Section 1 - The development of imperialism Flashcards
(53 cards)
What were the reasons for the British Empire expanding into Africa? - Trade and Economy
Trade and the economy
The opening up of new routes inland and subsequent discovery of minerals and resources fuelled expansion in Africa. Better climates for agriculture. Coal, iron, timber sought to feed the demands of British industry. A cycle developed, British exploited Africa’s goods, to manufacture, and sell back to them.
What were the reasons for the British Empire expanding into Africa? - Personal influence
Personal influence
Merchant-imperialists capitalised on new commodities and in the process found fame and fortune. Victorian explorers stimulated British public interest through publishing their findings.
What were the reasons for the British Empire expanding into Africa? - Strategic factors
Strategic factors
Securing new territories secured trade routes. The Cape’s deep water port had advantages over other harbours. It protected sea routes to the middle east, china, Australia and India, giving considerable power over the sea routes to the East.
What were the reasons for the British Empire expanding into Africa? - Moral factors
Moral factors
Christian missionaries saw it as their moral duty to spread their faith among non-Christian. They viewed the Empire as a force to civilise non Christians.
What were the reasons for the British Empire expanding into Africa? - Exploration
By 1857, most of Africa had been added to European maps. Explorers located vast reserves of raw materials which European merchants sought to exploit and trade.
Define Protectorate, Settlement, Occupied, Client State,Chartered Company
Protectorate: has its own ruler, but under protection of the British Crown which controlled its military and influenced policies
Settlement: an area with British settlers with various levels of government control
Occupied: area containing British settlers/military but not under British control
Client state: area with its own ruler but with strong British influence which restricted the rulers independence
Chartered company rule: an area run by a trading company with a license which gave it economic and political rights
How much did the British Empire in Africa expand from 1857-90?
The period between 1857-90 was characterised by a desire to maintain those existing possessions. France was a big rival, leading to the formalisation of control in areas where British traders had been operating for many years. - Companies like the Royal Niger Company, the Imperial British East Africa Company and the British South Africa Company were chartered to implement British claims.
1868 - Basutoland, protectorate
1877 - Transvaal, Occupied
1882 - Egypt, Client state
1888 - British East Africa, Chartered Company rule
Why did the British first become interested in Egypt?
Interest revived when British mills were starved of cotton during the American Civil War, and Egypt attracted those who needed this vital material. British companies invested in this and also invested in the modernising programme of the Khedive, Isma’il Pasha. Isma’il embarked on the cutting of the Suez Canal through Egypt to connect the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. This made the route to India 6000 miles shorter than via the Cape.
What was the Suez Canal?
A Frenchman had obtained a concession from Egypt to create a company to construct a canal for international shipping. The Suez Canal Company was set up in 1858. It was completed in 1869, shares were made available internationally. Britain didn’t buy many. The canal had an immediate effect on world trade. Consequently, in 1875, when the Khedive was looking for a buyer for his country’s share in the canal for £4 million, Benjamin Disraeli (British prime minister), stepped forward. This gave the British greater control over its passage to India an income from shipping tariffs.
How did the British establish control in Egypt? 1890-1914
- 1879 - Tewfiq becomes new Khedive, British keeping Egypt afloat
- Taxes imposed on Egyptian foods and goods and its army reduced by 2/3. This increased unemployment - led to nationalist rebellion. Anti-European members appointed to government positions.
- June 1882 - Political tensions spilled onto streets of Alexandria where violence claimed lives. Further revolts convinced William Gladstone (British prime minister) to intervene, British naval forces bombarded Alexandria.
- Arabi Pasha declares war, British forces able to secure the Suez Canal before defeating Arabi’s forces.
- British retook Cairo, restored Tewfiq as a puppet ruler.
- Major Evelyn Baring installed as Consul General, Tewfiq forced to create a government amendable to Britain, had British advise his military and had British advisers.
1885 Convention of London - Britain’s influence over Egypt confirmed - Egypt firmly under British administrative control - ‘ Veiled protectorate (Baring ruled through Egyptian ministers, aided by English ministers)
How did Britain struggle to take control of the Sudan?
- Colonel Charles Gordon, Governor general of Sudan.
- British administrators faced opposition …
How did control of India’s administration change from the British East India Company?
The expansion of British influence in India had originally been overseen by the British East India Company who added millions of subjects to the British Empire. Grievances among the Indian population sparked a rebellion of Indian sepoys serving in the East India Company in 1857. British troops were sent to support the East India Company (showing Britain’s desire to retain India at all costs). After the rebellion had been stopped, it was determined that a change of rule was necessary, the British decided to take control of India from the East India Company, which was dissolved.
What were the terms of the Government of India Act, 1858?
- East India Company’s territories were passed to the Queen and the Company was dissolved.
- Position of Secretary of State for India was created, taking over duties formerly had by East India Company directors.
- A council of 15 members (the India Council), was appointed to assist the secretary of state for India and act as an advisory body in Indian affairs.
- The Crown appointed a Viceroy to replace the Company’s Governor General
- Indian civil service placed under control of the Secretary of State.
What was the administration like during the years of the Raj?
- Years of the Raj lasted from 1858-1948, priority of maintaining control.
- Queen Victoria made Empress of India as a symbol of British domination.
