Section 2 (1890-1914)

Question 1

What were the main reasons for British consolidation in Africa in 1890-1914?

Answer 1

• To uphold British colonies in Africa
• To provide better security to pre-existing ports, markets and resources
• New territories were taken in order to stop the advance of Imperialist European powers
• Britain had to officially claim land to show ‘effective occupation’ due to the terms of the Berlin conference
• Attitudes In Britain changed during this time and the Conservative government was determined to uphold Britain’s position in the world

Question 2

What new African colonies did Britain acquire by treaties?

Answer 2

• Nigeria: 1890 agreement with the French
• Zanzibar: 1890 agreement with Germany
• Uganda: In 1890, King Mwarga handed over power to the British East African company
• Sudan: 1899 British-Egyptian agreement established Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Question 3

What new African colonies did Britain acquire by intimidation?

Answer 3

• Zanzibar: In 1896 a Naval bombardment of the Royal palace forced the Sultan to stand down who was then replaced by a pro-British sultan
• Somaliland: The area was reinforced with troops to intimidate the French and Italians in 1898 (Fashoda Incident)and it worked
• Uganda: The Ugandan railway was used to consolidate the British power and presence in Uganda, marking the official takeover

Question 4

How did the British gain new African colonies using war?

Answer 4

• Ashantiland: The Fourth Anglo-Ashanti War In 1896 led to Britain conquering the territories and forcing the king (Prepeh) off of the Throne. Formal annexation occurred in 1900
• Kenya: Kenya has been in Britain’s sphere of influence. An uprising in 1895 was crushed and led to Kenya becoming a protectorate
• Sudan: Kitichener invades and conquers the whole of Sudan by 1898

Question 5

What were the main causes of the Second Boer War in 1899?

Answer 5

• Britain sought the unification of the whole of South Africa, but the Boers were fiercely independent
• The diamond rush of 1886 saw a large influx of new British settlers who were dubbed Uitlanders
• Kruger’s Boer Government In the Boer republics put restrictions on the Uitlander’s political freedoms to favour the Boers
• Chamberlin and others in the Colonial office wanted to push on with unification and so encouraged Uitlander discontent
• The British encouraged the Jameson Raid In 1895/6 in the hopes that it would start an uprising, however it failed miserably
• Following The Jameson raid, there was an uneasy peace in South Africa and the Boers were starting to arm themselves as the British sent reinforcements to a South Africa
• Eventually, the Boers were convinced that they had to keep their independence by force
• This ultimately led them to launch a preemptive armed attack against the British in October 1899, kickstarting the war

Question 6

How did the Boer War pan out?

Answer 6

• The Boers started out very successfully winning many battles and inflicting losses on the British
• The British hit back with heavy reinforcements and were able to annex the Transvaal in September 1900
• Towards the end of the war, the Boers started to use Guerrilla tactics which were very effective
• The British responded by employing a ‘Scorched Earth Policy’ and by setting up concentration camps

Question 7

What were the main Consequences of the Boer war on Britain?

Answer 7

• 22,000 soldiers died and the war cost £217m
• The war highlighted Britain’s need for ‘National efficiency’ as the vast majority of the troops were unfit and not healthy
• It promoted Britain to form alliances around the world

Question 8

What were the main consequences of the Boer war for South Africa?

Answer 8

• The Boer republics were given self-governance and free elections
• In 1909, all of South Africa united and fought for Britain in WW1

Question 9

What were the main consequences of the Boer war for the Empire?

Answer 9

• The war encouraged short lived rebellions around Africa between 1902 and 1914
• The war Highlighted the strain that wars put on the empire’s troops as many colonies were left undefended as their troops were moved out to South Africa
• Only The Conservatives remained pro-imperialist

Question 10

What were British international relations like pre 1890?

