Nationalism and New Imperialism Notes

Nationalism

• Arose in the 19th century after the French Revolution.
• Shift from identifying as subjects of kings to citizens of NATIONS.
• Defined by ethnicity, language, territory, religion, and cultural ideals.
• Can be independence nationalism or competitive nationalism.

Competitive Nationalism

• Belief in national superiority, proven through wealth, military, and empire.

New Imperialism

• Building large global empires with complete political and economic domination.
• Facilitated by new technologies allowing access to interiors and military dominance.
• Practiced by European powers, the US, and Japan in India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Technological Advancements

• QUININE: prevented malaria, enabling deeper inland travel in Africa.
• STEAMBOAT: Improved river transportation for troops and fire.
• MAXIM GUN: First automatic machine gun (600 rounds/min), symbolizing imperial conquest.

Scramble for Africa

• European powers met at the BERLIN CONFERENCE (1884-1885) to divide Africa.
• Motivated by resources and a "civilizing mission".

Resistance

• ETHIOPIA successfully resisted Italian colonization, winning at the Battle of Adwa in 1896.

Leopold II and the Congo

• Leopold II of Belgium established a private colony in the Congo.
• Exploited locals for rubber and ivory, resulting in millions of deaths.

Imperial Japan

• Meiji Restoration in 1868: Japan modernized rapidly, adopting Western practices.
• Expansion led to the SINO-JAPANESE WAR (1894-1895) and annexation of Taiwan and Korea.