7. Consolidation and expansion 1890-1914 Flashcards
1
Q
why British policy changed from 1890 to become more assertive
A
- imperial attitudes within Britain had changed and people were more supportive of formal intervention, largely due to the attitude of the press
- the government was determined to uphold Britain’s global position
- British protectorates were expanded to provide security to ports, markets or resources
- charter companies proved increasingly inefficient and were not a cost effective way of expanding British interests, and so formal control was seen as a better method to protect and develop British interests
2
Q
Ashantiland
A
- British actions towards the Ashanti were typical of the way Britain acted to protect their territories
- in the early 1890s, Britain demanded the King turn over the remainder of his empire to the British as a protectorate to which he refused
- this produced a 4th Anglo-Ashanti war where Britain conquered the Ashanti territories and forced him from his throne in 1896
- a further uprising in 1900 led to Britain’s formal annexation of the kingdom, and so it was incorporated into the Gold Coast Colony in 1902
3
Q
Nigeria
A
- the British were able to establish their claim by virtue of their occupation along with an 1890 agreement with France who agreed to recognise Britain’s domination of the area in return for recognition of the French claim to Madagascar
- the government took over the responsibilities of the Royal Niger Company and established direct British control in the North in 1900, and the South in 1906
- unified in 1914
4
Q
Zanzibar
A
- in 1890, Britain and Germany signed a treaty establishing spheres of influence in East Africa, where Zanzibar was ceded to British influence
- Britain declared it a Protectorate and installed its own ‘puppet’ Sultan
- following his death in 1896 and the accession of his cousin without British blessing, there was a confrontation
- the British ordered him to stand down and mounted a naval bombardment when he refused
- he was overthrown and the pro-Brtish sultan Hamud placed on the throne, where he ruled under British protection
5
Q
Uganda
A
- throughout the century, missionaries had permeated Buganda and achieved success in converting the peoples
- in 1886, the King attempted to assert his authority by executing around 30 Catholics and Protestants and provoking a civil war, where he fled
- he promised to hand over some of his sovereignty to the Imperial British East Africa Company in return for Britsh backing and was restored in 1889
- in 1890 he signed a treaty with Lord Lugard, ceding powers over revenue, trade and the administration of justice
- these powers were transferred to the Crown in 1894 and Buganda became a Protectorate as part of Uganda
6
Q
overview of the Uganda Railway
A
- began construction in 1896 to connect the coast with the highlands
- consolidated Britain’s formal takeover of the East Africa Protectorate and Uganda as it linked the colonies together
7
Q
benefits of the Uganda railway
A
- enabled access to new markets
-encouraged colonial settlement
-facilitated the export of tea and coffee
-stopped the need for slave porters to access the interior - protected the source of the River Nile against potential threats
- prompted British tourism, particularly safari tours
8
Q
Kenya
A
- became part of Britain’s sphere of influence during the Berlin Conference
- seen as useful territory as it offered a route from the coast to Uganda
- Britain made use of a succession dispute between the natives and the Muslim majority to try to force their control, taking 9 months to defeat the opposition
- became part of Britain’s East Africa Protectorate of 1895
- not officially declared a colony until 1920
9
Q
Sudan
A
-the Mahdist revolt of 1881 left the area in a weakened state
- Abdullah tried to bring the people together under his leadership but the state was plagued by war from internal resistance fighters, disease and famine
- Gladstone believed British troops should be withdrawn from Egypt when safe but Salisbury believed Egypt was vital to the security of the route to India and so aimed to reconquer parts of the Sudan
10
Q
Sudan campaign background
A
- Salisbury was concerned by the interest other powers were showing in Africa, especially French and German expansion inland in East Africa
- feared they might try to gain control of the headwaters of the Nile which were vital for the welfare of Egypt
- signed a treaty with Germany in 1890 where they agreed to take Tanganyika while Britain took Kenya and Uganda
11
Q
cause of the Sudan campaign
A
- Italian expansion at Massaw was regarded as beneficial as it diverted Abdullah’s attention from the Egyptian borders
- when Italian forces were defeated in 1896, this diversionary help was lost
- gave Salisbury the excuse for a campaign in Sudan
- sold to the public as a campaign to aid Italy and uphold European civilization against African barbarianism
- was also used as a chance to avenge the death of Gordon
12
Q
events of the Sudan campaign
A
- Kitchener was given orders to penetrate Sudanese territory as far as Dongola but he was determined to go further to take Khartoum and conquer the whole region
- won a resounding success at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898
- 1899 brought an agreement between Britain and Egypt, where Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was established
- Sudan would be run by the British, with Egyptian support
13
Q
Somaliland
A
- Britain reinforced its 1888 protectorate with administrative and military personnel in 1898 as a means of limiting French and Italian ambitions in the area
- although the region had few resources, its location was significant as it commanded Britain’s access to the Indian Ocean and its colonies in the East
14
Q
Rhodesia
A
- Rhodes established a British presence in South Rhodesia after he used force to establish British settlers in the area
- in wars with the natives, nearly half of the settlers died but the territory was eventually taken as a result of treaties with African chiefs
15
Q
Nysaland
A
- the territory had been opened up by Livingstone and settled by missionaries
- they faced Portuguese-backed Arab attacks and so weren’t able to establish control until 1891 although guerilla warfare continued until 1897
- became a protectorate in 1907, operating under Rhodes’ British South Africa Company
16
Q
Cape Colony
A
-the quest for a British confederation of South Africa was taken up with vigour in the 1890s to counter German territorial gains and Boer confidence
- advocated by the Cape PM, Rhodes and Chamberlain
- in 1895, the Uitlanders of the Transvaal who were being denied citizenship and voting rights by the Boer government under Kruger sought Rhodes’ help
- this provided an excuse for British intervention
17
Q
the Jameson raid
A
- a raid was launched on the Transvaal by Dr Jameson
- even though no official support had been given, it brought discredit on the government and stiffened the Boer’s determination to resist British intrusions
- Kruger became regarded as a hero and the Boers in the Cape Colony formed an anti-British ‘Afrikaner Bond’ to show their solidarity with the Boers in the Transvaal
18
Q
impact of the Jameson Raid
A
-Chamberlain wanted to avoid war if possible, but wasn’t prepared to accept weakening of British influence
- negotiations with the Boers broke down in 1899 when they invaded British territory and besieged Ladysmith
- initially, they had success in the Boer war but the British provided 400,000 imperial troops at a cost of £250 million
- it took until 1902 before the Boers were defeated
19
Q
Peace of Vereeniging, 1902
A
- ended the war
-the Boers acknowledged themselves as British subjects - the Boer republics became British colonies with a promise of responsible self-government
- this was granted in 1905
- in 1908, the Prime Ministers of the Transvaal, Orange Free State, Cape Colony and Natal drew up a constitution for the ‘Union of South Africa’
- an Act of Union established a single parliament and the Union became a single British Dominion territory in 1910
