..."Was the ‘Scramble for Africa’ typical of the way Britain pursued imperial expansion from 1800-1900?" During the period 1800-1900, Britain rapidly expanded its formal Empire to occupy an area of 4 million square miles. However, there is no simple elucidation as to the exact factor that motivated the British to pursue imperial expansion – rather, there are several aspects to consider. The ‘Scramble for Africa’ was part of the ‘New Imperialism’ period, an era of colonial expansion involving the major powers of the World: European Powers, the Empire of Japan, and The United States of America – and involved new concepts and ideologies that made it different from the way Britain usually pursued imperial expansion. Britain was the first country to majorly expand in terms of new technologies, known as the period of the Industrial Revolution, and thus along with this came economic power and a more threatening factor: Competition. As other countries began industrialising too, Britain had to stay dominant in the Power hierarchy, and the current global affairs sector offered a resolution – Colonisation and free trade. The first era of British Empire building (1583 – 1783) had previously had an idea of just discovering and conquering other countries, but this would soon change. From as early as 1830, the ‘New Imperial’ period began taking full effect, the major powers hunting for new sources of income, and Britain began paying more attention to its Chartered Companies (companies that...
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...by the circumstances of British industrialisation and the American Revolutionary War, which were the prime stimuli in the emergence and triumph of British abolition. The main arguments employed by British abolitionists were on religious and humanitarian grounds. These arguments were central to the campaign employed by British abolitionists. Although, their campaign’s success was reliant on the circumstances that surrounded Great Britain. As following their dismal and disgraceful defeat, by their own...
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...food to prevent famine and to hold down the price of food in the markets • Wendi’s son – Yangdi □ reform legal code ➢ milder □ examination system for entry into bureaucracy ➢ broader policy to promote scholar-gentry in administration ➢ bring scholars back to government □ unsuccessful wars against the Koreans ➢ public revolts following military losses ▪ Tang Dynasty • Following Yangdi’s death, Li Yuan (the Duke of Tang) seized power, expanded China’s boundaries dramatically, and founded the Tang dynasty. □ New capital = Changan • Bureau of Censors □ Closely monitored all officials and reported their mishaps and failings • The Tang used the scholar-gentry to create an effective bureaucracy and check the nobility’s power. □ To offset the power of the aristocracy ➢ Aristocratic families’ control over court and administration declined • Civil Examinations □ Much higher proportion of Tang bureaucrats won their positions through success in civil service examinations. □ But family connections also helped secure positions • Buddhism enjoyed a resurgence. □ Among the masses, the salvationist, pure-landstrain of Mahayana Buddhism won widespread conversions because it seemed to provide a refuge from an age of war and turmoil....
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...To what extent did the Principles governing British Foreign and Imperial Policies remain the same between 1856 and 1902? Throughout the period 1856 to 1902, the principles governing foreign and Imperial Policy saw a great change in their detail as events in this time period unfolded, however the main aims of these principles stayed the same. An example of this can be seen in the foreign policy principle based on a fear of Russia and France that gradually changed over this time period into a fear of Germany instead. The detail changed, in particular who the fear was based on, but the principle, that of a fear of other powers threatening Britain’s position, stayed the same. What also must be acknowledged when looking into the change and continuity between these principles over the time period is that they are interconnected. Thus, with the main principles being divided into four main groupings: a fear of Russia and France, the need the maintain the balance of power in Europe, the desire to extend trade and Empire and support for constitutional states, change that affected the balance of power is also linked into the fear of Russia and France turning to a fear of Germany and how they came to threaten empire and trade and so on. This must be kept in mind when analyzing how far the principles remained the same. This first Foreign and Imperial policy being based on a fear of Russia and France, did gradually change over the time period to be based more on a fear of Germany, however...
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...videos like ‘Am I wrong’ by Nico and Vinz, Africa is subject to the use and re-use of negative imagery resulting in prominent stereotypes shaping our geographical imaginations of the continent. This is a similar concept to that of orientalism explored by Edward Said (1987). This essay will argue that presumptions of the ‘real Africa’ are largely negative, discussing how ‘Africanism’ and stereotypes of the continent are heavily influenced by colonial representations of people and place arguing that these assumptions are highly compatible with Western domination and power rooted in imperial attitudes. Jan Pieterse (1992:75) recognises that Africa has been depicted as the ‘Dark Continent’ plagued by stereotypes ‘which colonialism would build on and elaborate’. Imaginaries of childlike, savage, inhumane distant others who are dependent upon Western help dominate the way in which Africa is perceived. Campbell and Power (2010) suggest that a dominant scopic regime shapes our perception of Africa through the repetitive use of colonial tropes which has become embedded in the global visual economy. These presumptions support the concept of ‘Africanism’ in which the continent is negatively homogenised and tribalised. Ferguson (2006) re-emphasises these ideas arguing that Africa is understood to be culturally, politically and economically inferior to its Western and...
