The Age of Imperialism Flashcards
Were King Leopold II’s imperialistic intentions valid?
No, he did not perform his primary purpose, instead he exploited Africans for economic gain in Belgium.
How did European technology advance imperialism?
It gave Europeans weapons and transportation.
What was the purpose of the Berlin conference?
The purpose of the conference was to set laws for the division of Africa.
How was the struggle for land in the Boer War different from other takeovers?
This war was between two European nations, which is unusual.
Why did the Europeans control such a small portion of Africa in the 1800s?
They took control of such a small portion because they didn’t have much interest in Africa yet. They didn’t know about the gold in their soil yet.
What were some of the internal factors that contributed to imperialism in Africa?
Some internal factors that contributed to imperialism were that the Africans wanted land from each other.
Why did the Boers and the British fight over southern Africa?
The Boers and British fought because they found out about the gold in the soil.
What can you infer about the European’s attitude toward Africans from the Berlin conference?
They saw themselves as culturally advanced and civilized.
Why do you think Africans weren’t interested in buying European products?
They weren’t interested in buying their products because they believed that they were better.
imperialism
a policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries politically, economically, or socially
racism
the belief that one race is superior to others
Social Darwinism
the application of Charles Darwin’s ideas about evolution and “survival of the fittest” to human societies - particularly as justification for imperialist expansion.
Berlin Conference
a meeting in 1884-1885 at which representatives of European nations agreed upon rules for the European colonization of Africa.
Shaka
founder of the Zulu Empire; he reorganized the army and introduced new fighting tactics; he subdued neighboring peoples, consolidating an empire that encompassed most of southern Africa.
Boer
a Dutch colonist in South Africa.
Boer War
a conflict, lasting from 1899-1902, in which the Boers and the British fought for control over territory in south Africa
Were there differences between direct control and indirect control of the colonies in Africa?
Yes, direct control didn’t allow colonies to self-rule and maintain local rules, indirect control did.
Which forms of imperialistic control did Britain use in Nigeria?
Colony, economic imperialism, and protectorate.
Why do you think that Ethiopia was the only African country to resist European imperialism?
Ethiopia had a very strong leader, who built up arms and put European nations against each other.
Why were African resistance movements, such as those carried out by the Ashanti, usually unsuccessful?
They were usually unsuccessful because the Europeans had better weapons.
How did colonial rule cause a breakdown in traditional African culture?
Traditional authority was replaced, and society was undermined by contempt for traditional culture.
How was the policy of paternalism like Social Darwinism?
It’s similar because the British thought the Africans were unfit to rule a country, and that only Europeans could.
paternalism
a policy of treating subject people as if they were children, providing for their needs but not giving them rights.
assimilation
a policy in which a nation forces or encourages a subject people to adopt its institutions and customs.
