Unit 6
| Sunday, 9 May 2021 | |
| 3-minute read | |
| 463 words | |
Imperialism
- Economic and political dominance
Motives behind imperialism:
- Money (raw materials for production)
- Social Darwinism and "White Man's Burden"
- Nationalism
Desire to spread Christianity
- Most empires usually used this as an excuse, however
Berlin Conference
- Otto von Bismarck negotiated which countries would have which partitions of Africa
- Countries that industrialized earlier had significantly more colonies
Responses to Imperialism
Some colonies attempted to negotiate with Europeans
- "The suggestion that Ashanti in its present state should come and enjoy the protection of Her Majesty the Queen of England and Empress of India is a matter of very serious consideration. I am pleased to announce that we have arrived at the conclusion that my kingdom of Ashanti will never commit itself to any such policy. Ashanti must remain as of old and at the same time remain friendly with all White men."
Some colonies actively fought against imperialism
- Ethiopia - Battle of Adwa
- Anglo Zulu War
- Sepoy Revolt
- Xhosa Cattle Killing Movement
- Paiute and Sioux Ghost Dance
- Philippine Revolution of 1899
Economic Imperialism
China opening up to various European powers
- British East India Company
- Opium Wars
- Treaty of Nanjing
- Taiping Rebellion
- Boxer Rebellion
Natural Resources
- Cotton - India
- Rubber - Amazon and Central Africa
- Palm Oil - West Africa
- Ivory - Central Africa
- Silver - Latin Africa
- Guano - Peru and Chile
- Diamonds - South Africa
Industrialization Advancements in Technology
- Railroads connected empires and areas
- Steamships carried goods across oceans
- Telegraph allowed people to communicate over long distances
- Telephone speeds up communication even faster
Migration
- Migration increased with new transportation technologies
- Increased population lead to higher demand for resources
Patterns of migration
- Indians to British Colonies
- Chinese to United States
- Japanese to Hawaii, Cuba, and Peru
Labor systems
- Low wage labor
- Indentured servitude
- Contract labor
Patterns of diaspora
- Indians to sugar plantations as indentured servants
- Chinese to Gold Rush and railroads in US
- Irish to United States and Canada after Potato Famine
Ethnic enclaves are geographic areas with high ethnic concentration with a similar cultural identity and economic activity
- Chinatown in San Francisco
- Large populations of Muslims and Hindus in South Africa
Effects of Migration
Discrimination
- US Chinese Exclusion Act
- Australia Chinese Immigration Act
- White Australia Policy
Changes and Continuities
The period 1750-1900 was indeed revolutionary as political structures and production changed significantly, while continuities of gender inequity, racism, and exploitation of lower classes continued. African kingdoms were subjected to European imperialism, sovereign nations like China were forced into unequal treaties and mass production pulled all of the nations of the world together as either providers of resources or laborers. Gender inequity, racism, and exploitation clearly continued through the ideology of White Man's Burden, Social Darwinism, and the civilizing mission. In the name of nationalism, anyone different is considered "other" and discriminated against across industrializing nations.