IDEAS that Justified IMPERIALISM [AP World History Review—Unit 6 Topic 1]

Heimler's History
18 Jan 202405:56
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video script discusses the ideologies that fueled the second wave of imperialism from 1750 to 1900, highlighting four major concepts: nationalism, which emphasized a shared identity and desire for self-rule; scientific racism, a pseudoscientific belief in racial hierarchies; social Darwinism, the application of natural selection to societal development; and the civilizing mission, a perceived duty of Western societies to bring their civilization to others. These ideologies led to the expansion of European empires and the colonization of various parts of the world.

Takeaways
  • 📚 The period from 1750 to 1900 saw a second wave of imperialism driven by new ideologies.
  • 🌍 The first wave of imperialism focused on maritime empires and colonization of the Americas.
  • 💡 Enlightenment ideas about liberty and self-governance contrasted with the imperialistic actions of European powers.
  • 🇳 Nationalism, based on shared language, religion, and customs, led to a desire for self-rule and consolidation of territories, such as Italy and Germany.
  • 🏆 Nationalism also fueled imperial rivalry, as nations sought to expand their power and status globally.
  • 🧬 Scientific racism introduced the idea of hierarchical ranking of humans based on race, justifying European imperialism and colonization.
  • 💀 Phrenology, a pseudoscience, was used to 'prove' the superiority of the white race based on skull size.
  • 🌿 Social Darwinism applied Darwin's theory of natural selection to human societies, suggesting that Western industrial societies were the 'fittest'.
  • 🏛️ The civilizing mission was the perceived duty of Western societies to bring their civilization to 'lesser' civilizations, often involving cultural assimilation.
  • 📖 The video script provides context for the ideologies that shaped the second wave of imperialism, which will be further explored in the next video.
  • 📚 The speaker also promotes an AP World History review guide for exam preparation.
Q & A

  • What was the time period discussed in the script that marked a distinct wave of imperialism?

    -The script discusses the period from 1750 to the 1900s, which marked a second and distinct wave of imperialism.

  • What were the European states focused on during the previous period mentioned in the script?

    -During the previous period, European states were focused on building maritime empires, which involved dominating the Indian Ocean trade and colonizing the Americas.

  • How did the Enlightenment influence the new wave of imperialism?

    -The Enlightenment introduced ideas about liberty and self-governance, which contradicted the imperial domination of people who did not wish to be dominated. However, these ideas also fueled nationalistic desires, leading to a new wave of imperialism.

  • What is nationalism and how did it contribute to the second wave of imperialism?

    -Nationalism is a sense of commonality among people based on shared language, religion, social customs, and often a desire for self-rule within a territory. It contributed to the second wave of imperialism by fostering a sense of unity and pride among nations, which in turn fueled imperial ventures to claim larger empires and achieve great power status.

  • What is scientific racism and how did it justify European imperialism?

    -Scientific racism is the idea that humans can be hierarchically ranked in distinct biological classes based on race. It used pseudoscience, such as phrenology, to 'prove' the superiority of the white race, thereby justifying European imperialism and colonization of other lands.

  • What is social Darwinism and how was it applied to human societies?

    -Social Darwinism is the application of Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to human societies. It suggested that Western industrial societies, being the most successful and powerful, must be the 'fittest' and therefore justified the expansion and dominance of these societies over others.

  • What is the civilizing mission and how did it influence imperialism?

    -The civilizing mission is the sense of duty Western societies felt to bring the perceived glories of their civilizations to 'lesser' civilizations. This involved converting people to Christianity, reorganizing colonial governments according to Western models, and imposing Western-style education, often with the aim of suppressing indigenous languages and cultures.

  • How did the ideologies of nationalism, scientific racism, social Darwinism, and the civilizing mission collectively contribute to the second wave of imperialism?

    -These ideologies collectively created a potent mix that justified and motivated European imperialism. Nationalism fostered a sense of unity and superiority among nations, scientific racism provided a pseudoscientific basis for racial dominance, social Darwinism offered a rationale for the expansion of powerful societies, and the civilizing mission provided a moral justification for imposing Western culture and governance on other peoples.

  • What were the results of nationalistic desires as mentioned in the script?

    -The results of nationalistic desires included the unification of Italy and Germany, as people from these regions wanted to live in a consolidated state of their own.

  • How did the script address the contradiction between Enlightenment ideas and the actions of imperial powers?

    -The script highlighted the contradiction by pointing out that while Enlightenment ideas promoted liberty and self-governance, these same ideas seemed to contradict the widespread domination and control exerted by imperial powers over other nations and peoples.

  • What was the role of the pseudoscience of phrenology in supporting scientific racism?

    -Phrenology, the study of the shape and size of human skulls, was used by scientific racists to argue that the larger skulls of white people indicated their superiority over other races, thus justifying the imperialistic endeavors of white Europeans.

Outlines
00:00
🌍 Introduction to the Second Wave of Imperialism

This segment delves into the second wave of imperialism during 1750-1900, contrasting it with earlier European maritime empires. Despite Enlightenment values promoting liberty and self-governance, European powers pursued imperialism, driven by a mix of traditional and nuanced motivations. The influence of the Industrial Revolution on this period is noted, alongside a promotional mention of a review guide for students. The first ideology, nationalism, is introduced as a unifying force based on shared cultural traits, influencing significant historical events like the unification of Italy and Germany. This burgeoning nationalism fueled imperial ambitions, leading to a competitive scramble for larger empires, partly justified by a sense of cultural superiority.

