POSTED BY: Khadija Awad
PAPER ONE: SOURCE PAPER
Imperialism: the policy of extending a nation’s influence on territories in order to increase power
New Imperialism: the years between 1890-1914 of intense colonial expansion by European
powers, Japan and the USA
Motives for imperialism:
1) ECONOMIC:
- European states were expanding their trade and industry after the industrial
revolution and needed new markets to venture into after the period of the ‘Long
Depression’ from 1873-1896 which saw reduced demand
- Possession of colonies was seen as the only way to keep free trade without
tariffs: wanted to reduce costs of production
- Guaranteed access to vital raw materials for industry
2) POLITICAL:
- International diplomacy to safe keep existing colonies and ensure their routes:
example being Britain’s occupation of Egypt for route to Indian colonies
- Acquiring colonies helped European powers avoid war with one another by
reducing attempts to colonize European countries
- To build ports in key coastal cities
- Used to promote a country’s government during a period of nationalism by
showing their nation’s power and prestige
- Used as a fear tactic to other European countries by creating prosperous
empires to showcase the strength
- Needed to look overseas to enhance wealth and industrialisation
- “Symbols of national pride and power”
- Seen as a “global extension of European rivalries”
3) SOCIAL:
- Imperialism was used as a scapegoat or decoy to divert the public’s attention
from social and economic inequalities as a result of wealthy businessmen gaining
profits from industrialisation
- Workers and newly formed middle class people were seen to be working in poor
working conditions -> imperialism was seen as a way to finance industrialization
and reform
- Used to unite people and increase national pride
Why was the ‘Scramble for Africa’ a dawn of New Imperialism? New characteristics:
The geographic scope of colonization had changed from focusing on North and South
America to centring on Africa as it contained w supply of minerals and raw materials. It
,POSTED BY: Khadija Awad
was also different as colonialism maintained peaceful relations between European
powers, and had new powers including Japan and the USA
Factors leading up to the ‘Scramble for Africa’
*Must be aware that some countries such as Portugal already had coastal colonies in Africa
before New Imperialism and SFA*
1) The technological development included the discovery of steamboats, machine
guns, railways and fast-firing machine guns
2) Medical advancements including the germ theory reduced the risk of malaria that
had previously kept explorers out of African countries-> no longer considered the
‘white man’s grave’
3) Churches and missionary societies were keen to open up Africa to Christianity
4) Governmental support to open up countries to free trade to expand their
economies
5) Techonological lead and advantage of European countries compared to African
countries
Important realization: many European countries and colonizers were racially driven to expand
their empires to Africa, known as the “Racial superioity theory” by believing it was their duty to
bring order and stability to inferior African races-> link with Social Darwanism which believed in
the survival of the fittest races
They were also motivated by self-interest and wanted to exploit African labour and resources
*Commerce, Christianity, Civilisation, Conquest* and *(national) Pride, Prestige, Power*
Scramble for Africa:
*In 1870 only 10% of Africa was actively occupied by European powers, but by 1900 over 90%
was conquered by European powers, with only Liberia and Ethiopia remaining independent*
It’s important to realize that many of the ‘countries’ who took over other African countries used
wealthy entrepreneurs and companies to fund the expeditions
Countries involved:
a) Britain: occupied ⅕ of Africa by 1900
Had been originally invested to protect the Indian Ocean’s trading routes and had
already enjoyed the economic advantages of imperialism due to early industrialisation
- South Africa: had colonized the Cape colonies to occupy the Cape port, protect
the early trade route to India, and the discovery of gold and diamonds in the
Trasnvaal area
- Egypt: occupied for protection of the Suez Canal which gave a shorter route to
Indian colonies
- Zanzibar: had colonized due to major ports and trading interests for importing of
British cloth, manufactured goods and exported ivory and hides from Africa
, POSTED BY: Khadija Awad
Had occupied: Egypt, South Africa, Sudan, East Africa, Gambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and
Ghana, Zanzibar
Motivations: raw materials, preventing other European nations, Imperialists like Cecil
Rhodes, protecting existing trade routes
b) France: used colonization as a tactic to uplift the public and as land
compensation for the losses in the Franco-Prussian war, the Napoleonic war and
the loss of Egypt to Britain
- Algeria: had occupied due to economic and diplomatic disputes and a desire for
military success
- Senegal: colonized due to involvement in the slave trade and for coastal ports
Had occupied: west and north-west Africa
Motivations: enhancing the country’s international image, prestige, new markets for
industrial products and new materials which included palm oil and timber, wanted to
carve a sphere of influence after several losses, economic advantages from overseas
possessions
c) Belgium: led by King Leopold who was infamous for cruelty towards natives and
set up the International African Association
- Congo: colonized by King Leopold in 1885 for raw rubber and ivory, wanted to
form a Congo Free State which would’ve been a mercantile enterprise
King Leopold was the reason for the change in the interest of African countries as
imperialism became a reason for exploration, settlement and trade rather than
maintaining relations with coastal countries for their ports
Motivations: Leopold’s interest in “getting a slice of the magnificent African cake”,
enhancing Belgium’s prestige, Leopold owning land as a ruler, financial advantages
d) Germany: entered the Scramble for Africa after unifying the Reich in 1871 by
Otto Van Bismark
Bismark was more focused on national security after unification but had joined the
scramble by 1881 due to external pressures from German businessmen
Bismark: “maintaining the balance of power in Europe”
Germany had a new Kaisar Wilheim in 1888 who had a ‘World Policy’ which involved
actively seeking overseas potential known as “a place in the sun”
“A great cultural mission”
Had occupied: Nigeria, Cameroon, south-west Africa and Togoland
Motivations: placing themselves in a position of co-operation with France against the
British, Italy joining the Alliance, pressure from Germans, convinced of enormous wealth
