Crash Course European History: 19th Century Imperialism

Overview

• Presenter: John Green
• Time Period Covered: 19th Century
• Key Themes: European nation-building, expansion of overseas empires, contradictions in rights, and colonialism.

Main Topics

European Nation Building and Expansion

• Nation-Building: Grounded in rule of law and constitutional guarantees.
• Contradiction in Rights: Expansion involved denying rights to colonized peoples.

European Imperial Expansion

• Regions of Focus: Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands.
• Motivations: Trading advantages, acquisition of raw materials like palm oil.
• Political Control: Firm control established in territories like India, North Africa, Australia.

British Imperialism in India

• Trade Loss Compensation: Expansion in India to compensate for loss in North America.
• Opium Wars: British smuggling of opium into China leading to two wars forcing trade ports open.

Other European Powers

• French, British, and Dutch: Set up plantations and took resources in Africa, Asia, and Pacific.
• Belgian King Leopold: Exploited the Congo for rubber resources.

Tools of Empire

• Industrial Tools: Steamships, railroads, weaponry to maintain control.
• Medical Tools: Quinine from cinchona bark for malaria treatment.
• Infrastructure: Built to extract resources rather than benefit locals.

Resistance and Rebellion

• Indian Rebellion of 1857: Led by Rani Lakshmi Bai against British rule.
• Reproductive Resistance: Decline in births as a form of resistance against colonial oppression.

Local Prosperity under Colonial Rule

• Local Elites: Some prospered as business people and agents for colonizers.
• Rabindranath Tagore: Example of success, winning Nobel Prize in Literature.

Justifications for Imperialism

• Christianization and Civilization: Initially used as a moral justification.
• Social Darwinism: Post-Darwin, justification shifted to survival of the fittest.

Lasting Impacts and Tensions

• Berlin Conference of 1884-1885: Attempted to regulate African colonization.
• International Tensions: Increased competition and tensions leading to World War.

Conclusion

• Imperialism's Legacy: Continues to impact global dynamics and racial attitudes today.

Reflection

• Shift in Perspective: Consider the impact on those negatively affected by imperialism.