Western Imperialism
Beginning in 1880, there was a growing desire for European countries to expand and control their rule. The only continent at that time that was left uncontrolled and, in the European's eyes uncivilized, was Africa. This was the start of Western Imperialism. All European countries wanted their piece of Africa and to get it, they would let nothing stand in their way. They would change the entire government, religion, market, and behavior of most of the African nation and affect almost every person living there.
In the 1500s to 1967, European Imperialism had a giant negative impact on Africa. They caused many social and economic issues mainly in South Africa, Congo, and West Africa. This rivalry that was created with the Europeans from imperialism caused the Africa to have no way of developing and competing with the rest of the world.
By altering the perspectives of West Africans, it created two major problems. The indigenous man believes he is behind the rest of the world and must assimilate, and the colonizer becomes the ultimate goal of the colonized man. This is an imagined state of inferiority. Europeans have to power to influence one another and the one’s they colonize. Europeans provided a “need” for industrialization that was not relevant to African life. In order to legitimize industrialization, Europeans played on the ego’s of the ambitious. Marketing an ideal that Africans could be just as successful as the Europeans. Aimé Cesaire says, “No human contact, but relations of domination and submission which turn the colonizing man into a classroom monitor, an army sergeant, a prison guard, a slave driver, and the indigenous man into an instrument of production”. (Cesaire, 50) The colonized man no longer needs the colonizer, he must perpetrate their principles. Some West Africans will now take on the role as exploiters in order to gain approval. This type of Laborer becomes the sub-oppressor. West African citizens are split into bourgeoisie and impoverished. The bourgeoisie believe that they have reach success by becoming educated in Europe and must come back and help their homeland, when in actuality they begin to harm their home rather than help. By believing that the colonizer has better schooling, opportunity or knowledge, they devalue those
In the 1400’s Europeans colonized in Africa because they wanted to claim the land in Africa for their king. The more land a country had the more powerful they were. Also, some of the land contained gold and other precious metals, which added to the need of have that land. When the Europeans came, they basically kicked the Africans out of their home. The europeans took way too many of africa’s resources. THe europeans came also to spread awareness for different religions. The europeans
Imperialism DBQ
Throughout American History the U.S. has sought to expand its boundaries. This need increased greatly during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century with the start of the industrial revolution. This Expansion was a big departure from earlier attempts to expand the boundaries of the U.S. The needed for Natural resources forced the U.S to look for places that could supply them with the natural resources they needed and markets where they could sell their goods in.
Imperialism
"Imperialism - the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas; broadly: the extension or imposition of power, authority, or influence"
According to Webster's dictionary's definition of "imperialism", a nation is
not truly imperialistic until it has controlled another territory through political or economic aspects or directly annexed the land. There were many steps in the history of Rome, which lead her down the road of becoming an imperialistic nation. Rome's dealings with the Mamertines, Hiero, and Carthage in Sicily around 264 BC would lead to the First Punic War, and thus lead Rome down the path of Imperialism. The Romans actions in that war were in fact not Imperialistic at all, but in the wars that would ensue with Carthage Rome would begin to develop a sense that Rome was the destined ruler of the world (Frank, 238). Not until the Third Punic War had Rome truly committed an act of Imperialism, when she destroyed the kingdom of Carthage for her benefit without a just cause.
‘Examine the Causes of European Imperialism After 1870’
European control and power over other nations was not a new ideal prior to 1870; in fact the process was in place as early as the 14th century. Disease and geography are only two of the factors that prevented European colonisation until the 19th century. Many factors led to the massive rise in imperialism after 1870, both internal and external.
European imperialism stems from the capitalistic greed for cheap raw materials, advantageous markets, and good investments.
Imperialism played a substantial role in the Spanish-American war. Imperialism is the policy of extending a country 's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. As a result of the Spanish-American war the United States emerged as a world power. The United States gained possession of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. The United States was imperialistic in order to gain more military strength, gain raw materials for economic advancement, and achieve manifest destiny.
Nationalism was a prevalent ideology worldwide by the late 1800s, and as the industrial revolution allowed the United States to emerge as a world power at this time, there was an urge to compete with Europe in territory as well as technology. In the late 19th to early 20th century, “empire-building” allowed for U.S. capitalistic expansion, thinly veiled by nationalistic rhetoric of “the white man’s burden” and a moral necessity to extend American culture to “inferior” races. The discourse of imperialism necessitated an American national identity, which revolved around the virtues of capitalism and democracy, expressions of masculinity, and the supremacy of the white race.
During the late 19th and 20th century, the United States pursues an aggressive policy of expansionism, extending its political, military, and economic influence across the globe. The events during this ‘age of imperialism’ laid the foundation for America’s international power while simultaneously defining the use of the these powers. The policy that the United States implemented at this time is known as Big Stick Diplomacy which was to speak softly but carry a big stick. This meant that the United States would ask for something or take a stance on an issue and if another nation refused or went against the United States, then the military would be summoned to ‘resolve’ the issues. This domineering foreign policy defined the politics of American Imperialism that was especially prevalent from 1890-1913.