KEY INDIVIDUALS IN EMPIRE Flashcards
describe the work of david livingstone
- resigned from london missionary society in 1857
- speech to cambridge university in 1857, claiming that he wanted to open up a path for christianity
- be became consul for the east coast of africa in 1858, exploring the zambezi
- livingstone raised 5000 pounds to lead a trading expedition into the zambezi - recognition of valuable trade routes in 1857
- livingstone condemns the massacre at nyangwe after the slaughter of many arabs (need to stop slavery + promote christianity) in 1871
- establishes the Universities Mission to Central Africa in 1857
- he encountered henry stanley in 1871, presenting himself as this martyr figure who was sacrificing himself for empire
- becomes the first european to see lake nyasa
- published the book ‘missionary travels’ in 1857 - sells 70,000 copies
describe the work of richard burton
- works with speke to find the source of the nile river
- he becomes one of the first europeans to reach lake tanganyika in 1858
- he worked in exploration within zanzibar from 1857-1858, discovering the ivory exports and market there
- 1864 = he debated with speke about the finding the source of the nile
- be authored 43 books on the discovery in west africa, of which were written about african customs, notably in pornography, sexual activity, the rights of women etc
- he was the author of arabian nights
describe the work of speke
- works with burton to find the source of the nile river + also discover parts of somaliland in 1855
- also founded lake victoria in 1858
- he becomes one of the first europeans to reach lake tanganyika in 1858
- in 1864, he was arranged with burton to have a debate about lake victoria and lake albert being the source of the nile or part of the nile river
what was the death rate in africa by the early 1800s
- 20% of officers died, and over 50% of men died
- was clearly a vulnerable / risky area to be stationed in
what was the attraction of europeans to africa
- idea of popular romanticism
- access to extensive resources and became a key path for commerce
- recognition that they had opportunities to be powerful and influential
- desire to civilise and impose christianity, remove the negative associations of africa with things like rape and assault of women
- felt the need to correct this idea of a ‘noble savage’
- want to remove the influence of the arab slave trade
describe the work of john kirk
- became a medical officer for the work of livingstone when discovering the zambezi river in 1857
- he was later stationed in zanzibar as vice consul, because of a british interest in clove and ivory, yet also access to its commerce / having a monopoly
- kirk attempted to outlaw any use of the arab slave trade
- john kirk formed the kirk report after the nembe of brass attack in akassa in 1895, who proposed that the royal niger company became purely administrative
describe the work of george goldie
1875 = his family buys a palm oil business in the niger river basin
1876 = he formed the central african trading company to bring economic benefits
- he then formed the united african company and controls 30 trading posts in 1879 (monopoly over palm oil)
- he signed 450 treaties with local chiefs to have full control over palm oil businesses, as these chiefs had to trade only with the united african company, and in return the company would buy and consume ivory
- he promised tribal chiefs increasing protection, weapons and subsidies to compensate for goldie’s actions over their territory
- in 1893, goldie purchases all the assets of the african association
when was the royal niger company founded, and when did goldie become knighted
- RNC founded in 1886 (after britain was given niger as a sphere of influence under the berlin conference)
- goldie knighted = 1887
*some motivation to be remembered as someone who drove civilisation and commerce, not just who held a monopoly
motivations for goldie in west africa
- imperial rivalry
- wanted to remove french influence and competition over palm oil trade in niger
- knew the only opportunity to form the royal niger company was at berlin with all other major powers
- he used taxation to limit a french desire to expand
- also wanted to remove the presence of liverpool merchants - economics
- recognition of extensive palm oil production - a monopoly would give him more economic authority
importance of missionaries and explorers in africa (livingstone, speke, burton, kirk)
- romanticisation of africa
- reinforcement of finding rich resources and africa being an avenue for economic enrichment
- reinforced this idea of noble savagry and the necessity for britiain to be in the area to reduce dangerous african practices and impose christianity
- they helped to open up territories to the british (ie zanzibar) and discover the most fulfilling areas for imperial advancement
- consolidated and claimed key territory, which was unlikely to be disputed, and giving britain leverage later
what was the south african conference
a conference in 1882
- it was to promote the consolidation of british rule in south africa
(but, this is not as important, focus more on the berlin conference of 1884-1885)
