The Highway to India

The Suez Canal is an artificial waterway that connects the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, it also separates Asia and Africa.  Construction on the canal began in 1859 and opened in November 1869.  It is 120 miles long, 79 feet deep, and 673 feet wide.  The canal uses no locks.  The Suez Canal Authority of the Arab Republic of Egypt owns and maintains the canal.  The Suez Canal is significant because it most importantly saves time and distance.  With water as the number one mode of trade transport, the Suez Canal is very convenient.       

Tunisian Revolution

The Tunisian Revolution sparked a series of uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa.  On December 17, 2010 Mohamed Bouazizi acted as the catalyst to the revolution by setting himself on fire.  Mohamed Bouazizi was a Tunisian street vendor who protested the confiscation of his merchandise.  His death sparked violence across the nation.  Many were fed up with the high unemployment, inflation, corruption, a lack of rights, and the poor living conditions.  Twenty eight days following Mohamed Bouazizi's death on January 14, 2011, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali resigned.  The successful results of the Tunisian Revolution inspired other Middle Eastern and North African countries to rebel, like Egypt for example.   

The Maji Maji Rebellion

The Maji Maji Rebellion was an uprising in German East Africa.  When Germany obtained Tanganyika as a territory in 1898, they put in place a violent regime to keep the African colony in control.  By 1905 the African people could not tolerate the oppressive German regime any longer.  With spears and arrows in their hands, the rioters destroyed cotton crops.  The rebellion soon spread to involve twenty different ethnic groups.  In August of 1905, Maji Maji warriors attacked a German stronghold but failed to overrun it.  Germans retaliated in October killing hundreds of Ngoni people.  By 1907, 75,000 Maji Maji warriors were estimated to be killed.  The rebellion was very much unsuccessful, however it did inspire other African rebellions in the 20th century.   

Is the United States Imperialistic?

Yes the United States is imperialistic.  One of the first examples of American imperialism was the annexation of Hawaii in 1898.  After several discussions over a treaty of annexation, Hawaii became a territory.  In the same year the USS Maine exploded.  The explosion forced the United States to fight in the Spanish-American War in which we gained the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.  Winning this war put America ahead in the race for land.  Lastly, what makes the United States imperialistic are the vast number of military bases we have around the world.  

Current Political Cartoon on US Imperialism

This cartoon is an example of US imperialism in Iraq.  Though we have not technically taken over Iraq, there are many people who strongly believe we are in Iraq for the oil.  The artist is obviously bias towards the fact that we are in Iraq for the oil.  I disagree that we are there solely for the oil.    

Imperialism in Africa Political Cartoon

This cartoon clearly depicts the rush for land in Africa.  With so many western nations eager to obtain land, the Berlin Conference was held to establish basic rule on occupation of land in Africa.  The artist of this cartoon is saying that Europe was selfish.  Europe was running out of natural resources in the homeland and needed more.  Belgium, for example, was out for the rubber.  They used slaves to collect it and severely distreated them.  Most Europeans were forcing the natives to adapt to the mother country's culture.  I agree with the artist.  Europeans tore Africa in several different directions.  They were out to better their own country and did not care about the needs of the colonies.  

England and Imperialism Political Cartoon

This cartoon depicts England as an octopus because of the major role England played in imperialism during this time period.  England had a great deal of terroitory in Africa as well as Asia.  The cartoon perfectly illustrates the quote, "The sun never sets on the English Empire." For this particular cartoon, I don't believe the artist had an opinion.  His goal was most likely to show that England was a powerful nation that had territory in most of the world.  I actually really like this cartoon because it is so true.  The artist of this cartoon is unknown.

3.2.1.

