NEW IMPERIALISM

• In what ways were the empires of the late nineteenth century not new?


  • they were based/modeled on previous empires
• How were the empires of the late nineteenth century new?

  there were technologies, ideas, and beliefs that gave Europeans, and the inhabitants of a few other countries, a motive and justification for constructing empires. many of these were new and certainly their combination was new
• How did technology help to support imperialism?

  new medicines made it possible for Europeans and white Americans to survive malaria and other tropical diseases. the machine gun and other new weapons gave conquerors a big military advantage. telegraphs, trains, and steamships reinventedcommunications and travel, making it much easier to rule bigger empires
• How capitalism and industrialization created motivations for Europeans to conquer new colonies

  1. Fueled the demand for raw materials

  2. Fueled the demand for markets for finished products
• Motivations for Europeans to conquer new colonies

  • Industrialized nations required resources such as minerals, timber, and agricultural products to sustain their industries and support their growing populations
  • Industrialization led to the production of goods on a larger scale, creating a need for new markets to sell these products
• Conquering colonies provided

  • Access to abundant resources
  • Captive markets
• Conquering colonies benefited capitalist economies by ensuring a steady supply of raw materials and outlets for manufactured goods
• Racism provided a motivation for Europeans to conquer new colonies
• Racism

  • Perpetuated notions of racial superiority and inferiority
  • Many Europeans believed in the superiority of their own race and culture
  • Viewed indigenous peoples in colonized territories as primitive and uncivilized
• Racist ideology justified imperialist expansion as a means of "civilizing" and "enlightening" the colonized populations
• Racist ideology legitimized the exploitation and subjugation of indigenous peoples
• Racism served as a moral and ideological justification for the conquest and colonization of new territories
• Why did nationalism contribute to the rise of empire in this period?

  Nationalism contributed to the rise of empire in this period by fostering a sense of competition and rivalry among European powers. Nationalistic fervor fueled desires for territorial expansion and the acquisition of colonies as symbols of national greatness and power. European nations sought to demonstrate their superiority and prestige by building vast overseas empires, driven by the belief that control over distant territories was essential for maintaining national security and asserting dominance on the world stage
• Men-on-the-spot

  Individuals who played significant roles in the growth of empire through their actions on the ground
• Men-on-the-spot

  • Often generals, adventurers, or businessmen
  • Took advantage of opportunities to expand imperial territories through conquest, exploration, or economic exploitation
  • Acted independently or with limited oversight from their respective governments
  • Seized new territories for personal gain, glory, or strategic advantage
• How men-on-the-spot contributed to the growth of empire

  1. Establishing footholds in new regions

  2. Negotiating treaties with local leaders

  3. Engaging in military campaigns to extend imperial control
• How environmental and technological factors contributed to the expansion of empires from 1750 to 1900

  1. Overcoming geographical barriers

  2. Facilitating communication

  3. Facilitating transportation

  4. Facilitating resource extraction
• Advances in transportation technologies

  • Steamships
  • Railways
  • Canals
• Advances in transportation technologies

  Enabled Europeans to traverse vast distances more quickly and efficiently, facilitating the exploration and colonization of distant lands
• Advances in medical knowledge and sanitation practices

  • Reduced the risk of tropical diseases
  • Allowed Europeans to establish settlements in previously inhospitable regions
• Environmental factors

  • Availability of fertile land
  • Availability of mineral resources
  • Availability of strategic waterways
• Environmental factors

  Influenced imperial expansion, with European powers seeking to control territories rich in natural resources and favorable for agricultural development
• • Imperialism is a term used to describe the ideas, beliefs, and actions that one group uses to justify and hold control over the others
• • Colonialism is the experience of the other groups who are being ruled
• • The New Imperialism of the late 19th century was partly modeled on earlier empires, with Britain's strategies in Africa influenced by its experiences in India and borrowing from the practices of the Mughal Empire
• • The shift towards expansionist policies among industrialized nations like Britain was driven by various factors, including technology, industrialization and capitalism, racism, nationalism, and individual actions
• • New technologies such as medicines to combat tropical diseases, machine guns, telegraphs, trains, and steamships facilitated European conquests by overcoming geographical and logistical barriers
• • Industrialization and capitalism fueled the demand for raw materials and markets for finished products, driving imperialist expansion to secure access to resources and markets
• • Racism played a significant role in justifying imperialist ventures, with notions of racial superiority used to justify the subjugation of colonized peoples under the guise of a "civilizing mission”
• • Nationalism created competitive pressures among European powers, motivating them to acquire colonies as symbols of national prestige and power
• • Individual actions, or "men-on-the-spot," also contributed to colonial expansion, as generals, businessmen, or other individuals seized territories for personal gain or glory