Imperialism - the practice of a country extending its power and control over other countries or regions

Spanish-American War (1898)

  • Key Events:

    • USS Maine blew up in Havana Harbor.

    • War declared between Spain and the US, leading to a US victory.

    • The US acquired several territories from Spain: Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.

US Annexation of Hawaii

  • Post-War Expansion:

    • Following the Spanish-American War, the US continued its imperial expansion by annexing Hawaii.

    • Disagreements among Americans regarding annexation:

      • Some opposed imperialism.

      • Others believed the US should emulate European colonial practices.

The Panama Canal

Background

  • Presidential Influence:

    • President Theodore Roosevelt's role in encouraging Panama's independence from Colombia.

  • Impact of the Canal:

    • Reduced trade time drastically

European Imperialism

Background and Technology

  • Development of new traveling technology allowed European powers to colonize globally.

  • Definition of Imperialism:

    • Political and economic control of one area by another.

Life in India under British Control

  • British Administration:

    • 20,000 British officials governed over 300 million Indians.

    • British encouraged social divisions, with the educated elite collaborating with British rulers.

Economic Impact on India

  • Economic Exploitation:

    • Wealth generated by British rule mostly not reinvested in India, leading to slow economic growth (1% per year).

    • Forced cultivation of cash crops like cotton and tea, damaging local economies and leading to famines (1876-77 and 1899-1900).

Partition of India (1947)

Events Leading to Partition

  • Boundary changes resulting in the creation of India and Pakistan.

  • Significant territorial divisions were drawn, disrupting existing communities.

Impact of British Rule in India

Government

  • Education was Eurocentric and promoted a belief in European superiority.

Health

  • Introduction of hospitals and medicines, but insufficient economic opportunities.

Economy

  • Infrastructure improvements were made but local industries faced competition from British goods.

Society

  • British oppression of Indian culture and exploitation of Indian labor.

Effects of Imperialism in Africa

Positive Effects

  • Introduction of European medicine and improved nutrition increases lifespan.

  • Development of transportation and communication systems, such as railroads and telegraphs.

  • Some Africans received an improved education and new job opportunities.

Negative Effects

  • Erosion of traditional values and social relationships due to European domination.

  • Native populations treated as inferior, often facing poor working conditions.

  • Arbitrary boundaries established during colonization lead to ongoing tribal conflicts.

The Berlin Conference (1884)

  • Division of Africa:

    • European nations convened to split Africa without input from African nations, motivated by the desire for natural resources, such as diamonds and gold.

Suez Canal

  • Built through Egyptian territory without profit to Egyptians, leading to rebellion against British control.

  • Britain eventually gained complete control of the canal until Egypt regained management in 1952.