3 Things I Have Learned...

1. Ethiopia and Libya were the only nations in Africa not occupied by another country
2. A protectorate is a country or territory with its own internal government but under control of outside power
3. New Imperialism was brought on by Christianity, Commerce, and Civilization

2 Things I Found Interesting...

1. Tzu-Hsi was orginally a regent to her son
2. The United States created laws to prevent mass migrations to the US when millions of Americans and Europeans migrated to Asia

1 Question I Still Have...

1. What was oil imperialism?

Tzu-Hsi (1835-1908)

Yehonala was born on November 29, 1835.  By the age of seventeen she had become a concubine of Hsien-Feng and was known as Tzu-Hsi.  Out of all the emperor's wives and concubines, Tzu-Hsi was the only to provide him with a son.  When the emperor died, Tzu-Hsi became the Empress of the Western Palace.  She was named one of eight regents for her son, Tung Chih, the Emperor.  Though she could not have complete control over, she seized control over the government.  When Tung Chih turned seventeen, Tzu-Hsi lost all power.  However, in 1875 Tung Chih died of venereal disease and his mother became empress once again.  The Boxer Rebellion was a major event during her reign in which China had to accept an embarrassing peace agreement.  Tzu-Hsi was in favor of modernizing China.  She promised the Chinese people a constitution and representative government, but she died before she was able to fulfill her promise.  Tzu-Hsi died in 1908 after suffering from a stroke. 

Immigration During the Gilded Age

(Chinese Exclusion Act-1882)

As the United States and most European nations were rapidly expanding, many immigrants were migrating from their impoverished homelands to achieve their American dreams.  Although Europeans and Americans alike were not afraid to force open the doors of isolated nations, such as China and Japan.  Millions of Europeans migrated to the Asian nations.  But when Asians began migrating to the United States, the US created several laws preventing mass migrations from Asia.  Many Asians were unwelcomed in the United States.  Large groups of Asians, manly Chinese, would gather in areas of big cities called Chinatown.

Spanish-American War (1898)

The Spanish-American War was due to the high spirits of expansion throughout the world.  Cuba, a Spanish possession, wanted independence from Spain.  The United States intervened because they felt a need to help the Cubans, especially after a failed rebeillion and Ten Years War.  The US declared war on Spain when the Spanish sunk the USS Maine, in Havana harbor.  On December 10, 1898 the Treaty of Paris was signed, declaring peace between the United States and Spain.  Cuba was freed while the US obtained Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.  This time period was big for imperialism and by obtaining so many territories, the United States showed the world they were capable of being an international power.

David Livingstone (1813-1873)

Livingstone spent the first 27 years of his life as a missionary in South Africa.  For the remainder of his life he explored Africa.  For years he went missing.  But in 1871 the journalist, Henry Stanley found him.  This is when Stanley spoke his most famous words, "Dr. Livingston, I presume?"  Livingston died two years later of dysentery.

Henry Stanley (1841-1904)

Henry Stanley's given birth name was John Rowlands.  He was born into poverty in Wales, England.  He then moved to New Orleans where he changed his name to Henry Stanley. Stanley fought on the Confederate side in the Civil War.  When he was captured, he then fought for the Union side.  Following the Civil War, Stanley traveled the United States, Africa, and Asia minor as a journalist.  He said his most famous words when he found Dr. Livingstone, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"  Stanley's books and articles on Africa, in addition to finding Livingstone made him well known worldwide.  

Leopold II (1835-1909)

Leopold took the throne of Belgium in 1865.  He established the African International Association, which later on financed Henry Stanley's expedition to the Congo.  Leopold was then named the sovereign over the Congo.  He used slave labor to obtain raw materials, such as rubber.  Leopold was severely criticized for his treatment of slaves.  Eventually he resigned as sovereign.

Essential Question

What were the responses of non-western countries to New Imperialism?

China, Japan, and Sudan initially responed to imperialism by driving out the foreigners with force, however this proved to be unsuccessful.  Many Asians then felt they needed to defend their traditional culture.  Egypt, on the other hand, desired to match the western society.  Europeans were eventually able to exchange hostility in resisters for a sense of nationalism and political self-determination.

Chapter Objectives

From this chapter I hope to be able to explain how imperialism impacted Europe and other non-western societies.

Introduction to The West and the World

Imperialism of Europe had its peak from 1870 until 1914.  With expansion came economic growth.  Expansion of European nations occurred mostly in Asia and Africa.  The causes of imperialism were to discover new markets and raw materials, religious arrogance, military and naval bases, a racist belief in European superiority, and European power politcs.  The reaction of the natives was first to drive the foreigners from their land, but when this failed many natives began to accept European rule.  However, imperialism was not embraced by all Europeans.  Some felt it went against western beliefs of freedom and equality.