Unit 6: Consequences of Industrialization (c. 1750–1900) Flashcards
Social Darwinism
A distortion of Darwin’s evolutionary theory applied to human societies. Europeans used it to justify imperialism, claiming superiority of white, industrialized nations.
Event: Used in British imperial rhetoric during the Scramble for Africa.
📝 Use to show how ideology was used to rationalize conquest and exploitation
White Man’s Burden
A poem by Rudyard Kipling (1899) promoting the idea that it was Europeans’ duty to “civilize” colonized peoples. Used as moral justification for empire.
Event: Published during the U.S. occupation of the Philippines, illustrating imperial ideology.
British Raj
The period of direct British rule in India (1858–1947) following the collapse of the Mughal Empire and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Shows how industrial powers consolidated colonial control.
Event: Queen Victoria declared Empress of India (1876), formalizing British dominion
Indian Rebellion of 1857
Also called the Sepoy Rebellion, it was a widespread but ultimately unsuccessful revolt against the British East India Company. Sparked by religious tensions and cultural imposition.
Event: Led to the dissolution of the East India Company and transition to direct crown rule.
📝 Use to show indigenous resistance and imperial transition.
Zulu Kingdom
A powerful South African kingdom under Shaka Zulu, known for its military innovation and resistance to colonial encroachment.
Event: Anglo-Zulu War (1879) – The British eventually defeated the Zulu, ending their independence.
Xhosa Cattle-Killing Movement
(1856–1857)
A millenarian movement among the Xhosa people in South Africa. A girl claimed that slaughtering cattle would bring back ancestors to expel the British. It led to famine and death.
📝 Use as an example of spiritual resistance and the devastating impact of colonization
Mahdist Revolt
(1881–1898)
Islamic rebellion in Sudan led by Muhammad Ahmad, who claimed to be the Mahdi (a messianic figure). Aimed to expel Egyptian and British rule.
Event: Battle of Omdurman (1898) – British used machine guns to crush the Mahdists
Economic Imperialism
Domination of less-developed nations through control of trade and investment rather than direct rule.
Event: Britain’s informal empire in Latin America — e.g., controlling Argentina’s meat exports and railroads.
Opium Wars
(1839–42, 1856–60)
Conflicts between Britain and Qing China over British opium sales and trade imbalance. Led to China’s “Century of Humiliation.”
Event: Treaty of Nanjing (1842) – China ceded Hong Kong and opened treaty ports. Led to the fall of the Qing empire
Treaty of Nanjing
(1842)
Ended the First Opium War. Forced China to cede Hong Kong, open ports to British trade, and grant extraterritoriality. Signaled Western dominance over Qing China.
Scramble for Africa
Rapid colonization of Africa by European powers during the late 19th century, driven by raw materials, nationalism, and economic competition.
Event: Berlin Conference (1884–85) – European nations divided Africa with no African input
Leopold II and the Congo Free State
Belgian king who privately owned the Congo and profited from rubber extraction using brutal forced labor.
Event: At least 10 million Congolese died under his rule; exposed by journalists like E.D. Morel.
📝 Use as evidence of imperial brutality and exploitation.
Meiji Restoration
(1868)
Japan’s political revolution that ended the Tokugawa Shogunate and restored the emperor. Prompted rapid industrialization, centralization, and Western-style reforms to avoid colonization.
Event: Charter Oath (1868) – Declared Japan’s path to modernization
Self-Strengthening Movement (China)
A Qing-era reform effort (1860s–90s) that aimed to modernize China’s military and industry while preserving Confucian values.
Event: Partially implemented but failed to stop foreign domination
Taiping Rebellion
(1850–1864)
Massive Chinese civil war led by a messianic leader claiming to be Jesus’s brother. Sought radical reforms and weakened the Qing Dynasty.
Event: Over 20 million died; Qing survived only with Western aid.
📝 Use to show internal threats and Qing vulnerability to imperialism.
Indentured Servitude
Contract labor system where migrants worked for years in exchange for passage. Often replaced enslaved labor after abolition.
Event: Indian and Chinese laborers migrated to Caribbean, Africa, and Southeast Asia (1830s–1900s).
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882
U.S. federal law that banned Chinese immigration due to labor competition and racism. Shows xenophobia and backlash to global migration.
Diaspora Communities
Groups of migrants maintaining cultural identity abroad. Chinese, Indian, Irish, and Lebanese diasporas grew during this period.
Event: Chinatowns in Southeast Asia and North America formed as cultural enclaves.
Ethnic Enclaves
Neighborhoods or communities where migrants concentrated and preserved their culture. Sometimes faced discrimination, but also built networks of mutual support.
📝 Use to show the social impacts of industrial-age migration
Environmental Consequences of Empire
Imperial agriculture and mining practices led to deforestation, soil depletion, and biodiversity loss.
Event: Brazil’s Amazon rubber boom (1879–1912) caused deforestation and Indigenous displacement.
