Age of Old Imperialism – 16th to Early 19th Century

- European Imperialists’ search for trade route to

Asia

- From Middle of Crusade era in late 13th century to Early 18th

Century
- Rediscovery of rare commodities
- Rise of the British Empire along with Spanish, Portuguese,
French empires.
 • Religious wars between
Christians and Muslims
• European interactions through
crusades.
• European interest in Commerce
Mercantilists: Colonies as a source
of wealth
Rulers, statesmen, explorers, and
missionaries: Imperial belief in
GLORY, GOD, and GOLD.
 Timeline of European Imperialism
PERIOD EVENT
Mid-19th Century Economic Revival of Great Britain
and France
1837 - 1901 Great Britain became an
Industrial Giant
1869 Opening of Suez Canal
1870s Age of New Imperialism
 Causes of New Imperialism
Economic Military/Political Humanitarian/Religious Technological
Need for Need for military
White man’s burden New medicine
markets bases
Raw
National Security Spread of Christianity New Weapons
materials
Social Darwinism
Source of Source of pride –
(superiority of Western Transportation
Investments Nationalism
society)
• Materialism and Empiricism –
material reality
• Idealism – Metaphysical view
 British Idealism in Africa
- R.F.A. Hoernle – Liberal Views and
Idealist notions
•Belgium vs. Great Britain
•Suez Canal
•Britain’s control of Egypt
• Otto Von Bismarck
(Chancellor of Germany)
and Jules Ferry (Premier
of France)
• Berlin Conference – 14
nations met to lay down
basic rules for colonizing
Africa
• 1914 – Ethiopia and Liberia
were free from European
Imperial control.
• Liberia – Independent
Republic in 1847
• Ethiopia – resent Italian
invasion in 1896
• Britain controlled South
Africa
Anglo-Boers
War
- Migration of
the Boers and
the Foundation
of ORANGE
FREE STATE
AND
TRANSVAAL.
- Boers conflict
with the Zulus.
- British entered
the Zulu Wars and
destroyed the
Zulu Empire.
- Foundation of
UNION OF SOUTH
AFRICA
- Apartheid –
segregation of
blacks from
whites.
 Timeline of British Imperialism in Africa
PERIOD EVENT
1835 Great Trek of the Boers
1850 Slave Trade in Africa Becomes
Popular
1857 Discovery of Diamonds
1869 Opening of Suez Canal
1870 Africa was under full
European control
1875 Britain’s control of Suez Canal
 Timeline of British Imperialism in Africa
PERIOD EVENT
1882 Britain’s colonization of Egypt –
sparked “African Fever”
1884 Berlin Conference
1899-1902 Boer War
1899 2nd Boer War
1902 Treaty of Vereeniging
1907 Production of Gold
1910 Union of South Africa
1935 Gold Export
• More structured political system
• Development of industrial technology
• Idea of Nationalism
• Increased life span
• Higher literacy