Answer 10

• In the early and Mid 19th Century, Russia had been seen as the main threat to Britain and British interests, particularly India e.g. in Afghanistan
• In 1871, Germany Unified and started to compete with Britain economically and militarily
• France wanted to assert its rightful place and so established a foothold in Indochina in the 1860s. Britain responded by annexing territories in Indochina such as Malaya, Burma and Borneo
• Alliances occurred in the late 19th Century: Germany, Italy and Austria Hungary in 1882 and France and Russia in 1894

Question 11

What was ‘Splendid Isolationism’?

Answer 11

British Isolationism from major world conflicts. It was viewed as a choice and was celebrated as being a great sense of freedom and liberty

Question 12

What were British and Russian relations like before 1907?

Answer 12

• Afghanistan was a point of conflict between Britain and Russia, as Britain saw Russian occupation of Afghanistan as a threat to India
• In 1900, Russia mobilised 300k troops to Afghanistan, and Britain only had 100k protecting Northern India as they were stretched by the Boer War
• Russia also increased its Naval presence in Toulon on the Mediterranean after Naval agreements with France in 1892. The British saw this as a threat to the Suez Canal, and so India

Question 13

What was the Fashoda incident in 1898?

Answer 13

• Kitchener received orders to invade the area of Fashoda in Sudan where there was a French presence
• The opposing British and French generals each asserted their Nation’s claim on the area, accusing the other of trespassing
• The press blew the incident out of proportion and suggested that the two nations were on the Brink of war
• Eventually The French rescinded their claim as they were aware of the large British Army presence in Sudan and had internal problems in France

Question 14

Why did the British abandon splendid Isolationism?

Answer 14

• European alliances were forming around them which left them in an uneasy and vulnerable position
• Britain was being rivalled by Germany who made alliances with the Ottomans, Italians and Austro Hungarians
• Britain joined the Triple Entente in 1907 to settle their concerns which in turn ended their policy of splendid Isolationism

Question 15

What was the Moroccan crisis of 1905?

Answer 15

• The Kaiser visited Morocco and declared it a free and independent state, which in turn threatened Britain’s commitment to France
• The incident increased tensions between France and Germany

Question 16

What was the Second Moroccan crisis of 1911?

Answer 16

• The French sent 20,000 troops to crush a Moroccan rebellion in Fez
• The Kaiser sent a German Warship to prevent a French Invasion of Agadir
• The British were fearful that the Kaiser was going to threaten Gibraltar and so prepared the Royal Navy for War
• The Kaiser gave way and Ordered the warship to go home

Question 17

By 1914, what was the view of the Conservatives towards imperialism?

Answer 17

• The Conservatives won the ‘khaki election’ during the Boer war
• The Conservatives aligned themselves as being the party of imperialists
• The Conservatives sought a stronger, united and more expansive empire
• Salisbury (PM 3 times between 1885 and 1902) was a moderate imperialist, however many in the party were more ardent

Question 18

What were the attitudes of the Liberals and Labour to imperialism up to 1914?

Answer 18

Liberals: Sought ‘education’ of the colonies and greater home rule but still supported empire

Labour: Freedom ‘through’ empire, not from empire

Question 19

Why did John A. Hobson criticise empire?

Answer 19

• He believed that the sole purpose of empire and imperial expansion was to find new markets and new opportunities for the rich in Britain
• He believed that the powerful capitalists were the ones who were able to shape government policy to be more pro imperialism
• An example he gave was the Boer War which he saw as being fought to secure gold resources in South Africa for rich mining entrepreneurs and their mining interests

Question 20

How did Emily Hobhouse help challenge imperialism?

Answer 20

• In 1901, Hobhouse published a report into the conditions of concentration camps used by the British during the Boer War
• This conduct attracted considerable criticism from Liberal and Irish MPs and led to a government enquiry into the conditions of the camps

Question 21

Why did many in Britain see a need for national efficiency?

Answer 21

• During the Boer War, 40% of all recruits were deemed unfit for service and were turned away
• Poor diet and living conditions had weakened Britain’s manpower
• Poor and weak populations were a threat to both Britain’s imperial supremacy and its industrial strength

Question 22

What were some measures taken to improve national efficiency?

