Second Wave IMPERIALISM, Explained [AP Euro Review—Unit 7 Topic 6]

Heimler's History
6 Feb 202307:13
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThis video script explores the motivations and methods behind the second wave of European imperialism in Africa and Asia during the late 19th century. Economic factors, such as the need for raw materials and new markets during the Industrial Revolution, drove European powers to extend their political dominance. Political ambitions and the 'Scramble for Africa' among European nations also played a role. A key ideological factor was the belief in racial superiority, which justified imperialism as a 'civilizing mission'. Technological advancements in weaponry, communication, transportation, and medicine gave Europeans a significant advantage, allowing them to impose their will despite resistance from colonized peoples.

Takeaways
  • 🌊 The second wave of European imperialism focused on Africa and Asia, driven by economic, political, and racial motivations.
  • 🏭 Economic motivations stemmed from the Industrial Revolution, where Western European states needed raw materials and new markets for their manufactured goods.
  • 💰 The British Empire exemplified economic imperialism, exploiting colonies like India for raw materials and opening new markets for British textiles.
  • 🌏 Political motivations included territorial expansion and the 'Scramble for Africa', where European nations competed for African territories, leading to tensions.
  • 🚢 The British also engaged in economic imperialism in China, initially through trade imbalances, which led to the Opium Wars and forced trade agreements.
  • 🔫 Technological advancements gave Europeans a significant advantage in weaponry, including rifled barrels, conical bullets, breach-loading rifles, and machine guns.
  • 🌐 Improved communication and transportation technologies, such as the telegraph and railroads, facilitated European control and exploitation of colonies.
  • 🧬 Advances in medicine, including the discovery of quinine and germ theory, allowed Europeans to overcome diseases like malaria and maintain healthier troops.
  • 🏛️ The belief in racial superiority, influenced by social Darwinism, justified imperialism as a 'civilizing mission', bringing Western culture to 'primitive' societies.
  • 📚 Rudyard Kipling's 'White Man's Burden' reflects the European belief in their duty to 'civilize' and uplift the 'lesser' peoples of Africa and Asia.
  • 🛡️ Despite the European advantages, resistance from colonized peoples was common, though often overpowered by the superior military and technological capabilities of the colonizers.
Q & A

  • What was the surge in European imperialism around 1450 focused on?

    -The surge in European imperialism around 1450 was focused on sailing west across the Atlantic and east into the Indian Ocean.

  • What were the primary motivations for the second wave of European imperialism in Africa and Asia?

    -The primary motivations for the second wave of European imperialism in Africa and Asia were economic, political, and a belief in racial superiority.

  • How did the Industrial Revolution impact the economic motivations for imperialism?

    -The Industrial Revolution led to a need for raw materials and markets for the manufactured goods. This created a significant economic motivation for imperialism as European states sought to secure these resources and expand their markets.

  • What was the British government's approach to gaining valuable raw materials from India after the Sepoy Rebellion in 1857?

    -The British government began to exploit India to gain valuable raw materials, such as cotton, and also took advantage of the large Indian population as a market for their manufactured textiles.

  • How did the British address the trade imbalance with China?

    -Instead of creating goods that the Chinese wanted, the British began smuggling opium from India into China, leading to addiction and eventually the Opium Wars.

  • What was the outcome of the Opium Wars between Britain and China?

    -The British, along with the French in the second war, won and forcibly opened trading rights into China, giving them access to the Chinese market.

  • What was the term used to describe the political motivation behind the European scramble for African territories?

    -The term used to describe the political motivation was the 'Scramble for Africa', which led to significant tension among European states as they raced to claim territories.

  • What ideology provided the motivation for the belief in racial superiority among Europeans during imperialism?

    -Social Darwinism, a budding racialist philosophy, provided the motivation for the belief in racial superiority, suggesting that Western nations were superior due to their advanced civilizations.

  • How did Europeans justify their imperialism as a benevolent act?

    -Europeans justified their imperialism as a 'civilizing mission', believing they were bringing the glories of Western civilization to people who desperately needed it.

  • What technological advantages did Europeans have that allowed them to maintain control over their colonies?

    -Europeans had advanced weapons, new communication and transportation technology, and advances in medicine, which allowed them to conquer and maintain control over their colonies more effectively.

  • What was the significance of the discovery of quinine in the context of European imperialism in Africa?

    -The discovery of quinine, which could fend off malaria, allowed Europeans to invade the interior of Africa without fear of contracting the disease, thus expanding their imperialistic reach.

Outlines
00:00
🌍 The New Wave of European Imperialism

This paragraph introduces the resurgence of European imperialism in the 19th century, focusing on Africa and Asia. It defines imperialism as the political dominance of one country over another and outlines three primary motivations: economic, political, and a belief in racial superiority. Economically, Western European states sought raw materials and new markets for their industrial goods, exemplified by Britain's exploitation of India for resources and its trade with China, which led to the Opium Wars. Politically, the 'Scramble for Africa' saw European nations vying for territory, causing tensions. The third motivation was the belief in European racial superiority, justified by social Darwinism, which led to the 'civilizing mission' ideology. Europeans believed they were bringing progress and civilization to the colonized, as illustrated by Rudyard Kipling's 'White Man's Burden'.

