Vocabulary
What is imperialism?
When a stronger country takes over a weaker one.
What was the Berlin Conference?
European meeting dividing Africa.
Who were the Sepoys?
Indian soldiers serving under British command.
Name one positive effect of imperialism that Europeans claimed they brought to colonies.
Improved infrastructure (roads, railroads), schools, hospitals, sanitation.
Indirect vs direct rule
Indirect: local leadership stays, colony is still controlled but maintains some freedom
Direct: full takeover by colonizing country
What happened when Europeans divided up Africa (think maps).
They drew borders to benefit themselves and their empires instead of honoring tribal boundaries.
Why did the British describe India as the “jewel in the crown”?
Most valuable colony: resources, location, population, trade routes.
What political effect did imperialism have on colonized nations?
Europeans took top government positions → loss of political autonomy.
Define protectorate.
Local rulers stay in place but are controlled by outsiders.
Compare the motives of Leopold II in the Congo to general European motives. What was different?
Leopold’s personal profit and brutality went further than typical resource extraction.
How did British rule impact India’s textile industry?
British factories crushed India’s industry, making India dependent on British cloth.
How did imperialism socially impact colonized cultures?
Europeans pushed their language, religion, schools, and cultural norms on colonized people.
Define sphere of influence.
Area where a nation has exclusive trading rights.
How did social darwinism and the white man's burden play a part in African colonization?
Social Darwinism: Claimed Europeans were the “fittest,” so ruling Africans was natural and justified.
White Man’s Burden: Claimed Europeans had a duty to “civilize” Africans, making colonization seem helpful or noble.
Who was Mahatma Gandhi, and why was his strategy effective against British rule?
He led India’s independence movement using nonviolent resistance, which exposed British violence, united Indians, and gained international sympathy.
How did imperialism change power structures in colonized societies?
Europeans placed themselves at the top; created racial hierarchies and unequal systems.
Define economic imperialism versus just regular imperialism and give an example of it.
A private company controls a country.
Name TWO reasons Europe was able to conquer Africa so quickly
Superior weapons (Maxim gun)
Steam transportation
Medical advantages
African internal divisions
Industrialized economies backing expansion
Explain the two stages of British rule in India and why the shift occurred.
BEIC rule: Private company dominated India economically.
Raj: Britain took direct control after the Sepoy Rebellion exposed failed company rule.
Choose one region (Africa or India) and explain the long-term effects of imperialism there.
Borders → conflict, divided ethnic groups, economic dependency, loss of industries, etc.