Answer 22

• 1902 Education Act saw the introduction of secondary schools
• The modernisation of the Royal Navy with the introduction of new dreadnoughts in 1906
• The creation of Imperial College In 1907
• Spate of Liberal social reforms:
  
  • Free school meals 1906
  • School medical inspections 1907
  • Children’s welfare charter 1908
  • Old age pensions 1908
  • Trade boards act 1909
  • Unemployment and health insurance 1911, providing free medical treatment

Question 23

What was the popular press like towards imperialism by 1914?

Answer 23

• In 1896, Alfred Harmsworth pioneered the production of the Daily Mail
• The Daily Mail promoted imperialism and filled its pages with great accounts of war especially during the Boer War when they praised the heroism of the British troops
• Hobson criticised the Daily Mail in 1902 for Being ‘crude sensationalism’

Question 24

What were the main events in British interest in Egypt and the Sudan?

Answer 24

1860: The British have a policy of non-interest towards Egypt and leave it to the Ottomans

1863-1879: During the Egyptian debt crisis of 1875, the Egyptian ruler sought economic advice from the French and British

1869: The Suez Canal opens

1878-1882: French and British financial experts take dual economic control over Egypt’s economy

1882: Mahdist revolts leave 50 Europeans dead, prompting the British Government to launch a full occupation of Egypt, ending dual control
1884: The British order the withdrawal of Egyptian troops from Sudan, resulting in British humiliation at the siege of Khartoum and the death of Colonel Gordon
1898: The Fashoda incident results in the French withdrawing from Sudan, leaving both Egypt and Sudan under British control

Question 25

What were the main hindrances to British rule in Egypt:

Answer 25

The Capitulations:

• Any new Egyptian law that affected Europeans had to be agreed on by all governments represented in Egypt.
• This slowed down lawmaking

The Caisse de la Dette:

• Major European powers controlled Egypt’s finances
• The Caisse could stop Britain from spending Egyptian money how they pleased. E.g. The French and Russians refused to allow Kitchener’s conquest of Sudan to be Financed

Mixed Courts:

• Set up to deal with cases involving both Egyptian and Europeans
• Presided over by both European and Egyptian judges
• The Judges in these courts were not always favourable to the British cause

Question 26

What was Evelyn Baring’s role in Egypt?

Answer 26

• He acted as the advisor to the Khedive and was the British Consul General
• He made efforts to relive Egypt’s £70m of debt by cutting back Bureaucracy and by investing in communications and irrigation in Egypt to try and boost their economy. These efforts helped Egypt to enjoy new found prosperity
• Baring reformed Egypt’s Army by placing 6000 British troops in it to ensure that their interests were not jeopardised in the Suez region
• Baring was wary of improving education too much, as he had seen what educated Indians did. Therefore, Egyptians were only offered a few years of primary education

Question 27

Why did Egyptian Nationalism grow at the end of the 19th Century?

Answer 27

• The British did little to help Egyptian people, they only sough cotton for their Lancashire mills
• There were no real opportunities for educated Egyptians, and there was a growing middle class
• Egyptians appeared even less likely to rule their own affairs, and the Khedive was corrupt
• The Nationalist Party (al-Hizb al-Watani) was formed in 1881 and was revived in 1893
  
  • The party sought an end to British occupation
  • The party was ignored by Baring
  • The 1906 Denshwai incident added to the nationalist discontent

Question 28

What were some problems that Britain faced in Sudan?

Answer 28

• It took the British more than 30 years to subdue the tribes in the South of Sudan
• The British attempted to create a modern government, establish a penal code, taxes and land denture for the Sudanese people. However, many refused to pay taxes resulting in the British bringing down the heavy hand of the law
• 33 punitive expeditions were launched to force tribesmen to accept order
• There were numerous Mahdist revolts between 1900 and 1905, with the British responding with public hangings without a trial

Question 29

What were some aspects of Indian rule that helped to consolidate British control in India?

