6.2 - State Expansion 

Long-standing Relationship:

• Slave Trade: European involvement in Africa dated back to the transatlantic slave trade. By the early 1800s, most European countries had outlawed the importation of African slaves but continued to trade goods like guns, alcohol, and manufactured items for African natural resources such as palm oil, gold, and ivory.

• Economic Interests: In the late 19th century, European demand for African diamonds and ivory fueled imperial ambitions.

Expansion Beyond Trading Posts

European Presence:

• Limited to Trading Posts: Throughout most of the 1800s, European presence in Africa was limited to coastal trading posts, with notable exceptions like French Algeria and Dutch and British colonies in South Africa.

• Technological Advancements: The development of quinine to treat malaria and the steamship facilitated European exploration and military expeditions into Africa.

British Control of Egypt:

• Suez Canal (1869): The construction of the Suez Canal by a French company, largely built by Egyptian laborers, significantly shortened the sea route to Asia. British control over Egypt was established in 1882 to protect their interests in the canal.

British West Africa:

• Colonial Expansion: Britain established several colonies, spreading Western education, the English language, and Christianity:

  • Sierra Leone (1787): Home for freed enslaved people.

  • Gambia (1816): Used as a base to combat the slave trade.

  • Lagos (1861): Crown colony and base for further annexation in Nigeria.

  • Gold Coast (1874): Became a crown colony, eventually encompassing modern-day Ghana.

French in Africa:

• Algeria (1830): France drove out the Ottomans and established a settler colony.

• West Africa: Established trading posts in Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Niger in the 1880s to compete with British colonies.

The European Scramble for Africa

Berlin Conference (1884–1885):

• Organizing Colonization: European powers met to establish rules for the colonization of Africa, without African representation. They agreed on colonial boundaries and the free movement of goods on major African rivers.

• Artificial Boundaries: Created colonial borders that divided unified societies and combined rival groups, leading to future conflicts.

South Africa and the Boer Wars:

• British and Afrikaner Conflict: Throughout the 19th century, British and Dutch-speaking Afrikaners fought over land, culminating in the Boer Wars (1880–1881, 1899–1902).

• Concentration Camps: Both Afrikaners and black Africans were displaced into camps with poor conditions, resulting in significant deaths.

Congo and King Leopold II:

• Brutal Exploitation: King Leopold II of Belgium personally owned the Congo Free State, where laborers were forced to harvest ivory and rubber under horrific conditions, resulting in millions of deaths.

Independent Countries

Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Liberia:

• Resisting Colonization: By 1900, only Abyssinia and Liberia remained independent. Abyssinia successfully resisted Italian invasion in 1895, and Liberia, founded by formerly enslaved people from the U.S., maintained a dependent relationship with the United States.

Imperialism in South Asia

European Competition:

• Portugal, France, and Britain: Competed for control of India's lucrative trade. The British East India Company (EIC) eventually dominated the Indian subcontinent.

• Sepoy Rebellion (1857): Native Indian soldiers in the British colonial army revolted unsuccessfully against British control.

Imperialism in East Asia

China:

• Spheres of Influence: European nations carved out spheres of influence within China, exerting economic dominance without direct colonial rule.

• Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864): A major internal conflict weakened China, making it more vulnerable to foreign control.

Japan:

• Meiji Restoration (1868): Overthrew the traditional government and rapidly industrialized, leading to territorial expansion in East Asia, including parts of China, Korea, and Pacific islands.

Imperialism in Southeast Asia

Dutch and French Control:

• Dutch East Indies: The VOC controlled the spice trade, leading to Dutch government control and the exploitation of cash crops.

• French Indochina: France established control over Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, focusing on rubber plantations.

British Influence:

• Malaya: British control expanded from Penang to the entire Malay Peninsula, promoting cash crops and mining.

Siam (Thailand):

• Independent Modernization: Siam successfully maintained independence by modernizing and skillfully managing diplomatic relations with European powers.

Imperialism in Australia and New Zealand

British Colonization:

• Australia: Initially established as a penal colony in 1788, later attracting free settlers due to economic opportunities like wool and gold.

• New Zealand: Annexed by Britain in 1839, leading to conflict with the Maori over land rights.

Imperialism in Latin America and the Pacific

U.S. Expansion:

• Manifest Destiny: The U.S. expanded westward, forcing Native Americans onto reservations. Acquired territories through the Mexican-American War (1846–1848) and bought Alaska in 1867.

• Overseas Territories: Gained control of Guam, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines following the Spanish-American War (1898). The Roosevelt Corollary (1904) asserted U.S. intervention rights in Latin America.