Global Imperialism Interactive Map

Global Imperialism Interactive Map

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Thailand

Global Imperialism

Thailand was the only remaining state in Southeast Asia that was free.​ King Mongkut and Chulalongkorn were able to prevent Western takeover.​Both rulers promoted Western learning and maintained friendly relations with the major European powers.​ In 1896, Britain and France agreed to maintain Thailand as an independent buffer state between their possessions.​

Central Africa

Global Imperialism

David Livingstone spent 30 years exploring the Central African interior. His chief goal was to find a navigable river that would open up Central Africa to European trade and allow Christianity to spread throughout the region. Belgium, under the leadership of King Leopold II, was offered Central Africa to build an empire. He eagerly gave permission to set up Belgian settlements in the Congo (formerly called Zaire). His goal was to build a Belgian empire but to also “open civilization” to the Congo. Although Leopold II established Belgium as a colonial power in Africa, he is best known for the widespread mutilation that were carried out under his rule, as a result of which as many as 10 million people died in the Congo Free State.

Boer War: The Boer War (1899-1902) forced the Boers to move from coastal lands northward and the British created the Union of South Africa. The Boers had frequently battled the indigenous Zulu empire.​ In the early 19th century, the Zulu, under a talented ruler named Shaka, had carved out their own empire. ​ Even after Shaka's death, the Zulu remained powerful. ​ In the late 1800s, the Zulu were defeated when the British military joined the conflict.​

South Africa

Global Imperialism

Nowhere in Africa did the European presence grow more rapidly than in the south. By 1865, the total white population of South Africa had risen to nearly 200,000 people. The Boers, or Afrikaners—as the descendants of the first Dutch settlers were called—had occupied Cape Town and surrounding areas in South Africa since the seventeenth century and believed in European superiority was given by God. ​During the Napoleonic Wars, however, the British seized these lands from the Dutch.

Philippines

Global Imperialism

In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, U.S. naval force defeated the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay in the Philippines.​ President William McKinley turn the Philippines into an American colony.​The islands gave the United States convenient access to trade with China.​ Battle of Manila Bay (1898): Many Filipinos did not want to be under American control.​ After three years of bloody warfare the United States defeated the guerrilla forces in the Philippines.​

Central America

GLOBAL IMPERIALISM

In 1903, the United States supported a rebellion that allowed Panama to separate from Colombia and establish themselves as a new nation. In return, the United States was granted control of a 10-mile strip of land through the country which became the Panama Canal (connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean) and was used as a protectorate by the United States. In 1904, Roosevelt expanded American involvement in Latin America and issued the Roosevelt Corollary (The U.S. can intervene in Latin American affairs if they are ‘guilty of misconduct’. An increasing number of Latin Americans resent U.S. interference referring to them as "the big bully" of the north.

The colonial powers did not want their colonies to develop their own industries.​ Thus, colonial policy stressed the export of raw materials.​ This policy often led to the development of plantation agriculture.​ Sometime resistance to Western control took the form of peasant revolts but were unsuccessful. In the early 1900s, however, a new kinds of resistance emerged that was based on nationalism.​ The leaders were often from a new class that colonial rule had created:​ Westernized intellectuals in the cities.​ Later most will demand national independence.

Singapore, Burma and Vietnam

Global Imperialism

Great Britain​ gains control of Singapore​. It became a major stopping point for traffic traveling to or from China.​ They also gain control of Burma (Myanmar)​ and controlled it to protect its possessions in India​. France​ gains control over Vietnam​ as a French Protectorate​ because France wanted to protect its interest in the region from the British.​

South America

GLOBAL IMPERIALISM

After 1870, Latin American began an age of prosperity based to a large extent on the export of a few basic items such as wheat and beef from Argentina, coffee from Brazil, as well as sugar and silver from Peru. These food goods and raw materials were largely exchanged for finished goods from Europe and the United States. After 1900, Latin Americas also increased their own industrialization. Latin America remained economically dependent on Western nations and their foreign investments. Simon Bolivar and Juan de San Martin help parts of South America to gain independence in the early 1800s from Spain. Areas such as Venezuela, Columbia and Peru and Argentina become independent countries.

India

Global Imperialism

As a result of the rebellion, the British Parliament transferred the powers of the East India Company directly to the British Government.​ In 1876 Britain’s Queen Victoria took the title of Empress of India.​ Although the rebellion failed, it helped fuel Indian nationalism.​ The British appointed a viceroy to represent the government and a British civil service staff assisted the viceroy.​ Imperialism benefited India bringing stability to the government as well as roads, canals, schools, universities and a new postal system. However, British manufacturing destroyed local industries, local officials increased taxes and the British were known for being extremely degrading to Indians.Mohandas Gandhi becomes active in the movement towards India’s independence using non-violent methods and eventually helps India move towards independence in 1947.

The growing European presence in West Africa led to increasing tensions with African governments in the region. One important example of military resistance came from the Mandinka state led by Samori Ture. He created his own empire called Wassoulou. He launched military campaigns against the British and French, but was unsuccessful. He fought both European countries off for 18 years.

West Africa

Global Imperialism

Europeans had big interest in Africa's raw materials, especially those of West Africa—peanuts, timber, hides, and palm oil​. Most African states were independent until 1874 when Britain annexed (joined together) the west costal states and established a protectorate in Nigeria.​ France took a direct rule (colonial rule) interest in West Africa. France added a large amount of Africa into its empire including places like Ivory Coast (Cote d’ Ivoire), Senegal and Mali. They also had protectorates in North Africa such as Algeria, Tunisia and Libya (formerly Turkish Tripoli).

