Transcript Imperialism in Africa: Ch. 11, Sections 1-2

Happy Halloween & Hmmm …
Should strong countries be
allowed to take over weaker
countries?
Does this happen in the world
today?
Does might make right?
Africa
India
Middle
East
Asia
US
(review)
Imperialism, Chapters. 11-12
BIG IDEAS
 Why did countries want colonies? (causes of imperialism)
 How did the colonizers & natives differ in their points of view
about imperialism?
 How did imperialism affect people & their way of life?
 How are we still experiencing the effects of imperialism in the
world today?
imperialism
• the policy of stronger countries
dominating the political,
economic, & social life of
weaker countries to create
empires (usually accomplished
by taking colonies)
• Age of Imperialism = 1850-1914
(AKA – New Imperialism)
UK had largest imperial empire in world in 1900
- “The sun never sets on the British Empire,”
made possible by strongest navy
- reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) 
Victorian Age
Causes of Imperialism 
Why create empires???
1. Political
- rise of nationalism
(intense devotion to one’s country;
& “We’re better than you!”)
- prestige of empire
(“We want to look better than you!”)
- military rivalries
(“We’ll take it so that our enemy can’t!”)
Causes of Imperialism 
Why create empires???
2. Economic
- demand for
raw materials
- new markets
for products
Causes of Imperialism 
Why create empires???
3. Social
- missionaries wanted to spread
Christianity
- humanitarians wanted to end
slave trade (that was still going
on in parts of Africa & Middle
East)
Causes of Imperialism 
Why create empires???
3. Social
- Social Darwinism
 popular social theory that applied
Darwin’s ideas to races
 viewed white Europeans as
superior to other races
 Europeans felt it their duty to
spread their scientific &
technological progress &
“civilize” the rest of the world
Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The White Man’s Burden”
(great example of Social Darwinist thinking)
Causes of Imperialism 
Why create empires???
4. Industrialization &
Technological
Advances
- Maxim gun
(1st automatic
machine gun)
- steamboats & RR
- quinine
(drug to prevent
malaria)