describe the work of female missionaries
- includes women like mary slessor who was primarily based in nigeria
- she worked against the killing of twins which was condemned in african culture
- also includes amy carmichael who worked with young girls to prevent prostitution
- you could also talk about mary carpenter, who was prominent after the indian mutiny, who advanced female education
- in 1868, she set up training colleges for indian women
attitudes of cecil rhodes to britain and africa
1877 - claimed that being british was the finest race in the world - immense superiority
- thought that british civilisation and control were key to world development
- he claimed it was a duty for the western sphere to dominate africa, and spread this idea of superiority and power
- it was a duty for the british to exert power all the way from north africa, down to the tip of southern africa (cape to cairo)
- he desired this idea of imperial domination to further the interests of humanity, with britain being a ‘master race’
- deemed britain as a ‘better nation’ and felt the need to spread this and help the other people in society
- wanted to bring boer republics (OFS and transvaal) into a south african federation
actions of cecil rhodes and his positions, split into 1857-1890, and 1890 onwards
- 1888 = creation of de beers mining corporation
- 1889 = formed the british south africa company
- 1890 = entered a partnership with a diamond syndicate to gain a monopoly
POST 1890
- 1890-1896 = PM of the cape colony, resigned after jameson raid
- 1890 = sends settlers to form fort sailsbury (this was the hand of the shona people)
- 1895 = rhodesia is created by the zambezi river
- 1902 = introduction of the rhodes scholarship with oxford university
actions and role of william mackinnon
- worked under the IBEAC in 1888, to help form the lunatic line (ie the mackinnon-sclater road in 1890)
- he also worked under the east african scottish mission, who in 1891, created a missionary institution in south africa (civilising and economic role)
what did william mackinnon establish
1856 = founded the calcutta and burma steam navigation company, which was ultimately dominant in zanzibar, india and east africa
1888 = formed the imperial british east africa company
1891 = formed the east african scottish mission
- this undertook missions in kibweze and later into dagoretti
how could missionary activity be argued to be beneficial and NOT beneficial to local individuals
beneficial:
typically, work was set up for these local individuals, giving them opportunities to work on farms etc
- native individuals were offered educational opportunities
not beneficial:
- missionaries would face extensive resistance from local people, who did not accept their attempt to impose christianity
- this would delay the imperial mission, because the british needed to fix imperial relations first + had no legitimacy
(ie 1880 anglican church missionary society clash with other missionary societies)
- this displays how often people were fighting the same practices and there was no unity about how to best achieve cohesive and stable rule
describe the work and positions of alfred milner
- 1910 = formed the Round Table imperial pressure group
describe the work and positions of lugard
- was a representative of the IBEAC, and signed the heligoland-zanzibar treaty so that uganda was under a british sphere of influence in 1890
- 1897 = created a native force to protect nigeria from french agression, and then created the WAFF, which ended when french aggression ended
- high commissioner of nigeria from 1900-1906, and governor of south nigeria from 1912
1907-1912 = became governor of hong kong
when was goldie’s charter rejected
- rejected in 1881
- he reformed it in 1882, and got support from lib dems in government to sponsor (idea of upper classes benefitting because of access to gov links)
actions of joseph chamberlain
- opposed irish home rule w gladstone (despite being liberal)
- commissioned lugard to create the WAFF (defence of colonies - avoid threats from french)
- initiated the uganda railway construction of 1896
- condemned the conquest and annexation of ashantiland into gold coast (no needless expansion)
- supported territories being included in the RNC
- was involved in the 1896 jameson raid, but was later excused
- supported the SBW and supported colonial expansion / south africa becoming a colony
- proposed colonial conferences in 1887 + 1897 to promote an ‘insular empire’ of imperial defence + customs union
- 1906 = tried to run for PM - failed to convince public over ideas of imperial preference
actions of northey
- was stationed in africa
- formed the 1919 solider settlement scheme to promote migration
herbert samuel
- high commissioner in palestine when the british took the mandate by 1920
- he attempted to promote a representative government of reconciliation between arabs and jews and ensure they both have influence over government policy
- ethnic and religious tensions caused these relations to breakdown
evelyn baring actions / positions pre-1890
1877 - helped pasha out with local financing
1882 - became a consul of egypt (until 1907)