05:02
🛡️ European Advantages in Imperialism

The second paragraph discusses the advantages that Europeans had over Africans and Asians during the imperialist period, which allowed them to overcome resistance. These advantages included advanced weaponry, such as rifled barrels, conical bullets, breach-loading rifles, and machine guns, which increased their military effectiveness. Improved communication and transportation technologies, like the telegraph and railroads, facilitated coordination and infrastructure development within colonies. Advances in medicine, including the use of quinine to prevent malaria and the germ theory of disease, contributed to the health and survival of European troops, giving them an edge in colonial endeavors.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Imperialism
Imperialism refers to the policy or practice of extending a nation's power and influence by gaining territories for a colonial empire or by gaining political and economic control of other areas. In the video's context, it is the driving force behind European expansion into Africa and Asia during the period discussed. The script mentions the surge in European imperialism starting in 1450 with Western European states extending their influence across the Atlantic and Indian Ocean.
💡Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period of rapid industrialization that took place during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, marked by the transition from hand production methods to machines, new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, and improved efficiency of water power and steam power. The script highlights that many Western European states were experiencing the Industrial Revolution, which contributed to their wealth and need for raw materials and markets, thus motivating imperialism.
💡Raw Materials
Raw materials are the basic resources used to produce goods. In the script, the need for raw materials like cotton, rubber, and iron is identified as a significant motivation for European imperialism. These materials were essential for the manufacturing process during the Industrial Revolution, and once domestic resources were depleted, European nations sought them in other parts of the world.
💡Markets
Markets refer to the various groups of people who are available to purchase goods and services. The script explains that as domestic markets became saturated, European nations sought to expand their influence to new territories to open up additional markets for their manufactured goods. This was a key economic motivation for imperialism.
💡Sepoy Rebellion
The Sepoy Rebellion, also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857, was a major, but ultimately unsuccessful, uprising in India against British rule, which began on the 10th of May and was suppressed by the end of 1858. The script uses the Sepoy Rebellion as a turning point when the British government took control over India, exploiting the population for raw materials and opening up a vast market for British textiles.
💡Opium Wars
The Opium Wars refer to two conflicts fought between China and Western powers in the mid-19th century over trade and the opium trade. The script describes how the British, facing a trade imbalance with China, began smuggling opium into the country, leading to the First Opium War in 1839 and eventually forcing China to open its markets to British trade.
💡Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa was the process by which European powers partitioned and colonized Africa in the late 19th century. In the script, it is mentioned as a period of intense competition among European nations, such as France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, to claim territories in Africa before others did, leading to significant tensions.
💡Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism is a theory of social organization that was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which applied Darwin's concept of natural selection to human societies. The script explains that this ideology, which suggested that certain races or cultures were naturally superior to others, provided a justification for European nations to colonize and 'civilize' less advanced societies.
💡White Man's Burden
The 'White Man's Burden' is a term that originated from a poem by Rudyard Kipling, which was interpreted as a call for white Europeans and Americans to take it upon themselves to 'civilize' the non-white peoples of the world. The script uses this term to illustrate the belief among Europeans that their imperialism was a benevolent act, bringing the 'glories of Western civilization' to others.
💡Quinine
Quinine is a medication used to treat malaria, a disease that had previously hindered European exploration into the interior of Africa. The script notes that the discovery of quinine's effectiveness against malaria allowed Europeans to penetrate African territories without fear of contracting the disease, thus facilitating their imperial ambitions.
💡Germ Theory
The germ theory of disease is the currently accepted scientific theory that explains the cause of many diseases. It states that microorganisms, or 'germs', can cause illness. The script mentions the work of French chemist Louis Pasteur, who contributed to the understanding of germs, leading to advances in medicine that helped European troops stay healthy and survive injuries during their imperial conquests.
Highlights

New wave of European imperialism focused on Africa and Asia.

Imperialism defined as one country extending political dominance over another.

Economic motivations for imperialism included the need for raw materials and new markets during the Industrial Revolution.

British exploitation of India for raw materials and new markets exemplified economic imperialism.

British colonization in Africa aimed at gaining access to resources like coal, oil, and copper.

China engaged in economic imperialism with Britain, leading to trade imbalances and the Opium Wars.

British used opium smuggling to address trade imbalances with China.

China's sluggish adaptation to the industrial world led to British military superiority in the Opium Wars.

Political motivations for imperialism included territorial claims and the 'Scramble for Africa'.

European nations competed for African territories, causing international tensions.

Belgian King Leopold's agents initiated the race to claim African territories.

Belief in racial superiority and social Darwinism motivated European imperialism.

Europeans believed they were bringing civilization to the 'uncivilized' through imperialism.

Rudyard Kipling's 'White Man's Burden' exemplified the belief in European racial superiority.

Europeans had technological advantages, including advanced weaponry, which aided in their imperial conquests.

The invention of the rifled barrel, mini ball, and breach loading rifle increased European military effectiveness.

Advances in communication and transportation, such as the telegraph and railroads, facilitated European imperialism.

European advances in medicine, including the use of quinine and germ theory, protected imperial troops.

Despite resistance, European technological and ideological advantages led to widespread imperialism.

Transcripts

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Related Tags
European ImperialismIndustrial RevolutionEconomic MotivesPolitical TensionScramble for AfricaRacial SuperioritySocial DarwinismTrade ImbalanceTechnological AdvanceMedical Progress