The New Age of

Imperialism
 IMPERIALISM
a policy in which

a strong nation
seeks to dominate
other countries
politically,
Sometimes also
economically, or
called colonialism
socially
 Old Imperialism
 European history is about expansion
 1500–1800: Age of Exploration

 Reasons for early imperialism:

 Establish trade routes (trade ivory, etc.)

 Create bases as stopovers

 Obtain resources (including workers)

 Gain territories

 Mostly took place in the western

hemisphere, “New World” (North America,
South America, & the Caribbean region)
 NEW Imperialism
 Mid 1800s – mid 1900s
 Reasons for NEW imperialism:

 Same reasons as before (trade routes,

bases, resources, territories)
 Plus some new reasons: create
markets, financial investment,
competition, military strategy, beliefs of
superiority, and more…
 Mostly took place in the eastern
hemisphere (Africa & Asia)
Why Imperialize?
… the simple answer:
* GOODS *
- Raw Materials for the factories
* GREATNESS / GLORY
*
- Show the power of your
empire.
* GOD *
- Spread Christianity.
 CAUSES OF
IMPERIALISM
… the longer answer:
 ECONOMIC CAUSE:
Industrial Revolution
 New inventions expanded
exploration & trade further
than before
 Because of the Industrial
Revolution, there were
more companies & wealthy
businesses  more money
available = investments in
new areas with the hope to
make a profit
 Needed raw materials to help
fuel the factories of Europe &
make new products out of the
raw materials
 There was an increased supply
of manufactured products from
the Industrial Revolution
 Europeans needed to find
new markets & people to sell
these items to
 Competition to make the best
profit (capitalism)
 ** RECALL: Mercantilism **
colonies were the suppliers of the raw materials
that could not be found in the mother country
&
the colonies were also a market place for the
mother countries’ finished products

This system created a favorable balance of

trade for the mother country

Capitalism – (investment & competition for profits)

is fused with the mercantilist idea during the
new age of imperialism
Example of Mercantilism
POLITICAL CAUSE: Nationalism
 Pride in your country
leads to wanting to
make your country even
better
 You can make your

country better by
expanding it
 Increased sense of

competition among
strong nations
 POLITICAL CAUSE:
Military Bases & Ports
 Ports used as refueling stations
 European nations were able to establish

military bases across the globe

 Naval bases used to control the new areas

they conquered
 Native people of these places

could also be a source of

manpower for the
imperialistic nation’s army
 SOCIAL CAUSE:
Belief of Superiority
Social Darwinism
 idea of “survival of the fittest”

 Non-Europeans were not “fit” (they had

no scientific or technological progress, &

no cultural development like the
Europeans)
 ** The idea of Social Darwinism made

imperialism justified in the minds of the

Europeans
Social Darwinism
 Based on Charles Darwin’s
theory of evolution
 “Natural selection” through
competition for food
 The species that win are best
adapted to their environment
and will pass those traits to
their offspring  the species
evolves and survives for a
longer period of time
 The losers will also pass those
traits to their offspring  the
species will eventually expire
Social Darwinism
 Herbert Spencer - coined
the term “survival of the
fittest”
 Applied Darwin’s evolution
theory to social groups –
natural selection through
economic competition
 People who were fittest for
survival in society will profit
and be successful
More… Belief of Superiority
“White Man’s Burden”
Rudyard Kipling’s poem:
Take up the White Man's burden--
Send forth the best ye breed--
Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild--
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half devil and half child.
“White Man’s Burden”
Explained why White Europeans had a
moral responsibility to take control of
weaker nations and their people

 It was the “burden” (duty or obligation)

for Europeans to bring their progress to
non-Europeans
 Some also saw it at as their “right” to

 Europeans thought that non-Europeans

“needed” their help
Cecil Rhodes
“I contend that we [Britions] are the first
race in the world, and the more of the
world we inhabit, the better it is for the
human race… It is our duty to seize every
opportunity of acquiring more territory
and we should keep this one idea steadily
before our eyes that more territory simply
means more of the Anglo-Saxon race,
more of the best, the most human, most
honourable race the world possesses.”
Cecil Rhodes: Political Cartoon

What
does this
cartoon
mean?
 SOCIAL CAUSE:
Spreading Christianity
 Missionaries wanted to convert people to
Christianity
 Thought it would “civilize” or “westernize”

them (make them more like Europeans)

 Believed European rule and

European ideas were the

best
 Christianity was also a way

to end the slave trade