Week 5 pt 2

Ottoman Empire Decline

• Period Overview: Entering decline; transitioning to a waning global power.

• Status: Once strong in Islamic history, referred to as the "sick man of Europe."

• Territorial Losses: Regions falling under Christian control; shrinking domains due to European powers (e.g., Russia, Britain, France).

• Nationalism: Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania achieving independence, bolstered by European support.

• Weakening Authority: Central Ottoman state's inability to raise needed revenue, emerging power of local authorities and warlords.

Economic Challenges

• Trade Decline: Diminished centrality in Afro-Eurasian commerce; direct oceanic access to Asia for Europeans.

• Manufacturing Impact: European goods harming local craftsmen; urban riots against foreign imports.

• Debt Issues: Growing reliance on foreign loans; inability to pay interest led to foreign control of revenue sources.

Reforms and Modernization

• Defensive Modernization: Series of reforms aimed at modernizing; included military reorganizations, industry, and communication systems.

• Opposition: Resistance from Janissaries and religious scholars; significant rebellion against reforms.

• The Tanzimat Reforms (1839): Aimed for streamlined governance and modernization, albeit with contested sociopolitical impacts.

Young Ottomans vs. Young Turks

• Young Ottomans (mid-19th century): Sought political system changes; aimed for constitutional regime with Islamic character.

• Young Turks (early 20th century): Advocated radical secularization; committed to modernization along European lines, leading to competing political parties and socio-economic reforms.

Identity Challenges

• Conflicted identities within the empire regarding national versus religious affiliations; emergence of new nationalist sentiments.

• Rise of Turkish nationalism led to tensions with non-Turkic populations and the eventual disintegration of the empire post-World War I.

• Cultural and Territorial Changes: Post-empire transformations compared with China; interactions of Western imperialism and internal nationalism shaped future developments.

Second Boer War

• Background: Conflict between British forces and the Boer republics in Southern Africa post-gold and diamond discoveries.

• Boers: Descendants of Dutch settlers who established independent republics.

• War Outbreak: Sparked by British efforts to control Boer territories; guerrilla resistance faced superior British military.

• Aftermath: Formation of the Union of South Africa; exclusion of African peoples from governance, laying groundwork for future apartheid.

British Raj in India

• Transition of Power: British Crown assumed direct control after the 1857 rebellion against the East India Company.

• Structure of Governance: Implemented a three-level government system; viceroy captured nominal authority.

• Civilizing Mission: Justification for British rule; educational reforms aimed at elite Indians while retaining control.

• Emergence of Political Movements: Formation of Indian National Congress advocating for increased rights and eventual independence.