The “New” Imperialism Western Civilization II
Jan 11, 2016
The “New” Imperialism
Western Civilization II
Not New, but Renewed
Colonialism dates back to 1400s -1500s in Africa, Asia and Americas
Lull in early-mid 1800s for several reasons:– France tried to set up puppet empire in
Mexico during U.S. Civil War, but failed– Great Britain found indirect economic
control (“informal empire”) more efficient– Italy & Germany too busy trying to unify
New Motivations Industrial capitalism based
on relentless drive to expand business – New sources for raw
materials– New markets for
manufactured goods– New investments
Nationalism sparked competition
Darwinism – “the White Man’s Burden”– Assumed racial superiority– Saw Christian responsibility to
“civilize” & “uplift”
The Scramble for Africa Little interest in
African interior before 1880s
Sparked by Belgian King Leopold’s claims in the Congo
Berlin Conference (1884) laid out ground rules
Able to do it due to advanced weaponry, not innate superiority
Egypt & the Suez Canal Muhammad Ali became
hereditary ruler (khedive) of Egypt in 1805– Nominally an Ottoman vassal
– Introduced modern reforms French company owned by
Ferdinand de Lesseps constructed Suez Canal (1854-1869)
British bought Egyptian gov’t shares in canal & est. protectorate (1883-1922)
Muhammad Ali
British Seaways
Fashoda Crisis (1898) British helped Egyptians put
down the Mahdi’s revolt in the Sudan – Charles Gordon killed in
1885– Dervishes finally defeated at
Omdurman (1898) Cecil Rhodes wanted to
control Nile & build Cape-to-Cairo railroad
French wanted to connect Affars & Issas with West African colonies
Met at Fashoda – French finally backed down
Charles “China” Gordon
Boer War (1899-1902) British seized Cape Colony
from Dutch during French Rev. wars
Afrikaaners (Boers) left on Great Trek in 1830s– Est. Transvaal & Orange Free
State– Created reservations for blacks– Gold & diamond mines
discovered Boer War (1899-1901) made
Britain seem greedy & ruthless for conquering Afrikaaners
Self-governing Union of South Africa est. in 1910
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The Moroccan Crises France had already seized Algeria &
Tunisia from Ottoman Empire Tried to est. control over Morocco Kaiser Wilhelm II seized opportunity to
try to make France look bad & isolate it diplomatically, but failed
1st Moroccan Crisis (1905-06) defused by Algeciras Conference
2nd Moroccan Crisis (1912) resulted in France gaining control of Morocco
The British Raj in India
Sepoy Mutiny (1857-58) made British decide to impose direct rule on India
India was “crown jewel” of British Empire– Great Britain’s largest export
market
– 10% of all British trade passed thru Madras, Calcutta & Bombay
Disraeli made Queen Victoria Empress of India in 1876
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Carving Up Southeast Asia
British est. colonies in Malaysia & Singapore (1819) & Burma (1826)
France acquired Indochina (1859-93)
Agreed to keep Thailand independent as buffer between them– Kings Mongkut &
Chulalongkorn introduced Western education
King Mongkut Rama IV
Western Colonies in Southeast Asia
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U.S. Imperialism
Alaska purchased from Russia, 1867
Samoa divided with Britain & Germany in 1889; annexed 1899
Sanford Dole led revolution in Hawaii in 1893; annexed in 1898
Victory in Spanish-American War (1898) gave U.S. Puerto Rico, Guam & Philippines
The Philippines Theater of the Spanish-American War
May 1 - George Dewey’s fleet defeats the Spanish in Manila Bay
Dewey joined forces with rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo
Aug. 13 – Manila surrendered
Effects of U.S. Imperialism Dewey denied promising
Aguinaldo independence Guerilla war vs. Aguinaldo’s
rebels in the Philippines, 1899-1902– 200,000 Filipinos killed– 5,000 Americans killed
Taft-Katsura Agreement (1905): U.S. recognized Japan’s conquest of Korea to protect Philippines
Root-Takahira Agreement (1907): U.S. recognized Japanese control of Manchuria to protect Philippines
Emilio Aguinaldo
Asian Colonies by 1914
The Panama Canal
De Lesseps tried to build canal, but stopped by disease
Hay-Paunceforte Treaty (1901): Britain allowed U.S. to build canal by itself
1903 treaty paying Columbia $10 million and $250 thousand a year in rent rejected by Columbia
Philippe Bunau-Varilla staged revolt in Panama with U.S. help
Canal completed in 1914
Copyright 2000, Bedford/St. Martin’s
Colonial Rule Mixed blessing:
– Restored stability in many areas & brought modern medicine & technology
– Most economic benefits went only to white colonists, however
– Missionaries often assumed cultural superiority Colonial societies never integrated
– French tried harder to assimilate colonial subjects– British maintained racial boundaries
Worked thru local elites whenever possible– Direct rule only where elites were uncooperative– Local elites never accepted as equals, however