Imperialism Flashcards
What century has been described as “The Age of Imperialism?”
The 19th Century
What is Imperialism?
The practice of extending the power of a nation, especially by acquiring the territory of another nation
What is colonisation?
The practice of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous peoples of an area
When did the foundation of European imperialism begin?
European Imperialism began in 1400, with advances in ship-building and navigation
Who were the earliest European imperial powers?
Spain and Portugal
What is an outpost?
A place that represents the authority of a far-away imperial country
What was the date/outcome of the Seven Year’s War?
The Seven Year’s War was fought by Imperialists between 1754-1763
It resulted in Britain emerging as a maritime power as well as gaining several nations and territories from France & Spain
How large was the Britsh Empire at its peak?
It covered 1/4 of the world’s surface and controlled 1/4 of its population
When was the American Revolution fought?
Between 1765-1783
What was the catlyst for the Age of Imperialism?
The Industrial Revolution
By 1914, what percentage of the world did Europe control?
84%
What was the Scrable for Africa and when did it occur?
The Scramble for Africa was when European powers raced to carve up Africa and divide it among themselves
It occurred between 1881-1914
What is mercantilism?
Mercantilism is an economic policy that is designed to maximize the exports and minimize the imports for an economy. It promotes imperialism, tariffs and subsidies on traded goods to achieve that goal.
Which nation did King Leopold and the Belgians brutally exploit?
The Belgian Congo
What percentage of Global Economic Output was Europe responsible for in 1800 and 1861?
1800 = 28%
1880 = 61%
What were the three main justifications given for Imperialism?
Nationalism, Social Darwinism & Christianity
What is nationalism?
identification with one’s own nation and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations.
How was international standing measured during the Age of Imperialism?
By viewing the size of each nation’s armed forces and empire
What was Social Darwinism?
A perversion of the theory of natural selection presented by Charles Darwin in his 1859 work ‘On the Origin of Species’
Social Darwinists argued that the process of evolution had created ‘superior’ races (Europeans) and ‘inferior’ races (almost everyone else)
They argued European superiority justified the exploitation of ‘less civilised’ races
What was ‘The White Man’s Burden’?
‘The White Man’s Burden’ was a term coined by Rudyard Kipling in one of his poems, and later used by many imperialists
It argued that the Europeans had a duty to civilised the ‘savage races’ of the world
What were ‘missions’?
Missions were a group of people sent by a religious organisation to teach their religion to conquered peoples
What was the effect of the spread of Christianity?
This drive to destroy native cultures & beliefs and replace them with Christianity had a destructive effect on many indigenous populations
