1.5 Attitudes Towards Imperialism In Britan Flashcards
How did British gov view Empire first half of 19th century?
-did not pursue active role in empire due to slow communist and lack of institutions to deal with it
Successive governments did not want to expand and withheld charters
Both Gladstone and Disraeli against expansion believing it to be a strain on resources and priority should be on Britain
Why did the Govs view on empire begin to change from 1870?(5)
-concerns about ambitions of other European powers
-other nations grew stronger industrially-more competition
-American tariffs harder to send goods west
-surplus capital in the country
-increased increased from working class with popular forms of entertainment and literature
When was Disraeli pm
1868 1874-80
Want did Gladstone think about the expansion of empire
He had little enthusiasm
What was Disraeli and Conservatives attitude to empire?(5)
-govs dirty to reconstruct colonial empire at Crystal Palace speech 1872
Develop commercial and strategic empire with focus on east rather than Africa
-brought 4m of canal shares 1875
Made Victoria empires of India 1877
Annexed Transvaal 1877 and
started war with zulus but was defeated in Isandlwana 1879 and lost next election
What was Gladstone and the liberals attitude to empire?(6)
Wanted to develop current colonies rather than getting new ones
Saw empire with great trading potential and wanted them to be self governing
Durning Mahdist rebellion 1884 wanted to withdraw troops
Gladstone become more involved with Africa after Berlin conference and starting taking lamd in Africa
Reigned in 1885 after overseeing parliamentary reform act which extended vote for 5l5 million more men
Returned in 1886 home rule bill for Ireland
How did the empire influence education?
Education act of 1870 increased literacy rates so more people had access to the stories of empire
How did the empire influence public awareness?
Extension of the vote in 1867 and 1884 reform acts made the public more politically aware
How did the empire influence imperial heros?
-British public horrified by stories of massacres at Cawnpore during the Indian mutiny. General Havelock recaptured Cawnpore in July 1857 and was considered a national hero-statue for him in Trafalgar Square
-General Gordon considered a national Hero
-reporting or Pasha’s revolt in Egypt meant Gladstone’s decision to intervene was supported
How did the empire influence Literature?
Haggard’s ‘King Solomon Mines’ were filled with adventures of empire
How did the empire influence Popular press
-times represented very wealthy views and an imperialist agenda
-morning post conservative newspaper was absorbed by Daily telegraph in 1937
Illustrated London news- first weekly magazine selling 300,000 weekly copies by 1863- conservative paper
How did the empire influence Missionaries?
-by 1870s missionaries stories being avidly read in newspapers
British viewed themselves as superior and could civilise the Indigenous people
How did the empire influence Science?
Darwin’s origin of species 1859
Theory used to categorise different racial groups
How did the empire influence Exhibitions ?(4)
-reinforced racial superiority
-great exhibition of 1851 6 million viewers
-1886 colonial and Indian exhibition received 5.5 million visitors
-London hosted an African exhibition in 1890
