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AP World History Unit 6 - Lesson 6.5

Economic Imperialism

Rise of Economic Imperialism

  • Economic Imperialism: the use of economic power to take control over other countries/regions/peoples.

  • Industrialized states exploited countries such as Britain to India, for their raw materials and people.

Economic Imperialism in Asia

  • East India Company: Joint stock company formed in 1600 to engage in spice trade.

  • Cotton and silk textiles took over spices as the major import of the British East India company, eventually cotton was just exported to Britain to remove any competition for British textile industries.

  • The Dutch East India Company had a monopoly on exporting from the Spice Islands but shifted to agricultural production when the Dutch government took direct control of the East Indies.

  • Culture System: Implemented by the Dutch in the East Indies, farmers could choose whether to farm cash crops for preform corvee labor.

  • Corvee Labor: Forced labor directed by government, typically for public infrastructure projects.

  • The British desired poreclain and silk from China, but China wasn’t interested in anything they had to offer. The East India Company made India grow Opium which they traded to China.

  • Opium Wars: Chinese government seized British Opium warehouses and outlawed the drug, as a result British waged war and series of conflicts continued.

  • Treaty of Nanking: Agreement to open up trade ports in China, supporting smuggling of Opium from Britain.

  • Spheres of Influence: Exclusive rights for one country over a region of another, such as trade privileges.

Economic Imperialism in Africa

  • Africa converted to production of cash crops and raw materials for British industrialization in exchange for British alcohol and textiles.

  • Unequal trade structure made African colonies dependent on imperialist powers.

  • Cash crops were grown on the most arable land, making food shortages frequent.

  • Once introduced, cocoa was the major cash crop for the Gold Coast, Ivory Coast, and other West African colonies.

  • Slavery was not abolished by law in Africa till 20th century as French colonial administrators relied on them.

Economic Imperialism in Latin America

  • U.S corporate investments were concentrated in Cuba and Mexico, that along with the Monroe Doctrine sent a message to Europe that Latin America was their sphere of influence.

  • British investments in Argentina made it the richest country in Latin America, through the development of infrastructure, pampas, breeding stock, telegraph systems, and new ports.

  • Spain colonized Chile and made the mining sector their main economic source.

  • Banana Republics: Countries under the economic power of foreign based corporations.

Economic Imperialism in Hawaii

  • American businesses and sugar planters in Hawaii overthrew the constitutional monarchy with their economic power, leading the way for it to be a territory of the United States.

AP World History Unit 6 - Lesson 6.5

Economic Imperialism

Rise of Economic Imperialism

  • Economic Imperialism: the use of economic power to take control over other countries/regions/peoples.

  • Industrialized states exploited countries such as Britain to India, for their raw materials and people.

Economic Imperialism in Asia

  • East India Company: Joint stock company formed in 1600 to engage in spice trade.

  • Cotton and silk textiles took over spices as the major import of the British East India company, eventually cotton was just exported to Britain to remove any competition for British textile industries.

  • The Dutch East India Company had a monopoly on exporting from the Spice Islands but shifted to agricultural production when the Dutch government took direct control of the East Indies.

  • Culture System: Implemented by the Dutch in the East Indies, farmers could choose whether to farm cash crops for preform corvee labor.

  • Corvee Labor: Forced labor directed by government, typically for public infrastructure projects.

  • The British desired poreclain and silk from China, but China wasn’t interested in anything they had to offer. The East India Company made India grow Opium which they traded to China.

  • Opium Wars: Chinese government seized British Opium warehouses and outlawed the drug, as a result British waged war and series of conflicts continued.

  • Treaty of Nanking: Agreement to open up trade ports in China, supporting smuggling of Opium from Britain.

  • Spheres of Influence: Exclusive rights for one country over a region of another, such as trade privileges.

Economic Imperialism in Africa

  • Africa converted to production of cash crops and raw materials for British industrialization in exchange for British alcohol and textiles.

  • Unequal trade structure made African colonies dependent on imperialist powers.

  • Cash crops were grown on the most arable land, making food shortages frequent.

  • Once introduced, cocoa was the major cash crop for the Gold Coast, Ivory Coast, and other West African colonies.

  • Slavery was not abolished by law in Africa till 20th century as French colonial administrators relied on them.

Economic Imperialism in Latin America

  • U.S corporate investments were concentrated in Cuba and Mexico, that along with the Monroe Doctrine sent a message to Europe that Latin America was their sphere of influence.

  • British investments in Argentina made it the richest country in Latin America, through the development of infrastructure, pampas, breeding stock, telegraph systems, and new ports.

  • Spain colonized Chile and made the mining sector their main economic source.

  • Banana Republics: Countries under the economic power of foreign based corporations.

Economic Imperialism in Hawaii

  • American businesses and sugar planters in Hawaii overthrew the constitutional monarchy with their economic power, leading the way for it to be a territory of the United States.