1. The Development Of Imperialism c.1857-90 - Attitudes To Empire, The Role And Influence Of Individuals Flashcards
Who were some key explorers?
David livingstone, John Kirk, Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke who all published findings and produced maps
What were the reasons for exploration by individuals?
- scienctific impulse
- moral compunction and belief in a Christian duty to spread the word to the Heathen
- desire for wealth
- for the power and status that accompanied lucrative imperial administrative posts
What did David Livingstone do and what was his impact?
- he began his travels as a missionary doctor in South Africa in 1841 however soon began exploring unchartered territories. he returned to Britain to huge acclaim in 1856-57, where he conducted a series of lectures at Cambridge university about his experience in Africa
- he received government funding in 1858 and began an exploration along the Zambezi River. He sent 2000 letters back to Britain of his journeys
- in 1871, his disappearance and rediscovery by Henry Stanley allow the Victorian public to view him as a martyr
What did John Kirk do and what was his Impact?
- he was appointed as Chief medical officer and economic botanist for Livingstone’s Zambezi expedition
- he returned to Africa in 1868 as medical officer and vice consul in the sultanate of Zanzibar which was popular due to its clove and ivory exports - he lived out the rest of his career here until 1886 and ensured Zanzibar operated a British client state and his efforts thus gave Britain the toe-hold on Africa’s east coast which was grown into British east Africa in 1895
What did Sir Richard Burton do and what was his impact?
- he was a linguistic scholar, explorer and adventurer who first became famous in the 1850s for his stories of Muslim life and manners in sacred Islamic cities
- in 1857-58 he was undeterred and undertook another expedition inland from Zanzibar. However he was forced to abandon this due to malaria which meant that John Speke took the glory for the discovery of what he believed to be the Nile’s source
- Burton didn’t accept this which led to quarrels with Speke - in 1864 they were due to debate however Speke died
What did John Hanning Speke do and what was his impact?
- he joined burton in an exploration in 1855 to Somali land but was wounded by a local. However he later rejoined burton in 1857 to find the origin of the Nile
- both Speke and burton became the first two Europeans to reach lake tanganyika in February 1858
- in July 1858 Speke reached Lake ‘Victoria’ named in honour of the queen
- in 1860, Speke mapped parts of Lake Victoria and found the Nile’s exit from the lake what he called ripon falls
What were the different missionaries in the 19th century?
Anglicans, Roman Catholics, non conformists (Methodists, Presbyterians), evangelical, secular
What was the role of missionaries?
- They all sought to spread Christian faith to non-Europeans
- evangelical missionaries believed in the worthlessness of other faiths and could be aggressive in claims for influence
What was the influence of Evangelical Missionaries?
- evangelical missionaries helped to open up territories to British rule, by penetrating beyond colonial frontiers e.g into Congo or inland china in the 1880s. They established links with the indigenous and looked for imperial protection - sharing their geographic and strategic knowledge with secular authorities
What was the influence of Methodist missionaries?
- By the mid 19th century, they had set up ‘conferences’ to oversee missions in Canadian New Zealand, and Australia and it was Methodist missionaries who prepared the ground for the establishment of British rule in Fiji in 1874
- a South African conference was established in 1882
- in 1883, John Mackenzie put pressure on the British government to establish a protectorate over bechuanaland
- Methodist missionaries were also established from china in 1850s
- A West Indies conference was established in 1885
What was the influence of missionaries as a whole?
They generally established compounds, set up churches and provided housing and farm work in return for conversions to Christianity. They also further advanced imperialism by extending Britains commercial reach and enforcing the consumption of western materials
What difficulties did missionaries face?
They faced conflict from indigenous people and although missionaries could provide the means for imperial expansion, it delayed annexation and challenged imperial authority. Religion and empire also undermined each other
What was the impact of Mary Carpenter?
- She introduced ‘ragged schools’
- in 1868 during her third visit to India, she achieved funding to set up a normal school to educate female Indian teachers. Then in 1875, she established the National Indian association to inform English opinion on the needs of India. In 1878, she visited North America and reported on the defects of prison systems
What was the role and influence of traders?
Traders seeking new markets or materials could establish footholds in places allowing the British to follow suit and take over,E.g the east india company
Who was Cecil Rhodes and what was his impact?
He was very influential in the British expansion of South Africa. He owned all of South Africa’s diamonds mines. He also formed his own company, the British South Africa company which received a royal charter in 1889 - this company controlled large areas of South Africa and interiors of Africa. His only failure was the annexation of Bechauanaland Protectorate. He had a social Darwinist view of the world which wasn’t accepted by all but was shared by many which helped explain the way people justified the empire