The Opium Wars (1839-1842): The Chinese government tried to stop the British from trading opium but they were no match for the better armed and trained British army. British gained control of a region near Nanjing and agreed to work on British terms.

China

Global Imperialism

China’s power declined due to intense external pressure that the Modern West placed on Chinese society. Rapid population growth happened due to corruption, peasant unrest and political incompetence. The Qing Dynasty restricted the British empire to a small trading outlet in Guangzhou, but the British didn’t like this arrangement and tried to renegotiate with China to improve the trade imbalance. However, when negotiations failed, Britain turned to trading opium with China. Opium, the drug produced from the latex-based opium poppy plant in which hallucinogenic drugs such as heroin is created from.

The U.S was also interested in trading in China and issued a policy called The Open Door Policy which allowed for equal access of trading rights in China for “all nations”. This was done to allow U.S. access to China but also to reduce imperialist hysteria over Chinese markets.Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901): The Boxers, a secret society of martial artists, were upset by economic distress and the foreign takeover of Chinese lands. They wanted to push foreigners out of China, especially Christian missionaries.​ They attacked European nations occupying China, but 20,000 British, French, German, Russian, American, and Japanese troops attacked Beijing to restore order and demand more concessions from the Chinese government.​

China

Global Imperialism

Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864): Hong Xiuquan was determined to destroy the Qing dynasty and established a new dynasty. His army attacked the Qing dynasty, and it caused terrible destruction in southern China and the Yangtze valley.​ Millions of people were killed and cities and farmlands were destroyed.​ European states began to create spheres of influences after the rebellion. In return for money, the warlords granted these nations exclusive trading rights in railroad building or mining. ​ Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Japan created spheres of influence in costal markets of China.

GLOBAL IMPERIALISM

The Caribbean

In the early 1600-1700s, the Caribbean was sought after by Britain, France, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark and other European nations for raw materials such as sugar, molasses, rum and unfortunately, slaves due to the Slave Trade. In 1898, the United States acquires Puerto Rico and Cuba as colonies through the Treaty of Paris from the Spanish-American War. The Haitian Revolution started in 1791 where enslaved Black Haitians fought for their freedom against the French and British forces. Eventually they gained freedom and Haiti's independence in 1804. In 1917, the U.S. purchases the Virgin Islands (Danish West Indies) for $25 million dollars (bullion) from Denmark to use as military protection from Germany during World War I.

Mexico

Global Imperialism

• Mexico was once colonized by Spain; gained independence in 1821.
• In the late 1800s, the United States began to intervene in the affairs of its southern neighbors; particularly Mexico using Dollar Diplomacy (Seeking sphere of influence by strengthen a foreign nation by giving its financial resources).
• By After 1870, large landowners in Latin America began to take a more direct interest in national politics and even governing. They adopted constitutions like the U.S and Europe; however, they limited voting rights.
• Dictators like Porfirio Diaz was supported by large landowners to secure their interests.
• The Mexican Revolution caused great damage to the Mexican economy between 1910-1920. Eventually with the adoption of a new constitution, Mexico moves to a more democratic, stable government.

North Africa

Global Imperialism

In 1805, an officer of the Ottoman army named Muhammad Ali seized power and established a separate Egyptian state. ​ During the next 30 years, Muhammad Ali introduced a series of reforms such as modernizing the army and setting up a public school system to bring Egypt into the modern world. ​ Europeans became interested in the Nile Valley, Egypt and with the invention of steamships traveling to and from Europe to Asia, they wanted to build a canal that would allow easier travel between Europe and Asia. The Suez Canal was built by France by 1869 and was taken over by the British to protect their trading interests between Europe and Asia. British increasing control was met with Egyptian resistance but was suppressed. By 1914, Egypt became a British protectorate and seized control of the Sudan.

Battle of Adwa: In northeast Africa, the Italians saw an opportunity to conquer the vast, fertile territory of Ethiopia. Emperor Menelik II, leader of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) was tricked by the Italians to sign a treaty in Italian rather than Amharic and they tried to divide Ethiopians with promises that appealed to one ethnic group over another. Italy decided to attack when this strategy failed. Menelik responded with 10,000 men from all the regions and by 9:30 AM, the Italian forces were defeated.

East Africa

Global Imperialism

By 1885, Britain and Germany had become the chief rivals in East Africa.​ Britain was interested in this area because it would connect the British empire in South Africa to its empire in Egypt.Portugal, Germany and Belgium also claimed parts of East Africa. To settle conflicting claims and the “Scramble for Africa”, the Berlin Conference was held in 1884. As a result, Britain and Germany claim for territory in East Africa was granted and Portugal took Mozambique.

India

Global Imperialism

The British fully colonized India in 1858. The British government gave a trading company, the British East India Company, power to become actively involved in India’s political and military affairs. However, the British East India Company hired sepoys (Muslim Indians who are British-trained soldiers) to protect the country’s interests in the region. The Sepoy Rebellion (1857): Growing Indian distrust led to a revolt against the British. It is said it started because of a ‘rumor’ that the Sepoy’s troops rifles were greased in cow and pig fat. The Sepoys refused to load their cartridges and were charged with mutiny and put in prison. This started a year’s worth of fighting between the Indians and British; however, the British will crush the rebellion.