05:02
📚 Ideologies Fueling Imperialism

This paragraph outlines the ideologies that underpinned the second wave of imperialism. It discusses the role of scientific racism, which attempted to hierarchically classify races, and how Europeans used this to justify imperial domination, alongside the pseudoscience of phrenology. Social Darwinism is then introduced, applying the survival of the fittest concept to justify the dominance of Western industrial societies over others. The fourth ideology, the civilizing mission, encapsulates the Western duty to spread their civilization to 'lower' ones, often at the expense of indigenous cultures and languages. These ideologies combined created a powerful force driving European imperialism, setting the stage for extensive global impact.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Imperialism
Imperialism refers to the policy or ideology of extending a nation's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means. In the context of the video, it is the driving force behind European nations' expansionist efforts during the period from 1750 to 1900s, leading to the domination of various territories around the world.
💡Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It emphasized reason, individualism, and the scientific method, and challenged traditional authority and superstition. In the video, the Enlightenment's ideas about liberty and self-governance are contrasted with the imperialistic actions of European powers, highlighting the contradiction between these ideals and the reality of colonial domination.
💡Nationalism
Nationalism is a political and social ideology that emphasizes the importance of a shared national identity, culture, language, or history. It often manifests as a desire for self-rule or sovereignty within a defined territory. In the video, nationalism is identified as a key ideology that fueled the second wave of imperialism, as it led to the unification of Italy and Germany and the expansionist ambitions of various European states.
💡Scientific Racism
Scientific racism is the belief that human populations can be ranked hierarchically based on supposed inherent biological differences, often used to justify discrimination and colonial rule. In the video, it is presented as an ideology that emerged during the period of the second wave of imperialism, with the pseudoscience of phrenology being used to argue for the superiority of the white race and to justify the colonization of other peoples.
💡Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism is the application of the concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest from biological evolution to human societies and economies. It was used to argue that certain societies and races were more 'fit' and therefore justified in dominating others. In the video, social Darwinism is portrayed as an ideology that rationalized European imperialism by suggesting that Western industrial societies were the most adapted to the global environment and thus had the right to expand and dominate.
💡Civilizing Mission
The civilizing mission is the idea that Western societies had a duty to bring the perceived benefits of their civilization to less advanced or 'lower' societies. This often involved the imposition of Western culture, religion, and institutions on colonized peoples. In the video, the civilizing mission is presented as one of the ideologies behind the second wave of imperialism, with Western powers believing they were obligated to 'uplift' the peoples they colonized.
💡Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period of major industrialization that took place during the 18th and 19th centuries, where traditional agriculture and handcrafting techniques were gradually replaced by industrial production methods. It had a profound impact on the economy, society, and culture, and is mentioned in the video as a catalyst for the rise of new ideologies that fueled the second wave of imperialism.
💡Phenology
Phenology is a branch of science that studies the shape and size of the human skull, and was used in the 19th century as a pseudoscience to support theories of racial differences and superiority. In the video, phenology is cited as an example of how scientific racism attempted to provide a 'scientific' basis for the belief in the superiority of the white race.
💡Colonization
Colonization is the process of establishing control over the life and land of another territory, often by settling in the area and exploiting its resources. In the video, colonization is central to the discussion of imperialism, as European powers sought to expand their empires by colonizing lands inhabited by peoples they considered 'lesser' or 'child races'.
💡Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience refers to claims or theories that resemble scientific explanations but lack the evidence, plausibility, or methodology required to be considered true science. In the video, the pseudoscience of phenology is highlighted as an example of how scientific racism used questionable methods to support its racial hierarchies.
Highlights

The period from 1750 to 1900s saw a second wave of imperialism driven by new ideologies.

European powers previously focused on maritime empires, dominating the Indian Ocean trade and colonizing the Americas.

Enlightenment ideas about liberty and self-governance contrasted with the European powers' domination of other peoples.

Nationalism emerged as a major ideology, emphasizing a sense of commonality among people based on shared language, religion, and customs.

Nationalism was linked with a desire for self-rule within a territory and played a significant role in the unification of Italy and Germany.

The ideology of nationalism fueled imperial ventures, as nations sought to assert their power and status through the expansion of their empires.

Scientific racism was another driving force, ranking humans into hierarchical biological classes based on race.

Prior to this period, division was more religious, but scientific racism introduced a secular classification of humanity based on race.

Phrenology, the study of skull shape and size, was used as pseudoscience to justify the superiority of the white race.

Social Darwinism applied Darwin's theory of natural selection to human societies, suggesting that Western industrial societies were the fittest.

The civilizing mission was the sense of duty Western societies felt to bring their civilization to 'lower' civilizations.

The civilizing mission involved converting peoples to Christianity and imposing Western-style education and culture on colonial populations.

These ideologies combined to create the second wave of imperialism, with European powers competing for larger empires.

The lecturer offers an AP World History review guide for students seeking to excel in their exams.

The review guide includes exclusive videos, practice questions, and full-length practice exams with answer keys.

The video promises to explore in detail how these ideologies manifested in the next installment.

Transcripts

Browse More Related Video

AP World History (WHAP) Unit 6 Introduction: Consequences of Industrialization 1750-1900

Rationales for IMPERIALISM [AP World History] Unit 6 Topic 1 (6.1)

AP World History 6.1 Rationales for Imperialism & 6.2 State Expansion

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

AP World History Modern: AMSCO - 4.7 Read Aloud

How IMPERIAL States EXPANDED, 1750-1900 [AP World History Review—Unit 6 Topic 2]

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Thanks for rating:

Related Tags
ImperialismHistoryNationalismRiseScientificRacismSocialDarwinismCivilizingMissionEnlightenmentIdeasIndustrialRevolutionColonialRivalryEuropeanPower