Answer 29

• British officials continued to enjoy unrestrained power
• The British were able to maintain their rule through both collaboration and ‘divide and rule’
• Viceroy Curzon made many reforms to make India more stable e.g. the introduction of the Gold Standard
• These developments required more British intervention in India
• The British had effective collaboration with the Native population
• There was Indian representation on provincial councils who endorsed British dominance
• Many educated Indians saw the British as the way forward

Question 30

What were some aspects of Indian rule that wakened British rule?

Answer 30

• There were strict limitations to the size of the civil service, causing there to be only 3-4 officials per Indian district
• The Indian National Congress became increasingly critical of British rule e.g. critical of the taxes imposed by Britain
• There was increasing pressure from humanitarian groups to reform British rule in India
• There was an ill-fated attempt to Partition Bengal which was seen as an attack on traditional boundaries and stirred tensions
• The All Indian Muslim League was formed in 1906

Question 31

What were the Morley Minto reforms of 1909?

Answer 31

• They were an introduction of limited reforms to try and appease the Bengals
• In 1909, the Indian Council act allows 27 Indians to be elected to the Viceroy’s council to advise him when making laws
• In 1910 there were more similar reforms that allowed Indians to secure 135 seats across the sub continent and play a role in decision making on a provincial level

Question 32

What was the partition of Bengal in 1905?

Answer 32

• Curzon decides that Bengal should be divided into two separate provinces: a Muslim majority state in the East, and a Hindu majority state in the West
• The partition caused uproar amongst the Hindu Elite in West Bengal, many of whom owned land in East Bengal
• The Hindus saw the partition as payback for criticisms of the British, and so organised boycotts of British made goods
• Former president of the Indian Congress Surendranath Banerjee led the new campaigns of strident nationalism
• The even split between extremists and moderates in the Indian Congress helped to bring about Curzon’s resignation in 1905

Question 33

What was the main consequence of the partition of Bengal?

Answer 33

• The Muslim elite, supporters of the partition, founded the All Indian Muslim League In 1906 to safeguard the rights of Indian Muslims and favoured British rule
• The Hindu Muslim divide was used to justify the partition and British control. Further protests occurred and the two provinces were reunited in 1911
• In 1913, the All Indian Muslim League adopted Indian self-Government as its main goal

Question 34

What was the main role of Joseph Chamberlin in relation to colonial expansion?

Answer 34

• He believed that effective use of the empire could sustain British prosperity and prestige
• Supported ‘colonial development’ and argued for greater investment in poorer parts of the empire, not only to improve trade, but also because he had a sense of imperial duty
• Supported Imperial preference as he believed that it would benefit Britain and reduce unemployment, however he failed to implement it

-Most notably initiated the Ugandan railway and supervised the integration of the territories of the royal Niger company into formal British colonies

Question 35

What was the significance of Cecil Rhodes in relation to colonial expansion?

Answer 35

• Led the consolidation of Rhodesia
• Was a key figure in the Jameson raid (was the Prime Minister of Cape Colony from 1890-96)
• Hoped for a rail line from Cairo to Cape Town
• Strong believer of the full consolidation of all of Africa as he believed that it was the duty of White Europeans to dominate and rule over Africans
• Often led the way for British colonisation in Africa through his business expansion

Question 36

What role did Evelyn Baring play in increasing colonial expansion?

Answer 36

• Created a veiled protectorate in Egypt
• Set up a new Egyptian Army much like the Indian one
• Wanted to reform Egypt and create a more open and westernised society, by doing things such as banning slavery and improving education
• Believed in creating colonial states based off Christian morality
• Wanted to reform states and give them independence when they had earned and learned self governance
• The Denshwai incident of 1906 created controversy

Question 37

What role did George Curzon play in increasing colonial expansion?

Answer 37

• Created the North West Frontier province in 1901 due to a concern about Russian expansion
• Introduced policies to strengthen British India
• Gave Indians more of a say in their affairs
• Partitioned Bengal In 1905 which backfired and led to his downfall

-Like many other imperialists believed in the moral imperial duty to colonise the world