Chapter 10 Flashcards
How did Europeans exert power over their colonies?
Through military force, economic exploitation, political domination, and cultural influence, often using indirect rule and local intermediaries.
In what ways did the Industrial Revolution shape 19th-century imperialism?
It increased demand for raw materials, expanded markets for manufactured goods, provided new weapons and transportation, and justified imperial expansion with ideas of progress and superiority.
What was the European attitude toward African societies during the age of imperialism?
Europeans saw African societies as primitive and in need of ‘civilizing’ while also exploiting them for labor and resources, reinforcing racial hierarchies.
What contributed to changing European views of Asians and Africans in the 19th century?
Scientific racism, Social Darwinism, economic interests, colonial resistance, and exposure to different cultures led to shifts in European perspectives.
What is scientific racism?
A pseudo-scientific belief that different races had inherent biological differences, with Europeans considered superior, used to justify imperialism.
What was the ‘civilizing mission’?
The belief that Europeans had a duty to bring Christianity, Western education, and ‘progress’ to colonized peoples, often used to justify imperial rule.
What is Social Darwinism?
The application of Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest to human societies, used to justify European dominance over other races.
How was the concept of ‘savage vs. civilized’ used in colonial rule?
Europeans depicted themselves as civilized and colonized peoples as savages, justifying control and coercion in the name of progress.
How was colonial rule established in Africa and Asia?
Through military conquest, treaties, manipulation of local rivalries, economic dependence, and direct or indirect political control.
How did Africans and Asians respond to European imperialism?
Some cooperated for personal gain or security, while others resisted violently, as seen in the Indian Rebellion, Boxer Uprising, and Maji Maji Rebellion.
What was the Scramble for Africa?
The rapid division and colonization of Africa by European powers in the late 19th century, formalized at the Berlin Conference (1884-1885).
What was the Indian Rebellion of 1857?
A major uprising against British rule in India, sparked by grievances over military practices, economic exploitation, and cultural insensitivity.
What was the Boxer Uprising?
A Chinese nationalist movement (1899-1901) against foreign influence, missionaries, and economic control, brutally suppressed by European powers.
How was the colonization of Australia in the 19th century similar to North America in the 17th century?
Both involved settler colonialism, displacement of indigenous populations, introduction of European diseases, and violent conflicts.
How did Africans respond to the Scramble for Africa?
Some resisted militarily (e.g., Zulu resistance, Maji Maji Rebellion), while others cooperated for political or economic survival.
What was the Maji Maji Rebellion?
A violent uprising (1905-1907) in German East Africa against forced labor and taxation, crushed by the German military.
How did Ethiopia and Siam (Thailand) avoid colonization?
Ethiopia defeated Italy at the Battle of Adwa (1896), while Siam modernized and played European powers against each other.
Why might subject peoples choose to cooperate with colonial regimes?
To gain wealth, political power, military security, or education opportunities under colonial rule.
What might prompt subject peoples to resist colonial rule?
Exploitation, forced labor, cultural suppression, economic hardship, and nationalist movements.
How were European colonial empires of the 19th century different from earlier forms of empires?
They were more global, justified by racial ideologies, driven by industrial capitalism, and often ruled indirectly.
How were European colonial empires of the 19th century similar to earlier empires?
They used military conquest, economic exploitation, and cultural assimilation to control subjects.
How were European notions of class in the colonies similar to the Indian caste system?
Both were rigid social hierarchies that justified discrimination and limited mobility, often reinforcing racial divisions.
What was the Congo Free State?
A personal colony of King Leopold II of Belgium where extreme forced labor and violence were used to extract rubber.
What was the role of forced labor in colonial economies?
Colonized peoples were coerced into plantation work, mining, and infrastructure projects under brutal conditions.
What was the impact of cash crops on colonized societies?
Many societies were forced to grow crops for export rather than local consumption, leading to economic dependency and food shortages.
How did women experience colonial economies in Africa?
Women often took on greater agricultural responsibilities as men were drawn into wage labor, but they also found new economic opportunities.
What was the role of education in colonial societies?
Western education created a new elite who sometimes cooperated with colonial powers but also led nationalist movements.
What was the Africanization of Christianity?
Many Africans blended Christian teachings with indigenous beliefs, creating unique religious movements.
Who was Swami Vivekananda?
An Indian spiritual leader who promoted Hinduism as a source of national pride and challenged European cultural dominance.
How did race and tribe shape African identity under colonial rule?
Europeans categorized Africans by race and tribe, reinforcing ethnic divisions and shaping modern African identities.
Who was Edward Blyden?
A West African intellectual who argued that Africa had its own valuable civilization and should not simply imitate the West.
How did colonial rule rely on both violence and cooperation?
Colonizers used military force and coercion but also enlisted local elites and offered benefits like education and economic opportunities.
In what ways were colonized people more than just victims of colonialism?
They resisted, adapted, formed nationalist movements, and found ways to advance within colonial systems.
To what extent could colonized people act in their own interests?
They navigated colonial rule by cooperating when beneficial, resisting oppression, and shaping cultural and political responses.
Was colonial rule more transformative or revolutionary for colonized societies?
It disrupted traditional societies, introduced new economies and technologies, and sparked nationalist movements, but often reinforced existing inequalities.
How did the colonial experience of Asia and Africa compare to that of the Americas?
While both faced conquest and exploitation, the Americas experienced more settler colonialism, leading to the near destruction of indigenous populations.
