4.Attitudes To Empire-Individual Influences Flashcards
Was there a plan for the empire
There was no plan for the empire,People merely explored for science,religion or fun and it could be claimed the empire was made accidentally
Who was David Livingstone and what did he do
He was the most famous early Victorian explorer and was an inspiration to many,He began as a missionary doctor to South Africa however began exploring uncharted territories after a while.He then delivered his findings in lectures at Cambridge university and in letter back home.He was eventually killed on his exploration to find the start of the Nile and is now immortalised as a martyr who sacrificed his life for the empire
Who was John Kirk
John Kirk was another Scottish physician who was appointed cheif medical officer and botanist for Livingstone’s Zambezi expedition,He collected multiple aquatic specimens,He stayed in Zanzibar allowing the British to gain a foothold in east africa
Who was Sir Richard Burton
He was a linguistic scholar,explorer and adventurer.He wrote stories based on his visits to Islamic cities such as Mecca where western Christian’s had gone before.He explored Somaliland and Zanzibar although his Zanzibar expedition was cut short due to malaria leading to Speke discovering Lake Victoria
Who is John Hanning Speke
He joined Richard Burton in Somaliland and discovered Lake Tanganyika with him and took over when Burton got Malaria to find the source of the Nile,He found Lake Victoria in the north and decided it was the start of the Nile despite this being heavily debated,They then found Lake Albert to the west of Victoria,Another Nile source
What was the role and influence of Christian missionaries in exploration
In Victorian times there was a mass boom in Christianity and devoutness Missionaries all sought to spread the faith amongst non Christian’s as Evangelicals,They helped the British by penetrating colonial frontiers such as in Congo and also set up for British rule in Fiji
What was the role of female missionaries
Many women felt called to undertake missionary work,Due to Victorian attitudes towards women many prioritised concerns about the rights of children and women and would often learn the language and connect with the indigenous people
What did missionaries force the indigenous people to do
They forced them to conform to European standards of clothing,marriage and gender norms
How did British missionaries occasionally delay annexation
Sometimes Christian missions provided a focus for local resistance and opposition to imperial rule
How did traders play an important part in the expansion of the empire
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 is Cecil Rhodes
One of the prime movers behind British expansion in South Africa,Owning all of South Africa’s diamond mines giving him the wealth to try to increase British expansion
Who was Sir William Mackinnon and what did he do
He was a ‘self made’ Scottish ship owner and businessman who began in the coasting bay around the Bay of Bengal and founded the a British India steam and Burma steam navigation company which grew to a massive company and traded through the Indian Ocean,Burma,The Persian gulf and East Africa
Who was George Goldie and what did he do
His family bought a palm oil company in the 1870s and he formed the Central African trading company and in 1879 persuaded all the trading companies along the Niger River to join together.He mainly traded palm oil however also traded margerine from palm kernels,He would make deals with local leaders to soely trade with them in turn beating his French competition and buying their companies too,As a result of his efforts,Britain was allowed to claim protectorate status over both Northern and Southern Niger
What was the role and influence of colonial administrators
Britain’s empire was typically run by ‘men on the spot’.These were company directors and governors who often found themselves in positions of control within the empire,Some practically ruled themselves and many became tempted to increase British influence by taking over more territory themselves
Who was Evelyn baring and what was his role
He became Earl of Cromer in 1901,Began as a private secretary to his cousin but eventually became a colonial administrator due to his efficiency ending up ruling with the rulers of Egypt until 1907
