry: Opened Japan to trade (1853)

• Menelik II: Ethiopian emperor who resisted Italy

VI. Study Tips

1. Compare: British rule in India vs. Africa.

2. Analyze quotes: "White Man’s Burden" vs. realities of imperialism.

3. Maps: Label colonial territories (e.g., British India, French West Africa).

4. Timeline: Major events (Opium Wars, Meiji Restoration, Berlin Conference).

Key Terms:

• Extraterritoriality: Foreigners exempt from local laws (e.g., in China)

• Sepoy: Indian soldier under British command

• The Raj: British rule in India (1858–1947)