Nationalism and Imperialism Study Guide <

Imperialism

A practice where powerful nations maintain political/economic control of weaker countries

  • Indirect Rule

preserving pre-colonial structures and using this to establish rules/regulations

  • Direct Rule

A system of government where the colonial government simply makes a whole new colonial order \n

**__Social Darwinism__

Stronger countries should rule the weaker countries \n

Colonialism

Taking partial or full control of an area and turning it into a colony under a nation's authority

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*Nationalism 

Believing that one nation is superior to the others and that an ethnic group should rule itself; promoting the interests of the nation

  • Cause of the unification of countries in Europe (Italy and Germany)

German Unification:

  1. After the Congress of Vienna, Germany was comprised of 39 loosely joined states 
  2. The Zollverein (Prussia) economically linked these states 
  3. William IV turns down the German Throne (from Frankfurt Assembly/the people) which he found insulting
  4. Otto Von Bismark then unites Germany through wars 
  5. After defeating France in war, Wilhelm I (kind of Prussia) takes the title of Kaiser (emperor). Germany then becomes the Second Reich (emperor)

Germany is now an industry giant, as their population rapidly grew and they industrialized

  1. Bismarck targets Catholics/Socialists because they are loyal to other entities (other than the German state)
  2. William II then asks Bismarck to resign, because he believes that only he can rule

Bismarck and Wilhelm II

Both thought that Socialism was bad, and offered welfare to minimize it

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TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

  1. Describe Germany’s economic changes after unifying in 1871. 
  • Population and industrialization rapidly grew > became an industrial giant
  1. Why did Germany pioneer social reform under Bismarck? 
  • He want to discourage socialism and so he promoted the well-being of workers (Bismarck passed laws to prevent workers from revolting which backfired, causing socialists to gain worker support. In response to this, he increased worker welfare/well-being to gain support back)
  1. Why did the German gov. issue a single currency for all of Germany? 
  • To promote the economy and make trade easier
  1. How did Kaiser Wilhelm II continue Bismarck’s policies? 
  • Improved conditions for citizens and build up the army/navy
  1. Why do you think the German empire was committed to maintaining its economic strength? 
  • To support and fund its military

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Italian Unification:

  1. After the Congress of Vienna, Italy was not recognized by Metternich (Austria) as a nation, and divided control (to weaken) between Austria and France
  2. Guiseppe Mazzini, an activist, wanted to unify Italy as a free, independent, republican nation
  3. Camillo Cavour (count of Cavour), and King Emmanuel II achieved early unity through trickery, and manipulated France into aiding Italy against Austria
  4. Italy was unified by 1870, but the North was richer than the South

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TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

  1. Why would Prince Metternich of Austria oppose the idea of Italian unification? 
  • Metternich, Prince of Austria,  wanted to keep Austrian territory there (Remember that Austria and France divided control over Italy
  1. How did Cavour’s appointment as prime minister of the kingdom of Sardinia help the cause of Italian unification? 
  • He reached an agreement with Napoleon that France would help Italy if they went to war with Austria
  1. Why did Garibaldi turn over control of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies to Victor Emmanuel II? 
  • He did not want a monarchy, he wanted an Italian republic
  1. Why did conflict in Italy continue even after unification? 
  • Few Italians felt a connection with the new nation because of a lack of political unity, and unsolved regional rivalries
  1. Why do you think Rome and Venetia initially remained separate after unification? 
  • Rome was dominated by the Roman Catholic Church which did not have a good relationship with Italy

European Expansion

-Agricultural/Industrial Revolution

-*Nationalism

-**Social Darwinism

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European Imperialism (why?)

  • They believed that they were superior and wanted to spread Christianity and gain prestige + Racial superiority
  • Industrial Revolution required natural resources, and the expanding population required more territory
  • European powers competed for regions and believed that a global empire would increase their prestige

Scramble for Africa

Europe's interest in Africa through the slave trade as well as new innovations (steamboats, medicine, Suez Canal), leads Europe to start exploring. Eventually, they partition Africa and draw up borders (with no care for the people living there) in order to split up the territories.

This “partitioning” occurs at the Berlin Conference, where European representatives created borders of ownership, allowing them to claim the continent and its people.

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