- approved the dufferin report to have a puppet parliament w no power and would entrench british supervision
- led over a veiled protectorate with indian administrators also leading over britain
- he installed the 1885 convention of london to secure international loans and entrench british rule
- he led indirectly through government advisers
nature of the actions of colonial administrators
- often tempted by opportunities to quickly acquire land and influence
- more independent in the nature of decision making
- extensive discretion
- start out as explorers or traders and end up in positions of power
evelyn baring actions post 1890 in egypt
- continued as consul-general of egypt until 1907 (replaced by gorst)
- imposed the granville doctrine
- he enforced the veiled protectorate of placing british people in key positions of power
- baring disbanded the egyptian army to 2/3 of its size due to a lack of trust
- he placed more emphasis on the need for a civilising mission to ‘earn self government’
- he attempted to stop the arab slave trade, he would stop slave labour, stop whips as punishments, stop gambling etc)
- however, he dealt with denshawai badly and was forced to resign
- he was awarded 50,000 for his work in egypt in 1907
*look at flashcards of egypt policy from 1882 (ie irrigation, economic projects army, politics etc)
actions of wolseley
- fought in the anglo-egyptian war of the 1880s
- led the defeat against pasha at tel-el-kebir
- led the british to retake cairo
actions of bartle frere 1857-1890
- member of the indian civil service + crushed the mutiny
- member of viceroy council in calcutta
- governor of bombay from 1867-1877
- 1877 - becomes high commissioner and governor of cape colony
- he led a planned conferderation of soutern africa (ie cape colony with transvaal) in order to protect the griqua people
- key figure in the anglo-zulu war of 1879 because of attempted conferderation - failed at isandhlwana in 1879 and was controversial in britain
- removed by gladstone in 1880 (bc gladstone doesn’t promote needless expansion)
political positions of joseph chamberlain
- colonial secretary from 1895-1903
- was in a conservative led government (would promote ideas of expansion) - attempted to run for PM in 1903 and later in 1906 but failed (preferred by balfour)
chamberlain’s ideas of imperial preference
- reformation of tariffs and impose more protectionist economic policies
- this would give colonies imperial preference and access to the british market, of which this economic choice would encourage them to remain in empire / recognise its benefits
- a tariff reform league was imposed to distribute chamberlain’s ideas of imperial preference (the idea ultimately failed - but had long-term impact in ottawa)
- imperial preference would fuel trade within empire and boost the domestic economy, reduce unemployment
chamberlain’s imperial values
- bonds of empire must be preserved to maintain empire - notion of cohesion and emphasis on imperial unity
- britain can only be a world power if it has a good relationship with colonies
- believed in strong relationships with white settler colonies (ultimately have more political influence)
- wanted an insular and exclusive empire to reinforce the ‘pride’ of being in empire
- promoted colonial development = must invest into less economically prosperous regions = economic development = will support the british
- imperial duty - purpose of colonisation is to fulfill this duty to help develop less developed regions
actions of chamberlain in south africa / SBW
- asserted the need for military intervention to assert british power
- refused an international conference with kruger - pushing SA closer to germans
- constistently demand uitlander rights in 5 years, not 7 - impatience and refusal to compromise
- demanded that the boers must concede
- forced the cabinet between losing SA + war - binary approach - ultimately starts SBW without cabinet approval (ie no support from lansdowne)
- refusal to be patient - rest of the cabinet emphasised the need for patience to rebuild relations
- chamberlain ordered troops into natal
- attempt to repeal alien immigration law (political interference)
- chamberlain wanted to distract the jameson inquiry into him - so he pushed for urgency in SBW + negotiations to distract parliament (reputation focused)
- failed to think about alternate - thought SBW would be short to restore reputation
granville doctrine
- notion passed by baring that would allow him to dismiss egyptian ministers who refused to accept british directives
- adopted post 1882 dufferin report
nationalism in egypt from 1892
- tewfiq died and so hilmi came into power
- hilmi was a key nationalist, who baring forced to submit to the british
views and political morals of baring
- emphasis on civilising mission and this need for morality
- thought that imposing christianity would be the only way to impose stability of imperialism for it to be long lasting
- egypt was a battle ground between islam and christianity, and that islamic values were undermining the evolution of modern egypt
actions of kitchner
- parliament refuse to give him 30,000 pounds for his work in SA
- scorched earth policy in SBW