- Viceroy ruled India through a chain of British authority supported by an Indian Civil Service with Indians from high level posts.
- Running the Raj was maintained by British civil servants employed as members of the Indian Civil Service.
- The Viceroy relied on Indian rulers, in charge of Princely states, whose support was essential for the smooth running of India.
- Doctrine of lapse reversed. Increased princes loyalty.
- Bilingual Indians recruited across India’s provinces. Acted to mediate between the British elite and the population.
What did the British do after the rebellion - socially?
- After the rebellion, attention was paid to traditional Indian customs and practices.
- Christian missionaries were discouraged.
- Development of public work schemes and transport, like a big railway network to facilitate British trade and profit, and the movement of British troops. Railways exagerated British presence and enabled swifter deployment of troops.
Yet the replacement of company rule by the Crown brought little tangible difference to Indian citizens. Englishmen still ran the country and local princes exercised power on behalf of the Raj.
How was the army in India changed to prevent another rebellion?
- 40000 British troops before rebellion, raised to 70000. Ratio of British of Indian troops was made 1:2.
- Regiments of Indian troops were trained and stationed in their own districts, cut off from one another to prevent a sense of unity. Regiments were mixed by caste and religion. More Gurkhas and Sikhs enlisted to army, as they were loyal to Britain during the rebellion, replacing Bengali troops who weren’t.
- Number of British officers increased and field artillery placed in British hands. Indians placed under British commanders and denied officer ranking yet the British ordered to show more respect to Sepoy beliefs.
- Lord Canning set up an imperial police force as extra security.
Which expanding and industrialising powers were becoming more of a threat to Britain and how?
Germany:
- United as a single country in 1871, became a powerhouse in Europe. Good supply of natural resources and a good location in the middle of Europe. German merchant ships made increasing appearances on the seas.
France:
- Transformed its armed forces and recovered after defeat by Germany.
- Naval building programmes, could explore areas in which the British previously faced no threats.
- Established a foothold in Indo-China in 1860’s and began to push north. British responded by expanding more in Malaya, Singapore, Brunei and more.
Russia:
- Extended their control into central Asia. By 1884, took its empire to borders of Afghanistan.
- Began constructing a railway network which the British feared could carry an army to challenge British position in India.
- Naval building programme.
- Appeared set on imperial expansion in the north of China.
The impact of Long Depression on industrialising countries encouraged expansion in Africa for new goods and resources were. French became more active in the 1880’s, and the Germans from 1884.
What was the Brussels Conference, 1876 and what happened in it?
Held by King Leopold of Belgium(who wanted to protect his own interests in Congo). Concluded:
-Africans were incapable of developing the natural resources in central Africa, European intervention was necessary
-routes to Africa’s great lakes needed to be developed by building roads or railways
-An international African association should be established to coordinate the Europeans efforts.
European governments suspicious of Leopolds intentions. Became apparent he was intent on establishing his own empire. French and Germans asserted influence. French expanded control into Western Sudan in 1879 and Portugal to the congo river in 1884.
What was the Berlin Conference, 1884-85 and what happened in it?
By 1884, a scramble for Africa had begun. There was need for regulation of European expansion. Otto von Bismarck hosted the Berlin Conference.
It concluded:
- All nations are permitted to trade in the basin of Congo and its outlets
- There should be free trade in these regions
- Powers in the area should protect indigenous people
- Effective occupation
Effective occupation meant powers could assert a claim to land that it ‘effectively’ occupied and notify other powers.
Triggered a further scramble for territory across Africa, by 1900 - 90% in European hands.
Successes - helped European relations (orderly fashion of expanding empires)
Drawbacks - violence perpetrated by Europeans on African communities. No African representation at the conference.
What was an informal empire and what are some examples?
Areas which Britain had no legal claim but were influenced by Britain’s power, sealed through free trade agreements or British investment in the country….
How was trade managed from the middle of the 1900s?
- Mercantilism dominated 18th century empire, where colonies had to send all produce to Britain
- Free trade, meaning trade was free from any government interference
- Britain enforced free trade agreements with countries (using the British navy)
- Free trade saw imperial investment and trade grow enormously, 20% of Britain’s imports came from its colonies. London became the financial capital.
Why was Britain the world’s foremost trading nation?
Its factories were producing heavy iron goods and textiles for a global market.
Colonies provided raw materials which British industry converted into finished goods for export which the colonies were often compelled to buy back.
How were ships/shipping improved to facilitate trade and maximise profits?
Reached highest state of efficiency in the 1860s.
Clippers: Fast, smaller, Used to transport spices/luxuries/mail and people.
Steamships: Used to travel around the world and for bulkier produce.Compound steam ships developed in the 1850s used less coal and therefore made steam shipping more economical.
Steamship companies reduced the travel time between Britain and West Africa to less than 3 weeks and increased their cargo capacity.
How were railways developed to facilitate trade and maximise profits?
The British provided the investment resulting in dependence on Britain, which could be used to pressurise governments.
- Railways provided vital links between rural areas of production and the sea.
- Opened up Canadian prairies, enabled Australian exportation of wheat and wool and allowed South Africa to expand its commercial interests inwards.
- However, railways often led to forced removals of indigenous peoples.
- In India, enabled rice to reach ports for export.