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...Constantinople (1204), the empire broke up to parts and power of the centralized state sharply fell. Feudal lords started being exempted from its guardianship, and in Byzantium the feudal ancestral lands close to the West European was formed. Even after restoration of unity of the empire and return of Constantinople (1261) states hadn't any more forces to resist to sharply increased power of the feudal aristocracy. The empire was more and more split up for destinies, and functions of the government gradually passed to feudal lords. But even in the period of feudal dissociation the central power didn't lose completely the positions, because of constant military danger. Why the term feudalism in relation to Byzantium raises doubts? And why we can't tell about the Byzantine feudalism, how about primary concept of feudalism?...
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...global Empire, as it dominated international trade and production, secured by its overwhelming military power . However, earlier interactions still generated effects linking economic and political changes around the globe – these changes were different but no less transformative than those accompanying the modern globalisation . Soon after Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India (1497-1499), the Portuguese established commercial routes with pepper-trading states and opened factories across the world. Benefiting from its strong maritime power, Portugal managed to dominate the spice trade in the sixteenth century and was, according to many historians,...
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...Up until the eighteenth century, Europeans satisfied themselves with trading posts throughout the vast continents of Africa and Asia as well as brief missionary activity. However, burgeoning industrial economies and competition between nations soon gave way to new imperialism. The abundance of natural resources and significant economic opportunities in Africa made it the perfect prototype for new imperialism (Document 6). European explorers were more than eager to trek through uncharted territories and claim it for their monarchs. Meanwhile, priests believed that they carried the responsibility to educate these "savages" and spread Christianity, all in the name of the Lord. Through direct and indirect rule, European imperialism brought an...
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...was not justified in being an imperial power. The three factors that fueled the emergence of U.S. imperialism was the desire for military strength, thirsts for new markets, and belief in cultural superiority; although, these were not valid reasons for justifying their actions. Because of the Progressive Movement, there were many negative effects (i.e. overcrowding, depression, sanitary issues), but this wasn’t an excuse to cruelly take over other countries. The growth of the economy depended on exports, which was a reason why they needed to imperialize both politically and culturally to keep foreign markets open. Yellow journalism played a major role in the event because it caused a huge commotion. An example of this was when the U.S.S. Maine exploded. Despite the facts that proved Spain was innocent, the people were stubborn and...
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...We will be exploring the gunpowder weapons and how the use of these weapons changed the balance of power in warfare, transforming global history by leading to a period of dominance by Western European powers. I will be comparing European, Russian, Islamic, Chinese, and Japanese uses of gunpowder weapons and explore how these powers fit guns into their political, military, and cultural systems. One of the recurring things in history is the nature of nations and empires. Civilizations are born, reach their potential under extraordinary leaders, and over time lose their vitality and strength. The remarkable feature in this cycle is that new civilizations emerge out of there fallen leaders, regenerated by new leaders and by outside cultural influences, often resulting in cultural power. Such were the circumstances under which the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires emerged between 1300 and 1650. Coming on the heels of the Mongol and Timurid conquests in Southwest Asia and Anatolia, new Muslim dynasties began the process of extending their realms with military might enhanced by the use of gunpowder weaponry. Conquering an empire is not the same as establishing imperial authority, and the rulers of the new empires faced a monumental task in establishing an effective governing structure for their domains. Built upon the foundations of preexisting cultural ideas, the most outstanding emperors realized that the vitality of their empires required a considerable degree of toleration...
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...Second World War? Discuss in relation to the Theories of Decolonization that you have learnt about using examples. Beginning with Britain’s American colonies in 1783 and ending with the handover of Hong Kong, more than 160 colonial dependencies have become new independent states or have been fully incorporated into existing sovereign states. This notion of ‘decolonization’ was first coined in the 1930’s by Moritz Julius Bonn a leading economic expert of Weimar Germany. He believed decolonization to be the ‘transition from colonial dependency to sovereignty.’ John Springhall, supports this notion and suggests himself that “Decolonization signifies here the surrender of external political sovereignty, largely western European, over colonized non-European peoples, plus the emergence of independent territories where once West had ruled, or the transfer of power from empire to nation-state.” However, historians are yet to acquire an agreed definition of decolonization and so is often interpreted differently. For example, John Darwin suggests that “decolonization is often equated with the end of colonial rule, but this is much too narrow.” He continues to critically analysis it as the “demolition of a Europe-centred imperial order in which territorial empire was interlocked with extra-territorial rights.” This essay will aim to provide evidence that nationalism within the colonies does not provide significant explanation for the downfall of European Empires after the Second World...
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...in engendering a sound system of government capable of reversing the country’s decline. The first part of the essay will deal with the main characteristics of the Meiji restoration of 1868. The second section of the essay will outline the main features pertaining to the Chinese Revolution of 1911. The third part of the essay will examine the similarities and differences between these two events, with the ultimate purpose of determining the qualitative differentiation to be made between the concepts of “restoration” and “revolutions”. The main characteristics of the Meiji restoration of 1868 The Meiji Restoration of 1868 can be interpreted as a concatenation of events that led to the establishment of a political compact that centralized power in the...
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...emperors in west * Bad economy lets Germans in Short essay The splitting of the empire * Why do they split * Why does the west fall * How are they different in culture, language * West has bad emperors * East pays people no to invade Emergence of absolute autocracy * Augustus * Power of the emperor Who is the most important person in second triumvirate * Augustus * Sets of empire * What world did he create with reforms * Makes it seem like he is going back to old time values Dates Edict of toleration 313 AD Founding of Constantinople 330 AD Fall of western Rome (fall of the roman empire) 476 AD Start of the empire 27 BCE When Germans sacked Rome 410 CE?? Study 11-5 to present Christianity Chronology 64 First persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero 274 Birthdat of Constantine 303 Great Persecution begins and Diocletion issues edict that bans the practice of christianity 312 Constantine embraces christianity after vision 313 Edict of Milan tolerates christians 324 Constantine is sole emperor of Rome 326 Edicts of Constantine against Christian heretics 330 Constantinople "New Rome" 341 Imperial decree against the offering of pagan sacrifice s 360 Julian issues edict of toleration in favor of paganism 380 Christianity becomes state religion Christianity * Few followers at first * Many Romans were suspicious of Christians * Rome saw Christians...
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...Assess the changing significance of economics and finance in influencing Britain’s relationship with its African empire in the period c1870-c1981 Economic and financial factors played a massive influencing role with Britain in its relationship with Africa, because the benefits that Britain gained from expanding their empire into Africa were financial and territorial which allowed Britain to achieve their goal of ‘pursuit of greatness’ as there was much international rivalry. Although not all of Britain’s relationship with Africa was simply influenced by economic or financial factors, in the period of expansion 1870-1902 it may have not of just been the economical gains from expanding which was the pushing force but also Britain may have had strategic concerns in mind, they may have simply wanted to gain as much dominance within Africa as possible. Furthermore the years of 1902-1955 revealed a period of consolidation at the time where there was a lot of global conflicts going on at the time Britain’s main priority within Africa was to defend and simply keep their African empire, so it could have been a mixture of political, strategic and economic factors influencing Britain’s relationship with Africa within these particular fifty-three years. And of course lastly between 1955-1981 comes the period of contraction between Britain and Africa where the dismantling of the British colonies within Africa takes place. The period of expansion for Britain within Africa can firstly...
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...James Crarer 12EUC709 - The Russian Empire The Russian Empire Essay “In what ways did Peter the Great’s reforms transform the concept of the Empire?” Peter the Great’s reforms are widely considered to be one of the most defining moments in Russian history. Beginning as an effort to modernize the country’s military, as the era progressed the reforms expanded, instigating economic development, governmental modernization, intellectual reorientation and social reconstruction.1 The injection of European practices into Russia arguably set the precedence for the onslaught of a top down modernization that has since been a trait of Russian state development, as well as illuminating the beginning of the transition into a form of Russian modernity. The geographical historian Dennis Shaw, reiterates this by suggesting Peter exposed Russia “to the ideas of the Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution. Building on the achievements of his father, Peter launched a thoroughgoing reform or modernization of his realm with the aim of transforming it into a major European state.”2 In order to comprehend this transformation of the Russian empire, an appreciation of meaning of the term ‘empire’ is required. Stephen Howe suggests that ‘an empire is a large, composite, multiethnic or multinational political unit, usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate, sometimes far distant, peripheries.’3 While Howe’s definition provides a coherent basis from which...
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